Concert Review: Inaugural Minnesota Country Club Festival at Harriet Island Regional Park
- Randy Calica
- Jul 27
- 15 min read
Updated: Jul 28
On July 10th and 11th I had the privilege to travel to St. Paul, MN for the inaugural Minnesota Country Club festival at Harriet Island Regional Park. What a stacked line up. Let's talk about some of the highlights and unfortunately some low lights.
So, day one got off to a great start, getting checked in and into the venue was an absolute breeze. Once I was inside, I figured I was early so I would go take a little wonder and make sure I knew where the important things were. The stages, the walkways, bathrooms and water refilling stations... You know the absolute necessities.
While wandering around I actually ran into a couple members of night one's headliners, Treaty Oak Revival. I thought it was so cool that the headliners were there bright and early, wandering around and interacting with people. It was nice to have a little chat with the guys about the recent shows, and the boys were excited to only have one more show after Minnesota before they got to head home for a few days. These types of interactions with bands were pretty common all weekend. Seeing bands watching other bands, interacting with the crowd was just cool to see.
After wrapping up my conversation it was time to head over for the first act of the day.
Kicking things off on the second stage (Eagle Stage) were Sons of Habit. A few things stood out, they did a great cover of Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. I also really enjoyed their original song "5:21" but really the thing that stood out the most was the fact these guys were so fan friendly.
Once they were done playing, they came off the stage and were talking to fans and taking pictures for over 30 minutes and they stuck around all day catching bands walking between stages. I really love bands like this that are obviously just music fans.
The next set was over on the main stage for Next of Kin. A trio out of Austin, TX who were making their first festival appearance outside of their home state of Texas. This band has the making of one of those bands who you talk about how you saw them opening the mainstage right before they take the stage for a headlining show. They are known for their harmonies, and I heard many comparisons to early Chick's. Personally, I enjoyed Next of Kin more than I ever enjoyed The Chicks. They have the polish that appeals to mainstream country, they have a fun stage presence that makes them fun to watch. But being a Texas band and still doing the independent artist grind I appreciate them even more. I feel like that grind gives them a little more street cred and makes them more acceptable in the more red dirt/alt country landscape. This will be a band I keep a close eye on. This may be the first festival out of state but this will not be the last.
Next up on the second stage was The Last Revel. The biggest thing that stuck out about them was the fact they were all business. Very little stage chatter, they just went up and did their thing. Very talented musicians. I did some independent research and found out this was a homecoming show for them as they are out of Minneapolis, M.N..
Next up on the mainstage was Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners. What I love so much about the early days of these festivals is so much of it is discovery. I went all the way to Minnesota to discover a band that is based in my home state of Washington. Mitch was celebrating his birthday and the crowd sang happy birthday to him.
So normally I think that VIP upgrades are a nice upgrade but usually I think you are well off even if you don't get it. But for the Minnesota Country Club the VIP upgrade was one of the best you could do for yourself. Having access to air-conditioned bathrooms, shade, a place to sit most of the day and pretty clear sightlines to the main stage made the upgrade alone worth it. On top of all this you had lockers you could rent and not have to walk all the way to the front gates to access. You had all the food and drink options and if you just needed a little quiet reset you could walk to the far back corner where you were well behind the stage and it was pretty quiet, a nice place if you just needed a minute. The Vip access a full 10 out of 10 from me. It was HOT this weekend and if you were not in VIP the access to shade throughout the rest of the festival was pretty limited. If you were at the main stage the stage itself provided a decent amount of shade but if you were at the second stage the sun was pretty brutal and there were not a lot of places to hide from it.
Daniel Donato Cosmic Country was next up on the second stage and this was one of the bigger surprises of day 1 to me. When I listened to a few of their songs on Spotify on my trip over I will fully admit it really didn't excite me much. However, I am glad I checked the set out because live these guys brought it. This is one of those cases where studio recordings do not do this band justice. Also pretty cool not only did these guys stick around for day 1 but I ran into them a few times on day 2 as well. If you get to check them out live, ideally a smaller venue these guys would rock that place wall to wall.
