Sir Chloe – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN – Friday, October 24, 2025

Sir Chloe (with Venus and the Flytraps) at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN – Friday, October 24, 2025

Review and Photos by Catherine Zons

I’ve been to First Avenue my fair share of times, but Friday night was different: it was the first time I’d been here alone, first time I’d taken pictures here, and the first time I’d seen either Venus and the Flytraps or Sir Chloe. I arrived early enough to the historic venue to peruse the celebrity stars on the walls and check out the merch table.

I made my way to the front, incredibly excited for Venus and the Flytraps. A newer band with an alternative/indie sound, their songs center deeply on love, angst, and emotion. Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Venus consists of duo Ceci Tome and Brenna Kassis, who share the stage as lead singer and lead guitarist (and often switch these roles.) Performing with them were producer and guitarist Max Colbert, bassist Yej Moon, and drummer Jake Bibb. I was so excited to see Venus on the lineup with Sir Chloe–I’ve been a fan of theirs for the last year or so since I first heard their song “Boys Are Cuter When They’re Crying.” Their angsty-pop, riot-grrl-adjacent style has been a soundtrack for many of my late-night study sessions–and it was so good to hear it live. 

Their performance, all too short, was a series of firsts for Venus and the Flytraps as well. They told us between songs that the Minneapolis show was their first time ever opening for Sir Chloe and that they were excited for the road ahead. Likewise, their set featured songs from across their discography–including several tracks from their first ever EP, Demonette, which was actually released just a few days after that show in Minneapolis. They explained that they had no label and thus “no money” and encouraged us to come chat with them at the merch table after the show. They played a few of the songs I was really looking forward to, like “Miss Behavior” and “Swiss Army Girl,” and engaged often with the crowd and each other. The set ended with “Worse Together,” a song about the dynamics of a dysfunctional relationship. 

At the merch table, I had a brief conversation with Ceci and Brenna about the show as I admired all the beautiful things they were selling. Along with the usual (and lovely) t-shirts and posters, they also had beaded necklaces and knitted hats, handmade by the band. They also had a variety of QR codes to support various aid initiatives in Palestine and Sudan, which was so awesome too. It was some of the coolest stuff I’ve ever seen sold at a show, and I walked away with a nice poster and the warmest, softest hat I’ve ever felt. My only regret is not getting a necklace too!

Sir Chloe began after a short intermission with “Squaring Up,” one of my favorites. Originally from Vermont, the alternative band was founded in 2017 by frontwoman and songwriter Dana Foote. Inspired by everything from Cage the Elephant to Claude Debussy, Foote bends genres and styles to create a unique sound–harsh and soft, sharp and gentle, powerful and feminine. Her incredible vocal presence is rivaled only by her stage presence, which was both commanding and captivating. The performance felt even more impressive when Foote told us that this show in Minneapolis was one of the first she was performing after an appendectomy! (Once this was said, the appendix-related merch at Sir Chloe’s booth made a lot more sense.) 

On stage with Foote were Alina Sloan on bass, Soph Shreds on guitar, and Maya Stepansky on drums. It was incredible to see four femme-presenting people performing such potent and unapologetic songs. Tracks like “Salivate” and “Kiss,” dealing with shame, attraction, and revenge, felt especially alive as Sir Chloe paired intense guitar riffs with deceptively delicate vocals. “Sedona” and “Mercy” were raw and vulnerable. “Hooves” was intense and urgent. The set ended unexpectedly with “Candy,” a slow, dreamy song from Sir Chloe’s latest album, Swallow the Knife. Strangely, the band left the stage and the house lights came on without an encore, which was also another first for me. The crowd didn’t move for a long time, holding out hope that the band would be back even as First Avenue staff began their post-show clean-up routine. As I eventually made my way to the exit, I heard people talking to one another about how we hadn’t heard Sir Chloe’s two biggest songs, “Too Close” and “Michelle.” Sir Chloe had promised to be back at First Avenue again next year, though, so I’ll be hoping to catch those tracks at their next appearance!

Overall, it was an unforgettable evening of firsts with two fantastic bands and a ton of wonderful music. It was awesome to hear so many of these songs live, and I’m already looking forward to seeing both Venus and the Flytraps and Sir Chloe live in Minneapolis sometime (soon!!) in the future!