American Football enlists Wisp on the dreamy “Wake Her Up” (Show Sunday!)
Artist: American Football
By now we probably all know the legend of American Football. Mike Kinsella of Cap’n Jazz and Joan Of Arc, Steve Holmes and Steve Lamos. The band played fewer than a dozen shows and released their self-titled album in 1999. In the 15 years following the release of the album their cult grew and grew until they reformed in 2014.
It’s now 12 years later and American Football has released three additional albums (all self titled) including this year’s 2026. Though the cult of their first album brought them back they’ve developed and matured their sound over the course of these albums. “Wake Her Up” employs many of American Football’s hallmarks: the twinkling Midwest emo guitars, emotive vocals, supplemental non-rock instrumentation like glockenspiel and trumpet… but feels like a more mature grander scale songwriting. Wisp (Natalie R. Lu) joins on some dreamy background vocals which really set the mood for the song.
American Football’s touring schedule seems mostly sporadic with their last appearance in town being in 2017 so catch them while you can.
– Adam
American Football plays the First Avenue Mainroom on Sunday August 16th with openers Afternoon Bike Ride. More information here.
Artists
📍 More on this venue: First Avenue on the Twin Cities Venue Guide.
Adam Bubolz is a co-founder, writer, and photographer at Reviler, covering the Minneapolis/St. Paul music scene since 2009. His concert photography has appeared throughout the site’s coverage of local and touring acts.