Next up to the mainstage were The Beach Boys. Sadly, this was the biggest dud of the weekend. The set started with the band struggling with some issues with their in-ear monitors . The band was professional and pushed forward but even after the in-ear monitor issue was resolved some things became painfully obvious. Mike Love who is the last remaining original member of the original band still performing, just doesn't have the voice anymore. At 85 years old he is just proof your voice has a shelf life. Not sure if it's measured in years or performances but whatever it is Mike's voice is just not there. Not everything is bad, Drummer Jon Bolton is amazing and is a real treat to watch. The songs are still some of the greatest ever written but if you are seeing The Beach Boys in 2026 are a shell of themselves.
Charles Wesley Godwin was next up and got us on track. The crowd singing John Denvers "Take Me Home, Country Roads" as the band took the stage was just so fitting. I discovered CWG last year and he was another one of those artists whose studio recordings don't do him justice. Don't get me wrong, the studio recordings are great but the live performance is next level. Guitar player and producer Al Torrence is probably in my top 5 of country guitar players.
Back over to the mainstage. Charley Crockett probably wins the award for best dressed day one. Coming out wearing this amazing looking creme suit. This was my first time seeing Charley play and certainly will not be my last. I could listen to him sing "$10 Cowboy" and "Kentucky Too long ". on repeat for hours. Such a smooth voice with so much character. A strong stage presence. Everything about Charley seems deliberate and nothing happening on accident.
Days One's second stage headliner Stephen Wilson Jr. was half the reason I was excited to make this trip and cover this event. SWJ is likely your favorite song writer's favorite song writer. Stephen Wilson Jr has already lived a movie worthy life, already an accomplished boxer winning Golden Gloves, a scientist having invented Dentastix Fresh dog chews, serving as a songwriter for Big and Loud before launching his solo music career. Bringing his unique sound that he Describes as "Death Cab for Country" that blends the traditional country storytelling that the genre is known for with a very obvious Grunge inspired background. I honestly can't wait to catch SWJ at a solo show because his one-hour set was just not enough. SWJ and I are roughly the same age, so when he sings "year to be young 1994" it speaks to my teenage years.
"My life was a stereo and it was everything
Soundtrack track takes me back through all those memories
Hiding in my headphones, laying on the bedroom floor
It takes me back to the days when a song was so much more1994"
Night one’s main stage headliner Treaty Oak Revival. If you read my review back in May, you already know I am a huge fan. Over the past year I have seen TOR play a music festival mid-day on a side stage, I have seen them headline their own arena show and now getting to see them headline a festival. It's been fun watching the TOR experience taking over. It was easy to see that TOR was really the star attraction for many of the fans on day 1, so many fans sporting band merch all weekend long. While the set lists for each show have remained the same or very similar the band do a great job making sure that every show feels unique and special. Rolling through hit after hit as the fans yell the lyrics to every song it never fails that a different song just hits me and sticks with me. Tonight "Stop and Stare" took home the award.
Still getting hard to sleep in that old bed
My eyes are black and they're bloodshot red
And when I think of you I find it hard to sleep
And my heartbeat sounding like rain on the rooftop
Dancing with a slut in a red and black tube top
Go for a ride and baby it won't stop there
Treaty Oak never disappoints and they tore the house down.
Treaty Oak is an experience that I will treat myself to as many times as possible every year. They are worth taking a vacation and making a road trip. They just never disappoint and were the perfect way to end night 1 of the inaugural Minnesota Country Club Festival.
Day 2
Once again getting into the festival grounds was a breeze MCC gets a major positive check mark for festival entrance. Some early observations on day 2 felt significantly warmer. The day 2 Saturday crowd was out earlier where day 1 was a slow build getting larger all day, day 2 was pretty packed right from the start. However, festival staff did a great job keeping lines down for everything, food, bathrooms, drinks, all the lines moved fast.
Day 2 I made some early decisions based on the fact that on day 1 I walked nearly 10 miles. With the increased heat heading into day 2 I realized I needed more breaks and rehydrating was going to be important. This may have just been an oversight by me, but I don't think any vendor sold any sort of sport drink like Gatorade or Powerade, I might have just missed it but I feel like this is something that every stand should have been carrying.
