Doomtree is an eight piece hip-hop collective based in Minnesota and widely known for their broad range of influences and openly honest and reflective lyrics. There was no real way to tell if Dan’s Silverleaf or Denton was ready for them, but with the packed house and excited chatter of fans, all signs pointed towards yes. The mood was set easily by Marijuana Deathsquad, whose use of twin drum sets and voice distortion brought the crowd to an anxious, energetic point. The experimental rock band was the perfect opener for Doomtree: loud, heavy with bass, and full of energy.
As if the crowd wasn’t pumped enough, Doomtree producer Lazerbeak appeared with a ten minute dance music set, supported by merely his fingers and a drum machine. Announcing that a “two-hour hip-hop party” was to follow, he tore through the set with the glee of someone who had as much fun making the music as the crowd that could only listen and dance along Doomtree finally hit the stage with “No Way,” the intro to their newest album, No Kings. The crowd, obviously filled with longtime fans, sang along with every word—which they continued to do through the rest of the set enthusiastically. Not a body was still in the place as they slipped into their older hits, including “Game Over”, “Slow Burn” (Mike Mitclan and Sims definitely gave off brotherly vibes throughout), and “Mercy” (Dessa took this moment to sport her vocal chops, with the crowd cheering her on through her heartfelt vocalizations). The band even kept it moving as they introduced themselves to new fans and prepped the crowd for more fun as they moved into the second half of the set.
The mood rose to a fever pitch as P.O.S. introduced a few songs from his upcoming album, including “F*ck Your Stuff,” which transformed the entire venue into some kind of dance club-rap show hybrid as bodies danced, moshed and bounced. More Doomtree songs eagerly followed, with “Bangarang” providing with its first mosh pit of the night and was easily one of the highlights of the entire show.
The band presented songs from all three of their albums, and allowed each emcee to shine as they paired up or soloed for particular songs. Their ten year legacy was clear to see as they felt and moved comfortably around each other, smiling and joking with themselves and the crowd as the show progressed. By the near end of the set, the slight feeling of band-crowd separation had completely disappeared, and the mood became more familial and personal as the band moved in close for songs like “Beacon” and “Bolt Cutter.”
But Doomtree didn’t disappoint, and positively slayed the end of the set as the entire crowd lost it to “Burn it Down” with a whirlwind of yet another mosh pit, stage dives (nearly the entire band ended up in the sea of the crowd), crowd surfing, and stage bombing as people spilled onto the stage.
With an ending like that, it was hard to believe the crowd would just let the night end, and sure enough, cries of “one more song” filled the venue as the band went back stage. The wish was granted, and Doomtree returned to perform “Fresh New Trash,” “Team the Best Team” and more for a final encore.
It was definitely an amazing show, put on by an even more amazing group. Anyone’s who down for a good time, dancing and positively losing their minds should definitely invest in a few Doomtree tickets. You won’t be disappointed!
