Blind Melon – Riverside Music – Rochester MN – July 13th 2025

Blind Melon with Amateur – Riverside Music – Rochester, MN – July 13th, 2025

Review and photos by Kate Klaus

It was a beautiful evening in Rochester, MN for the opening show of the series coined by the Star Tribune as “Minnesota’s weirdest and most fun concert series in 2025”, with Blind Melon rocking to a packed park under a gorgeous sunset and a great vibe, including food trucks, families spread out on blankets, and even a Maine Coon cat lounging in a stroller.

Rochester based indie-rockers Amateur started off the night with a fun and lively set, including songs off their recent album release “Waiting Room”. With introspective lyrics paired with catchy melodies and energetic beats, their music was an instant hit with the thousands who had gathered in the park for the opening night of this series. Not only was their music fantastic, but they were a fun group to watch perform, as they had great stage presence and charisma, and it was clear that they were having fun and drawing energy and emotion from the enthusiastic crowd. Lead singer/guitarist Chris Tauzell delivered the lyrics both beautifully and with a vulnerable humility that really carried the emotion of the words. Melodic harmonies with vocalist Amanda Jay Fuller were paired with fun guitar riffs from Brody Heinzel and strong and playful rhythms from bassist Jake Steele and drummer Alex Ortberg. Adding to the depth of their musicality was keyboardist Elijah Gray and a horn section of Jacob Burkhart on Trumpet and John Sievers on trombone. Amateur put all of the best elements of performance and musicality along with beautifully written songs into a set that was a perfect way to open the highly anticipated series.

Blind Melon then took the stage and absolutely rocked the park. Led by vocalist Travis Warren, they bridged folk, psychedelia, and grunge with a joyful energy that ignited the park, spotlighting their signature groove with an added level of intensity and rock.  Warren’s vocals hit the right emotional notes—respectful to Shannon Hoon’s legacy, but infused with his own energy and some amazing growls and heavy rock screams. Guitarist Rogers Stevens shined, crafting solos that added textured dynamics to each tune and showing his great performance presence and playful on-stage energy. Christopher Throrn added a great groove on guitar, and rhythm section Brad Smith (bass) and Glen Graham (drums) locked in grooves that were loose yet commanding. The mood swung from laid-back folk to psychedelic rock seamlessly with heavier moments as well. After stating that this show might have been their favorite from the tour, they closed their performance  with “No Rain” with the crowd dancing, on their feet, and singing along, ending the evening that had been full of a beautiful community atmosphere – families, indie music lovers, ’90s rock fans—all  drawn together by the outdoor setting and quality performances for an unforgettable night to start this great concert series, presented by Rochester Public Music, the city of Rochester’s music department, and supported by Think Mutual Bank and Minnesota 97.5.