A BELOVED MINNEAPOLIS HOUSE VENUE’S FINAL BOW: AN ANITA VELVEETA RESIDENCY
From a casual house show in Minneapolis to a city-wide recognized outdoor house venue, Pink Place created a community safe space like no other. This house of six roommates hosted over 75 different bands and 20 different local vendors together in their short three-year seasonal reign.
Photographed by Zara Siebers | @zarasiebers
The Pink Place’s final three shows, a residency headlined by local legend Anita Velveeta, were set to start in mid-July. But, out of nowhere, those shows were suddenly up in the air when Pink Place residents received a cease and desist from their landlord regarding a noise complaint. This was found out-of-place considering the house plays by rules when running these shows. Neighbors of Pink Place are informed of shows in the mail prior to the performances, and they get a noise permit from the city with a strict cutoff of 10 p.m.
This is when roommate and main organizer behind Pink Place, Griffin Baumann, created a petition to try and change the city’s mind. This petition spread quickly, and they received over 1,000 signatures in less than 24 hours. Many neighbors and frequent visitors even left heartwarming messages.
“As a DIY venue owner myself of 7 years, I inspire to be as professional as Pink Place. I’ve seen basements and yards come and go, but Pink Place has always stood out in my eyes by how they go about running their venue. They run this place better than a lot of bar venues around and are easily the most well maintained, community-welcoming, and respectful DIY venue in Minneapolis. I’ve never once seen the property get treated with any disrespect. The amount of care that goes into this venue and the community it brings together is unmatched.”
- Brady, a petition commenter
Needless to say, the community rallied and showed up for Pink Place. Millennium Management, the housing company of most of the area, is not well-liked past and present renters say. With a 2.2 rating online, many state they faced harsh and unfair living conditions, as well as poor communication and misinformation.
“Oh boy. Millennium Management. Definition of a slumlord. I hope you guys can work something out or find a new place to keep doing shows,” one user wrote on Pink Place’s Instagram when the news broke about the cease and desists. It took only a week for Millennium Management to call Pink Place to tell them they can finish their last three shows — but this time under stricter guidelines. The house worked with Seward Cafe to change the location of the next show. Over time, things smoothed over, and it was time for night one of the Anita Velveeta residency.
Carefully crafting each night to have a different vibe, Velveeta curated special one-of-a-kind sets to go with each night’s theme. Night one was titled “Slow and Steady” with a country themed set from Velveeta and friends, inviting five bands to perform. The first band was Dying for Julia, a five-piece performing for the first time together exploring the themes of love, death and tragedy through an experimental shoegaze lens. Second was Jenny Matrix, a band of performers that will knock your socks off with their dancey rhythms and moshability. Third on the bill was the lovely trio Malamiko with incredible slow builds and guitar shreds. Following them was none other than Slut Intent, a hard-core group of women who know how to get the circle pit running without even saying a word. Right before Velveeta took the stage, indie-rock superheroes Fend performed, who brought out a friend to play saxophone.
Velveeta’s set from the first night was nothing short of a beautiful melodic treat. Alongside her regular band members, Velveeta added four new instruments including a slide guitar, harmonica, keyboard and fiddle. Throughout the night, a thunderstorm threat was in the air. But, as it started to drizzle during the final set, Velveeta said “We have fought Millennium Management, we’ve fought the city of Minneapolis, Mother Nature will not bring us down!” The storm magically halted until the final song of the night came to an end, as thunder began to rumble and rain started downpouring.
Night two was Pink Aid 3, an annual fundraiser in collaboration with Twin Cities Trans Mutual Aid. This show was moved from Pink Place to Seward Cafe to prevent getting in further trouble with the city since it was a bigger event than the other shows. From the community showing up, to the art vendors and drag performances, it was a beautiful sight and a magical experience. There was a problem, though. Just before the show could begin, part of the venue lost power. From testing outlets to trading cables, the Pink Place team did a wonderful job of keeping calm and solving problems. After a few minutes, power came back on and it was revealed that a hot dog cooker from inside had blown a fuse. As funny yet inconvenient as that was, they managed to get power back and began the show without too much of a delay.
