Concert Review: Throwing Muses at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, MN

Throwing Muses delivered a raw, intimate set at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis on April 13, performing both recent material and the post-punk, discordant melodies that have defined their sound since the 1980s.

Led by the entrancing Kristin Hersh, the band includes her son, Dylan (aka Doony), who has played bass for her in both Throwing Muses and 50FootWave. He joined the lineup for this tour, adding to the band’s live sound alongside drummer Fred Abong (Kristin’s partner) and cellist Pete Harvey. 

Hersh’s confessional, nonlinear, and unsettling lyrics were vibrant and genuinely human. Hersh’s guitar work was sharp and percussive, punctuated by bursts of melodic clarity. The band's driving rhythms were felt as much as heard. The Parkway’s seated, listening-room atmosphere amplified the tension and nuance in Hersh’s delivery, making even the quietest moments feel charged. 

Seeing Throwing Muses was a true alt-rock dream come true. Their music has been part of my life’s soundtrack since the mid-1980s—thank you, Kristin, for making it possible to be present that evening. 

While the exact setlist for the April 13 Minneapolis show is undocumented, it appears to closely match the band’s previous tour performances. The selections drew heavily from Moonlight Concessions and longstanding favorites. Early in the set, songs like “Theremini,” “Sunray Venus,” “Dark Blue,” and “Bea” were performed, followed by deeper cuts such as “Slippershell,” “Colder,” and “Him Dancing.” Later, crowd favorites “Counting Backwards,” “South Coast,” and “Moonlight Concessions” were played, with the encore featuring energetic versions of “Shark” and “Bright Yellow Gun.”