Sometimes mercury is in retrograde (sorry) & sometimes it’s day two of mercury being out of retrograde and the shift is obvious because suddenly you’re at a Sudan Archives show with all of your best friends creating core memories on a Tuesday evening in October. The plans had been in place a month in advance -me & my roommates had heard Sudan Archives and her Natural Brown Prom Queen tour would be coming to the notorious Fine Line venue so we did what anyone would naturally do: acquire some tickets, change some plans, rally our friends and get dressed to the nines.

We had gotten to the venue with time and change to spare, snagging the perfect vantage point to watch the venue fill up like an hourglass that had been flipped over, flitting between comfortable conversations and excitedly greeting the familiar faces who knew exactly where to be in Minneapolis that night. By the time Lulu Be graced the stage, a comfortable crowd had formed, perhaps unknowingly, for an unforgettable evening. My friends and I had not been familiar with her craft prior to this notorious Tuesday evening, but lord knows we are now. Sudan Archives knew exactly what she was doing when she asked the Chicago rapper to open for her Minneapolis show, and upon reflection, the two complimented each other with a cosmic ease.

Lulu Be’s set opened with beats that demanded your attention much in the same way that a best friend will pull you to the dance floor. All it takes is one teasing look, a head bop, and dare I say a shoulder shimmy, and suddenly you’re forgetting that you’re in a crowd and instead remembering how much you love to move your body. After the first song we knew we were in for a good evening and by the second song we had momentarily forgotten about the rest of the evening because we were too busy dancing. The best part was that Lulu Be is not only a fantastic dj but about halfway through her set we watched the transition from track spinner to track spitter as she graced us with her spoken abilities as well. Shoulders straight, head high, flow confident, Lulu Be had the crowd in a trance. Introducing one of her songs as a personal turning point for remembering just exactly who she was, Lulu Be’s self assurance and personal steadfastness washed over the crowd, straightening spines left and right -setting the tone for the rest of the night.

In between sets and low lights the crowd moved restlessly, bodies shifting to accommodate the fluctuation of newcomers as the opening act drew near. An excited buzz and comfortable atmosphere holding the audience tight. Sudan Archives made her entrance like a Minnesota fall, suddenly and then all at once. One moment the stage was empty and the audience

comfortably dispersed, and the next second there she was, in all her glory. Sudan Archives. Center stage. Mic in hand. Eyes fixed towards the crowd with a look of knowing anticipation.

Opening with the title track off her most recent album, the first notes of Home Maker dropped into the crowd like a match to dry bush. With full-bodied intentionality Sudan Archives welcomed us into a show of her crafting. As her voice rang through Fine Line asking “Don’t you feel at home when you're with me” it was surreal to hear it echoed in suit by the audience. Surrounded by some of my closest friends in a treasured local venue, I couldn’t help but feel layers of truth to the statement.

In addition to being a phenomenal vocalist, something important to understand for those who were not there or have not heard, is that Sudan Archives is also an incredibly talented violinist. The audience fully lost their minds on the next song as she seamlessly transitioned between singing and playing the violin, the pink hairs of her bow catching the light perfectly. Throughout the course of her set it was utterly mesmerizing to watch Sudan Archives sing and bow and pluck through most of her discography -her violin a physical extension that created the overall effect of modern magic.

Now here’s where things start to get even more wild. Towards the beginning of her set Sudan Archives talked about how the tour was called Natural Brown Prom Queen because she had never been to prom in high school, and playfully hinted that she was going to be looking for a Prom Queen of her own. A couple songs in, she asked the audience who her prom queen for the night was going to be -and this is where the evening shifts into a core memory. One of my favorite feelings in the world is when you’re with good friends and have a shared unspoken understanding that manifests, when prompted, into group movements that feel practically rehearsed despite being completely unplanned. So when Sudan Archives asked who her prom queen for the night was going to be, our natural group response was quite simply to scream as loud as possible while practically pushing our dear friend Zamzam towards the stage. It was such a beautiful moment to watch one of my favorite people in the whole world (who had also not been to prom) get handed a sash by one of my favorite artists in the whole world. Sometimes life is hard and scary and stressful, but sometimes it is so good and beautiful, and on the most unexpected Tuesdays in October if you’ll believe it.

The best part was that the show just kept getting better. We could have called it good there, packed up, gone home and the night still would have been perfect -but no, Sudan Archives just kept raising the bar. The cohesion between herself, her violin and Bryon Cresnshaw (who was on drum pad and bass) kept the crowd dancing, and time conceptually dissolved as the songs rolled into one another. The sound was encapsulating, the lighting added just the right amount of drama, and her engagement with the audience paired with the natural intimacy of the Fine Line venue made the show feel so personalized and unforgettable. Another one of my favorite

moments was during Freakalizer when she came into the audience to dance with her Prom Queen (!!!) and the crowd naturally parted -everyone going absolutely wild as she danced with Zamzam and other members of the audience. Not to be dramatic, but it was actually everything, and by the looks in my friends' eyes we all knew it.

From top to bottom Sudan Archives put on such a fantastic show. Not only is she nothing less than gifted when it comes to her musical talents, but her ability to shape the environment and atmosphere of the venue in the way she did is something that not many people possess. With the confidence of a prom reclaimed, armed with a violin and dripping with charisma she gave a performance that was nothing less than incredible. I will be forever thankful for the parts of herself she shared on stage, the space she transformed Fine Line into, and the fact that she exuded the kind of energy into the crowd that left me and my friends glowing far after she had taken her final bow. If this review doesn’t do the show justice I apologize, sometimes you really just need to be there.

With love, Cat