A Minneapolis young trio called Free Candy kicked off the second night with a mix of original songs and covers of well known pop and rock artists. They kept the energy up while keeping it unique and dancey. Second on the bill was Wet T-Slur Contest, a hardcore trio with stellar energy and stage presence that you could feel in your bones. Following them was an intermission of drag performances by local icons Mink Hole, Father Les Behaviour and Esteè Rhettie who gave the crowd jaw dropping performances and had the whole venue gagged with the stunts and costumes. The band that followed was a trio called Lovergirl, self-described as “real compassionate transgender screamo” who create a wall of sound that will absolutely get you hyped. Next to play was Gramma, a well known local rock band that in no doubt would have had stage divers if there was an actual stage. The final band to go on before Velveeta was Bejavlin, a duo that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Bejalvin consists of two friends creating what they describe as "Straight Edge Karate Mosh Dubstep.” It’s a unique sound that’s sure to get the party going.
Velveeta’s theme for night two was “Fast and Loud” — and boy did everyone deliver. Her set was completely different from night one, with this one consisting of her more well known songs, and some she hasn’t played for a while, with an addition of a saxophone and trumpet player. Anita also made tonight focused on guests and friends, and other musicians were welcomed on stage to share beautiful moments of community and music with the crowd. Nothing but smiles and dancing could be seen across the patio. The set ended with sax riffs and Velveeta being held up by friends and fans in the pit as everyone cheered, celebrating another incredible performance. The Twin Cities Trans Mutual Aid staff later made an announcement to close out the night, listing their thank yous to everyone involved. In the time of the event alone, this DIY fundraiser raised over $3,000 for trans people in need across the city. That announcement was the cherry on top to a perfect evening.
Night three, “One Last Ride,” was a night full of love and appreciation for the local scene. With the Pink Place roommates moving out in less than a month, it was only right to throw the best show they could. The first opener was a new band in the scene called Stonewalker. This band consisted of four members creating a blues/indie shoegaze rock sound so good you wouldn't believe they're just starting out. Second on the bill was a hardcore trio called S.L.O.G. that absolutely ripped. Due to the amount of shows that have happened at Pink Place, and the lack of rain, the mosh pit kicked up so much dirt you couldn’t recognize your own shoes at the end of the night. The next band was house band Killed By Kiwis that consists of six members, four of which lived in Pink Place and ran the events. This band is a powerhouse of talent and different genres ranging from garage rock to psychedelia. The Kiwis did a cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” calling it “Pink Place Club” as a cute dedication to the home. The final band to perform before Velveeta’s last set was the incredible Killusonline, a rap metal band that has a chokehold on the Minneapolis scene. They delivered a rockin’ set, and the house was so grateful they could get them to play in their backyard.
Before Velveeta’s set started, Baumann, delivered a heartwarming speech thanking the Pink Place team that helped with door, sound, and photography, as well as the community stating.
“There were multiple points in time when we thought Pink Place was over,” Baumann said. “I am so glad that we were able to close out these final shows because this is the coolest thing we do. It is so incredibly fulfilling for everyone here to put on these shows for y’all.”
Velveeta’s final set of her residency was themed “Liquid Gold,” the title of her new soon-to-be released album. The night before the show, she dropped a single off of the upcoming album called “Show and Tell.” Velveeta played the album in its entirety to a backyard full of people dancing, moshing, and even making a tiny dirt tornado in the circle pit. The band ended their set with a dad-rock medley, inviting Baumann back on stage to sing part of Creed’s “One Last Breath” — a song the team routinely puts on after each show is done.
In its 3-day run, the shows saw over 1,000 audience members. After the show, in a heartfelt Instagram story, Velveeta shared, “Love you all so much. Twin Cities DIY, you have my heart forever and ever.”
After the final show, the members of the Pink Place team had a quick turnaround to get moved out, and with that came the beginning of a new chapter in their adulthood. These individuals are still active in the music scene, so it’s not a complete goodbye.
“We hope to one day open our own venue, so this may not be the last you hear of Pink Place,” Baumann said. So, keep your eyes peeled and your ear plugs ready for a potential revival in the future.
Stay up to date with or reminisce the Pink Place and listen to their very own playlist, one full of everyone who has performed in their backyard over the years:
Instagram / Pink Place Playlist
Keep up with Anita Velveeta and check out her most recent single “Show and Tell”:
Find all of the event’s performers here:
Night 1: Dying for Julia / Jenny and the Matrix / Malamiko / Slut Intent / Fend
Night 2: Free Candy / Wet T-Slur Contest / Lovergirl / Gramma / Bejalvin
Night 3: Stonewalker/ S.L.O.G./ Killed By Kiwis/ Killusonline
Drag Performers: Father Les Behaviour / Estee Rhettie / Mink Hole