Autoheart – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN – December 10, 2025

 Autoheart (with Wild Part) at Fine Line in Minneapolis, MN – Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Review and photos by Catherine Zons

On a relatively unassuming Wednesday night, I made my way to Fine Line, Minneapolis’ premiere venue for indie artists of all stripes. With a max capacity of 650, Fine Line offers a live experience that feels both exciting and intimate, with both standing room on the ground floor as well as balcony seating on the second floor. I arrived an hour early, when doors opened, with what I thought was more than enough time to scope out the place and find a good place to sit for the show. However, when I arrived, I was shocked to see a line that extended almost around the block, full of people waiting to get inside for Autoheart and Wild Party. I joined them and watched as the line just got longer and longer, until eventually the floodgates opened, and a hundred or so people squeezed up quickly against the stage. 

As someone with complex mobility needs, I can typically find a seat in the ADA section of most venues, but I was unlucky that night; all available seats had already sold out! Incredibly nervous about the night of standing ahead, I found myself a spot to stand near the front. It ended up being exactly what I needed–both to take some good pictures and have a seriously great time.

It wasn’t long before the lights dimmed and opening act Wild Party took the stage. Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, the four-piece indie pop/rock band has had a long journey to get to where they are now–and I don’t just mean the drive from Texas to Minnesota! Principal band members Lincoln Kreifels (vocals) and Lucas Hughes (guitar) began making music together when the two were in middle school, but it wasn’t until the two were seniors in high school that they decided to pursue music more seriously. Recruiting Ethan Kaufmann (guitar) and Cary LaScala (drums), Wild Party was officially born in 2009. The band saw an initial immediate blowup in popularity, had their first hiatus in 2011, released their first album Phantom Pop in 2013, and then saw an eight-year-long hiatus in live performance or music releases. In 2023, Wild Party returned to the music scene with their EP Get Up, and in 2025, the group officially released their second album Cheeky Giants.

Knowing the tumultuous times of uncertainty that Wild Party has weathered, their performance at Fine Line felt even more impactful. They played a variety of new and old stuff: from “Violet” to “Lo-Fi Children” off Phantom Pop; to “Coexist” and “Recipe” off Get Up; to “RRWLI” and “I Just Think I’m Smart” (my favorite song they do) off Cheeky Giants. Between songs, Kreifels spent ample time thanking the crowd for their support–and that gratitude felt entirely sincere. Wild Party was particularly invested in connecting with their fans, during the show (and afterwards–but we’ll get to that.) From the stage, Kreifels shouted out a couple fans in the middle of the crowd that he recognized from a show they’d done in Minneapolis last year, and that level of dedication between band and fans might have been my favorite moment from the whole night. They ended their comfortable set with “OutRight,” an upbeat track that explores the loneliness of a strained relationship and the heartbreaking fantasy of a happy-ever-after that only exists in your dreams at night. 

After a quick intermission, Autoheart took the stage to a thunderous cheer. The queer alt-pop band formed in London in 2011 and primarily consists of Jody Gadsden (vocals), Simon Neilson (piano/keys/saxophone), and Barney JC (guitar/bass/keys). The group describe themselves as genre hoppers; their primarily indie pop sound often expands to feature elements of alt rock, folk pop, lo-fi disco, and synth pop. All three members contribute lyrically, often exploring themes like heartbreak, depression, and identity through an unwavering LGBTQ+ lens. Their songs offer honest and devastatingly real discussions of mental illness and queer love, backed with peppy melodies and glam grooves that let you tap your foot to the beat as Gadsden’s hauntingly beautiful vocals speak directly to your soul. 

This has been a show I’ve been looking forward to since they announced the US leg of their tour in September. The tour came after the August release of the band’s newest album, Heartlands, a bittersweet reflection on growing up queer and the community that forms between outcasts. Without exaggeration, this album has been the most meaningful collection of new music that I’ve engaged with all year. As someone experiencing a time of transition, otherness, and unexpected isolation, every track on Heartlands hit me where it mattered most–right in the part of my brain that told me I was alone. Despite its mid-year release, it was my most replayed album of 2025 (second place went to Autoheart’s Punch, too). 

So when Autoheart took the stage and began their set with “Indigo Chateau,” the lead-off track from Heartlands, I was so excited. The song is a defiant anthem for outsiders, a powerful message to fans about celebrating their differences despite the hostility of a culture of conformity. The song speaks directly to the homophobic and transphobic rhetoric that has been escalating in recent years, specifically with the UK’s recent increase in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. 

Following “Indigo Chateau” were three more tracks from Heartlands: “Heaven Is My Destination,” “Baby Bird,” and “Sad Divide.” Autoheart then took the crowd back in time with “Stalker’s Tango” and “Foolishly Wrong” to Lent, an EP originally released in 2013. They then moved to several songs off Punch, their 2013 album featuring some of their biggest hits: songs like “Moscow,” “Agoraphobia,” and “Hungover in the City of Dust” received wild applause, recognizable to the crowd from the first notes. The band also hit some classics from their albums I Can Build a Fire and Hellbent, including one of my absolute favorite songs of all time, “My Hallelujah.” Their set came back to Heartlands with “Denial” and a raucous rendition of “Say That” before the band “ended” their set and left the stage.

The people of Minneapolis were not ready to be done, though. A very insistent (but very polite) chant began; the crowd cried “one more song” with a quick “please!” thrown in between repetitions. The band came back smiling, and Gadsden said that we could have three more songs “because you asked so nicely.” They started their encore with “The Sailor Song,” a track they explained was actually their first official release as a band! They wrapped up a stellar set with “Anniversary” and “Factories,” two more songs off Punch. 

I was struck by Autoheart’s incredible level of audience participation. As he sang, Gadsden often held the mic out to fans in front of the stage, inviting them to sing along. JC borrowed a fan from someone in the crowd and gestured to his shirt, which read “Nobody knows I’m gay.” (This received loud applause.) In true English fashion, Neilson showed off the lucky teabag he had in his back pocket, and gave it to one equally lucky fan. The band also took a moment too to appreciate the costumes in the crowd; lots of people had dressed up as references to Autoheart’s music. It’s a type of fan tribute I don’t see often at smaller venues for indie bands, and to see so many people with an Autoheart-inspired look was such a uniquely magical experience.

To cap the night off, I spent a fair bit of time–and money–at the merch booth, stocking up on Autoheart paraphernalia before they went back across the pond. At Wild Party’s booth, lead singer Lincoln Kreifels and drummer Cary LaScala were interacting with fans on a 1-on-1 level. They signed autographs, took photos, and had genuine conversations with people as they came through the line. I showed them some of the raw pictures I’d taken and said I was excited to see them when they came back to Minneapolis in April. I complimented Kreifels’ cool winter coat, and he joked that he never had a chance to wear it in Texas. It was an incredible little moment of genuinity to wrap up a night of great music and meaningful performances. I made the walk back to my parking spot with a smile on my face; the warmth of the evening followed me all the way to my car and stayed with me the whole way home.