Day 2 got started with Nico Welsh, I opted to sit this set out and listen from the VIP area. One of the great things about the set up was the fact it was alternating stages so the music never overlapped. You could sit (or stand) at one stage and still easily hear the other stage. Even from a distance a few things were apparent, one was the fact Nico had a much larger crowd than day 1's stage opener. And even from a distance they sounded amazing.
The first band of the day I checked out was main stage opener Boy Golden. A singer/songwriter out of Winnipeg, Manitoba bringing a very folky style of country music walking that fine line between folk, country, and Americana. Great voice and great presentation. I found myself making my way back to the VIP section to sip some water and enjoy the rest of his set. I didn't have a chance to scribble down any of the song titles, but it was a great set and a great way to kick off the main stage on day 2.
I sat out the Buffalo Traffic Jam set and this was something I regret. From a distance I could tell the crowd was way into this set and even from a distance these guys sounded amazing.
The next set I caught was Elizabeth Nichols. If you are more of a mainstream country music fan Elizabeth Nichols is a name I would remember of the early artists, she really had the most pop country polish. She is someone I could easily see breaking out. She is one of those artists that brings pop polish already appearing on the Kelly Clarkston show as well as having Kelly herself cover " I got a New One".
She was an early day favorite just watching the crowd. Similar to Next of Kin from day 1 Elizabeth offers pop polish but also has a little grit. She honestly reminded me a lot of recent breakout Avery Anna. One to keep an eye on for sure.
Coming into the weekend I really was not familiar with Chance Peña. But I saw his name on a few festival line ups and then realized he was playing a sold out show here in Portland, OR at one of our larger venues. Somehow, I missed that he is a "Voice" alumni and really has already established himself as a songwriter having been Grammy nominated as a co-writer for John Legend's "Conversations in the Dark". With all this success in a more of a mainstream pop world I was shocked when I heard him because he was much grittier. I would say he is the breakout artist, but I don't think he is a breakout artist, he is already there. If you have a chance to see him on tour this summer, I recommend it. He is a future headliner.
Jesse Welles was an act I was very excited to see this weekend. In my neck of the country Jesse sells out every show and they sell out in a hurry. Considering the location of this show and with Welles music often referred to as protest music I was very curious about what he would have to say. But to my surprise he didn't say much and chose to let the music speak for itself. When he played " Join Ice" it was obvious the crowd had already got the message and firmly agreed with Jesse. Usually known for his acoustic singer songwriter songs, I was blown away when Jesse's full band joined him on stage and completely blew me away. I sat in the grass and really felt like I was sitting in on a Woodstock era rock set. The cover of Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" pleasantly caught me by surprise. I was not ready for Welles and Crew to go that hard.
Paul Cauthen hit the stage with a presence that can only be described as swagger. Hard hitting Texas country music that just had some stank on it. It's big, it's loud and it doesn't apologize for being there. He hit all of Minnesota with some "Texas Swagger"
"I'll take whiskey, steel-toe boots
I'm bull-bucking right out the shoot
Hit up my boys, we know what to do
Tonight's the night to act a fool
Saucey ladies lookin' for a dude
Tell you right now I got the crew
Turn it up, it's a full moon
I'll give you what you want'
Cause I want you
From here on after
I'll hit 'em with the Texas Swagger
Yee-haw, all night long"
Next to the mainstage were Trampled by Turtles. I did watch this set from a distance as it was time to fuel up and rehydrate and get ready for the final push. This was somewhat of a homecoming for Trampled by Turtles playing to the crowd of their home state and the crowd was out in full force to support. This is another band that gave me a little FOMO and I regret not fully engaging. Something I need to put on my list of bands I will have to check out down the road.
