The third and final day of this year’s Minnesota Yacht Club Festival brought some of the weekend’s most highly anticipated sets to Harriet Island Regional Park on Sunday. The weather was still holding at hot and humid but the promise of Cage the Elephant and The Strokes gracing the main stage brought the fans out early to camp along the barricade. Atlas spent one last day in the sun- here’s the best moments from day three!
Chillin’ in the Summertime
Between loud rock acts and chaotic mosh pits at both stages, Dope Lemon and Semisonic provided some respite in the middle of the afternoon. Angus Stone- better known as Dope Lemon- must have been sweating in his pinstriped suit and sunglasses but his set was nothing but completely chill rock vibes from start to finish. The crowd at the Crow’s Nest stage swayed to the music as they sought some shade and relief from the heat but like the previous days, fans were more than willing to brave the temperatures to hear these songs live. From “Stonecutters” to “Electric Green Lambo”, Dope Lemon’s set had the perfect energy for the weekend’s second wind.
Fans searching for the classics found them onstage with Semisonic. The seminal 90s rockers had a well-deserved slot on the Skipper stage, reminding the audience just how many hits they have on tap. Visible surprise registered on several faces posted up on the barricade, as fans found themselves singing along to songs they forgot they knew- and the band was more than happy to resurface those memories. Singer Dan Wilson also offered a message of hope mid-set, adding in “You’re Not Alone” to drive the point home. Naturally, the band ended with “Closing Time”, a tune that had fans at every corner of the venue singing along as the day meandered forward.
Party in the Pit
The good times continued to roll- but first a little chaos at the Skipper stage. Die Spitz started their set with a handstand and let their guitars do the talking for a performance that the early crowd quickly warmed up to. The mosh pit started in the middle as vocalist and guitarist Ellie Livingson left the stage to shred on the barricade. The band members swapped instruments several times in the set, allowing everyone to show off a range of talents and keep the audience enthralled for the duration of their slot.
As the sun finally started to set, it was time to dance with Passion Pit at the Crow’s Nest. The alt-indie-electronica brainchild of Michael Angelakos started the set with “The Reeling” and “Make Light” and it was off to the races. The stage was covered in a complex web of synthesizers, microphones and a plethora of instruments to painstakingly craft the tapestry of each song and the payoff was worth every tangled cable. If the fans weren’t sweating before, they certainly were by the end of such a heart-racing performance.
As Atmosphere said in an early message of positivity, “God Loves Ugly”- and the Twin Cities absolutely adore the duo of Slug and Ant. Backed by an LED screen and a giant inflatable snowman (Christmas in July anyone?), St. Paul received Atmosphere with a fervor that rivaled many of the previous sets of the weekend. The flow was tight, the beats were bumping and the audience was jumping from “The Loser Wins” to “Okay” as the party continued on.
Main Stage Mania with Cage the Elephant and The Strokes
Cage the Elephant remains one of the most dynamic live bands in modern rock and they came out swinging on the Skipper stage. Columns of flame bathed the already overheated audience with even more intense temperatures as singer Matt Schultz leapt from the stage to sing with the crowd. The band- per usual- flung themselves all over the festival’s stage, encouraging the fans to get involved, sing loudly and emulate their wild energy. The band also delighted the diehards in the field by announcing more upcoming new music, beginning with “Beaches in Tennessee” as a taste of what’s to come. The set was a thoroughly interactive experience and impressed words could be heard from fans exiting the festival after their stellar performance.
The same could not be said of The Strokes. While the band’s production was off the charts with lasers, LED light walls and plenty of thick fog, a delayed start time, abbreviated set and listless performance left a sour taste in many attendees’ mouths. Frontman Julian Casablancas stayed shuttered behind dark sunglasses while the lightshow flared behind the band through “Evening Sun” and “Reptilia”. The familiar chords of “Someday” got the nostalgia crowd to boogie just a little before the night came to an abrupt end with “Going Shopping” and “You Only Live Once”.
While there were many fans who were clearly having the time of their lives during this final set, the lackluster spirit behind the music had a number of people hoping for more to close out this edition of the festival. Regardless, Minnesota Yacht Club- in its third year now- has cemented itself as a solid addition to summer festival season and we’re already looking forward to what 2027 will bring to the Twin Cities.
