Happy Landing – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN – April 1, 2026

HAPPY LANDING (with Motherfolk) at Fine Line in Minneapolis, MN – April 1, 2026

Review and photos by Catherine Zons

It’s not often that I go to a show because I want to see the opener more than the main act, and it’s even less often that I’m a huge fan of the opener while knowing nothing about the headliner at all. When I first learned that Motherfolk would be opening for HAPPY LANDING at Fine Line, I was more than excited. A few months ago, I took a long drive down to Milwaukee to see Motherfolk on what had been the northernmost performance of their tour (a show that had been totally worth all the mileage. You can read about it here: https://1013musicreviews.com/motherfolk-x-ray-arcade-cudahy-wi-december-5-2025/.) Since then, I’ve been listening to their online discography and kicking myself for not buying a shirt at their show. So, when they announced that they’d be the opener for a series of shows on HAPPY LANDING’s Big Sun tour–and one of those shows would take them to Minneapolis!–I knew I had to be there.

I showed up early to Fine Line not knowing what to expect. The last show I’d seen here, Autoheart with Wild Party in December, had been completely sold out, almost too packed to pull out a camera! But I was pleasantly surprised to walk into a far more casual experience this time. When I arrived, there were a few people milling around, and tons of tables free to sit at. I found a good one and enjoyed my unexpectedly calm time before the show.

Motherfolk took the stage as more and more people filtered in. Hailing from Cincinnati, OH, the band is currently composed of Nathan Dickerson (guitar/vocals), Karlie Dickerson (keys), Clayton Allender (bass), Ethan Wescott (drums), Joel Call (guitar), and Aaron Becker (strings/backing vocals). They began their set with “Kate Hudson,” a single released in 2018. The song is upbeat, but profoundly aching. It explores some of the band’s most well traversed themes, like loneliness, loss, and isolation. “Kate Hudson” transitioned smoothly into “You Know Me Better,” a track that explores connection and emotional withdrawal through Motherfolk’s bluntly raw style of lyricism. The song comes from the band’s latest album, Eternal Joy, a shoegaze-inspired project about personal exploration and improving one’s mental health. The complex layered rhythms and harmonies were incredible to experience live again.

A few other notable moments: they played one of my favorite songs, “Julian,” and a new track called “Alien.” Nathan Dickerson also got the crowd laughing by announcing his very real and serious run for presidency he’d have once he hit 35. Their set ended with “Money, Now,” another rousing track from Eternal Joy. It was sad to see them leave the stage, but they promised they’d be back soon. I’ll be waiting patiently for next time!

During the intermission, I got to talking to the couple sitting near me about Motherfolk and HAPPY LANDING, and I mentioned that I didn’t know the headliner’s music at all. They promised me I was in for a treat and explained that they’d been pretty big fans of the band since HAPPY LANDING performed at the Mile of Music festival in Appleton, WI, a few years ago. They told me about the festival (and some of the internal work they do to organize it!) and I couldn’t believe I’d never heard of it before. Essentially, in the space of a walkable mile in downtown Appleton, over 40 local venues–like cafes, parks, and even a moving bus–host 700+ free live performances over the course of four festival days. It seems like there’s tons of opportunity for hearing tons of interesting music and maybe even finding a new favorite band. Apparently Motherfolk had performed the Mile eleven years ago when they were still a brand new band! The Mile of Music is coming back for its 13th year this summer, (July 30 through August 2, 2026) and I can’t wait to check it out!

It wasn’t long until the lights came down for the beginning of HAPPY LANDING’s set. Comprised of Matty Hendley (lead vocals, guitar), Keegan Christensen (vocals, keys), Andrew Gardner (fiddle, vocals), Wilson Moyer (bass/guitar, vocals), and Jacob Christensen (drums), HAPPY LANDING has a sound that is heavily inspired by their roots in Oxford, Mississippi. Their indie-folk-Americana sound feels both fresh and familiar, and I found myself getting nostalgic for the types of Southern idyllic sceneries that so much of their music invokes.

They started softly with a romantic song called “The River,” which comes from their sophomore album, Big Sun. Released in March of this year, it reflects on the band’s experiences with five years of near-constant touring, navigating the personal and creative struggles of such collectively exhausting and intense work. Inspired by hopeful imagery of a beautiful California sunset witnessed during HAPPY LANDING’s Golden tour, Big Sun acknowledges the end of a chapter of the band’s history and excitedly looks ahead to their next big sunrise.

Over half of HAPPY LANDING’s generous set time was dedicated to Big Sun. Making appearances were tracks like the album’s namesake, “Big Sun,” as well as popular tracks like “Radiate” and “Machines” (my personal favorite of the night!) Singles and tracks from Golden also garnered heavy applause; everyone had their phone out to record “Eloise” and “Joanna”! 

Hendley also expressed how much it meant that the show was happening at all. On the way from Mississippi to Minnesota, the band found themselves stranded without a working tour vehicle. By the grace of the music gods, they secured a rental van and drove through the night to get to Fine Line in time to perform. They said it meant so much to kick off the Big Sun tour on a success, albeit a tired and stressful one. Hendley also bid the crowd to check out the merch table, semi-jokingly explaining that they “had to pay for that rental van somehow.” HAPPY LANDING ended their set with “October,” a familiar song about the challenges of long-distance relationships and longing. The track focuses on the strength of love despite the distance, which felt particularly meaningful that night. Watching everyone in the crowd sing along, connecting with a band from a state a thousand miles away, it felt like the love (especially the love of music) could really conquer all.