That's What You Get (T.W.Y.G.)

By: Cyn Collins

Although I arrived late, I was happily able to catch the last two-thirds of That’s What You Get’s 2nd appearance at the Viking Bar, following opener Baby Grant Johnson. It felt like coming home in more ways than one. While refreshingly original, especially with their timely political and tongue-in-cheek relationship and hangover angst, their sound is reminiscent of L.A. ‘80’s punk gurus “X” as well as the B-52’s, combined. This is a comforting thing to those of us who were experiencing relationship and “what’re we supposed to do with our lives after art school” quandaries as teens and 20-somethings in the Reagan doomed ‘80’s.

They also served up a large turkey and all the accoutrements to their fans at the show as a gesture of gratitude/generosity. The lead vocalist Dawn Sauvignon and Mike Endrizzi, (guitar, vocals) also run “Fabulous Catering, for which their phenomenal bassist, Shelly Blazich (bass, vocals) also works, which has done catering for the Mondales, Run, Westy, Run!, and the wedding of Mikhail Baryshnikov’s daughter.

A bulk of the songs they performed, many off their new CD Oxycontinent are brazenly political wry commentary, dark, yet funny as hell: Condoleezza Rice R U the Devil (handjive), Oxycontinent (Ballad of Rush Limbaugh), When Crossing the Border Keep 2 Your Right, Satisfaction, and more. The harmonies of Sauvignon and Endrizzi are playfully serious. The expert talent of long term Minneapolis bassist Blazich of the late ‘80’s Pseudonymphs, Minneapolis girl punk group that inspired the future of girl punk groups in this town, drives the songs swerving between hard rock and playfully fast pop rhythms along with the excellent drumming of John Gerlach. It’s easy to see how much fun That’s What You Get have playing together on stage, as singer Sauvignon buoyantly camps it up. Their fun is infectious. All these things combine to make it difficult to not dance in a town where it seems that’s not cool. Except on the West Bank where people still love to dance, and do.

Unfortunately I learned that I missed a summer series of their shows as they interned with the Mammy Nuns on Turf Club Tuesdays. But now, I’ll keep attending their shows knowing how much fun they are, good for my brain and my desire to work off socio-political woes, by having many good laughs and for just getting out there and dancing. No longer will I need to lament the absence of groups that simultaneously accomplish all these things. It’s also really great seeing the legendary Viking bring in younger, more rocking bands now.

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