Night 2's second stage headliner was Jessie Murph. Easily the most pop polished artist on the festival lineup. My tastes tend to lean away from a lot of pop country acts but from the moment I heard her voice on duets with Jelly Roll (Wild Ones) and Koe Wetzel (High Road) I was instantly hooked. She has one of the most unique and identifiable voices in country music. She reminds me so much of a country version of Amy Winehouse. Right now, I feel like we are in a golden era of women's voices in country music. Currently being ruled by industry giants like Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, etc. they need to make some room because Jessie Murph has entered the chat. Lots of artists have a good voice or a good look, very few offer the voice, the look, the presentation and song writing on top of it. Murph is the full package, and it was on full display. Hitting the stage to her version The Animals " House of the Rising Son" and then immediately switching gears to her more modern pop offering "Touch me like a Gangser" she had every female in the crowd singing along with her as she effortlessly glided across the stage. Mixing in her pop hits and showing her range with more emotional songs like "Gucci Mane" or "Heroin" before closing out her set with her hit "Blue Strips"
Jessie is an absolute force and an artist that I hope to cover many more times. It's more than just a concert, it's a total interactive show.
And now it's time for our Night 2 main stage headliners, The Red Clay Stays. IF you are not familiar with Red Clay Strays they are an interesting group, having recently won CMA's Vocal Group of the Year yet they themselves don't consider themselves country. They think of themselves as more of a rock group often being referred to as Gospel Revival. While they may not offer the rowdy energy of Treaty Oak Revival or the stage presence of Jessie Murph make no mistake, Red Clay Strays are worth a vacation trip halfway across the country to see.
Lead singer Brandon Coleman provides a lot of the band's signature branding with his retro looks and slicked backed hair. The thing that got me all night long was Brandon's conviction. He sings every song as if life is hanging in the balance and is fully dependent on his ability to make you believe that the stories he is telling are happening in that very moment. All night long Brandon makes references to his faith and how important it is to him yet at no moment did I ever feel like I was being preached to. He was just telling stories, and his faith is just a huge part of his story.
It was funny I walked into the night with my favorite Red Clay song being "Drowning" yet it was one of the first songs from Red Clay that ended up sticking with me the longest. Hearing the story behind "I'm Still Fine" the numbness in the struggles but having confidence in your faith that you are going to make it to the other side.
Sometimes I feel like I can't feel
This isn't real, I should be hurtingI was alone, I was a song
Music and bone, God's perfect wording
And could the people understand this?
I'm as bruised as a used up canvas
I'm awfully nice but I'm cold as ice
I've been through hell but I'll be alright
Red Clay Strays really were the perfect closing for this festival, for a band that is not a huge fan of playing festivals due to the long days and how taxing it is on the fans. The set was the perfect way to just sit back and just soak everything in. I found myself stuck in reflection and just thinking about my own life. I think that is part of what makes Red Clay so special is you don't have to be religious to relate. An absolute treat.
So, some final thoughts about the inaugural Minnesota Country Club festival. First off should it come back for year 2. That is a HUGE Yes, as the little sister to the Minnesota Yacht club festival that caters more to an indie and rock crowd I feel like MCC offers a great alternative for the country fan base. Was MCC perfect. No. Some things when it comes back next year that I would like to see. First thing is to address the heat, while no festival can control the weather, a very easy fix would be to add a misting tent to help people cool off and add at least one more water refill station, something a little more central between the 2 stages. The second improvement I would like to see is access to the VIP area. Yes, the grounds were super easy to navigate however to get from the stage to the VIP area required you to walk about half the length of the festival grounds to the entrance to walk about that same distance once you are in the VIP area to get back to the area where you could see the stage. The final 2 suggestions I think are the biggest: the first thing to address is getting to and from the festival grounds. The lack of onsite parking means that if you are at the main stage at the end of the night it is nearly a mile walk to the nearest parking. The easy fix I think would be to have some official festival sponsored shuttle. The biggest area of opportunity comes in the form of the lineup itself. Don't get me wrong this year's lineup was great but as I mentioned earlier, we are in a golden era of female country stars so the fact a 2-day festival line up only offered 3 female acts, and I think only 2-3 other acts that even had females in the band. Someone like Sierra Ferrell or an up and comer like Avery Anna would fit perfectly into this type of festival offering mainstream name notoriety obviously there are some heavy hitters like Ella or Lainey that could easily headline a night as well. But this year I wouldn't have touched the headliners. They were perfect in my mind. But as a whole, this was a great weekend if you could beat the heat and anyone looking at year 2 do yourself a favor and get that VIP upgrade.
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