Twen – 7th Street Entry – Minneapolis, MN – March 22, 2026

 Twen (with Monsoon) at First Avenue 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis, MN – March 22, 2026

Review and photos by Catherine Zons

I can finally say I’ve seen a show at First Ave’s 7th Street Entry! Originally built as a restaurant space back when the building was still a Greyhound bus station, the attached location now hosts music just like its larger First Avenue counterpart. 7th Street Entry is an intimate venue with a capacity of just 250 people, making it a perfect place for shows that are personal and exclusive. It definitely felt this way when I made my way inside on Sunday night.

The place was dark and humming with excitement. Some early birds were standing by the stage or checking out the snugly packed merch tables. A cozy bar in the corner kept the crowd hydrated as they waited for the music to begin. I found a seat and stayed there; as the place filled up and the lights came down even further, it was almost too dark to navigate around the venue!

Promptly on time, opening band Monsoon took the stage and began their brief but gritty set. Hailing from Athens, Georgia, the rock two-piece describes their production and presentation as DIY-by-Default. Both members of Monsoon do everything–and make it look easy. Singer-songwriter, lead guitarist, and frontwoman Sienna Chandler spoke and sang to the crowd, while percussionist, producer, and light engineer Joey Kegel gave the duo’s set a production value of a much larger performance. Their strobes and lights that changed on-beat were super cool, and the lighting in general was very dramatic and dynamic. As an audience member, I loved it. As a photographer, I cried internally about how difficult the ambitious lighting made it to photograph them. Overall, Monsoon’s sound was captivating; the melodies were engaging, the guitar riffs hypnotic. The pair were great at keeping the crowd excited and their Ghost Party album has kept me well entertained in the days following their show.

After a short intermission, Twen began their lively set. The band formed in 2016 with principal members Jane Fitzimmons and Ian Rollins Jones in the DIY-punk scene of Boston before traveling to and cementing their sound in Nashville. They are a band of many influences: blending shoegaze, indie rock, and post-punk, Twen’s sound is both nostalgic and innovative. (Even their name, “Twen,” comes from a post-war German slang term for people in their twenties!) Atmospheric and familiar tracks like “Tapdance in Limbo” and “Fortune 500” got the crowd grooving (and reminiscing) while the warm orange glow from the stage lights seemed to transport us back in time. I suppose it helped that Fitzsimmons’ outfit was very 60s-inspired. They played some fan favorites, like “One Stop Shop (For a Fading Revolution)” and “SeaStar,” as well as both new and old stuff.

Joining Fitzsimmons and Jones on stage were Asher Horton on guitar, Camden Pink on bass, and Forrest Raup on drums. The five-piece produced a lot of sound that was both soothing and exciting, with Fitzsimmons doing her part to get the crowd moving. Literally! For a couple songs, she invited a healthy portion of the crowd up onto the stage to dance and sing along. After a welcoming rendition of “HaHaHome” and an encore of “Long Throat,” Twen finished their performance–though they were far from done engaging with fans. Jones and Horton visited with music buffs in the pit while Fitzsimmons talked to the long line forming for Twen’s merch. Monsoon’s Chandler and Kegel also came back out to their merch booth too. It was super cool to see the musicians so committed to engaging with their supporters, especially after working so hard on stage. All said and done, I had a great time–and can’t wait to catch another show at 7th Street Entry sometime soon.