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Four piece all female band Big Salt opening IPR's 80/35 stage

Four women who make up the band Big Salt stand around a pin ball machine.
Madalyn Mae Rowell Photography
Big Salt, a Minneapolis-based garage rock band with Iowa ties, is opening IPR's 80/35 stage with a 30 minute set at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 7.

Feeling salty lately? The wall of sound you can't miss is at 5 p.m. on the IPR Stage.

Big Salt is coming to the 80/35 music festival this year, and they are bringing their brand of throw-down grunge rock to the IPR Stage. Based out of Minneapolis, MN, the powerhouse rock coming from this band of women is what an angsty, feely, post-pandemic world needs.

What draws people to the music of Big Salt, regardless of genre, is the really good idea of who they are as people that you get when they perform. They have an unapologetic cathartic authenticity. From their garage rock beginnings, their stage presence has grown to showcase an old school heavy metal sound with post punk revival energy. These rock-harder, let it loose trailblazers take the stage with no touch ups, no masks or disillusions.

“People can show up and know exactly who we are and be totally cool with that. It helps if you like heavier music,” laughed Sally, the four piece's lead singer.

The band consists of: Sally, leading the band with her combustible powerhouse vocals; Eva, smiling while shredding her heavy riffs on her blue Gibson electric; Angie bringing fluidity and rumbling bass lines; and Milan, who is the driving force behind the drums.

In their songwriting they take the “music is therapy” approach, dealing with life through expressing themselves. It has a powerful result. Their music is free of projections that allows them to be exactly who they want to be.

Crafting their songs in a highly collaborative effort; they released their first EP, One For Your Sister, in 2021. The release gave voice to their comradery in an unapologetic, aggressive and defiant way. Committing to rocking out their issues, they tap into their rage and full spectrum of emotions.

“We are not a feelings band. We are here to destroy. We are here to burn things down and destroy,” exclaimed Sally.

“We have carved bonds through frequency and trust,” added Milan.

The women of Big Salt have the same goal. “We want to write and perform great music that people like,” said Sally. “I don’t know if we ever really meant to become an all women band, but we just did. The most important thing about playing music for all of us is that we just love doing it.”

Big Salt is “over the moon” excited to be coming to the IPR Stage at 5 p.m. on July 7. See you there?

Kat Darling is a storyteller, singer/songwriter and musician. She creates music in The High Crest, and is the owner of 5 of Hearts Productions with her husband, Aaron Short. Darling produces art and shares stories in hopes of inspiring others, and to contribute to the development of creative culture and community.