*The Gaslight Anthem @ The Stone Pony(Asbury Park, NJ)/5.9.09
*The Hold Steady @ Castaways(Ithaca)/6.14.09
In my previous review of The Tragically Hip’s NYC show in May I discussed the joy that the band exudes performing live which provides an ideal segue to this tale of two rock shows. Craig Finn, frontman for The Hold Steady (whose mannerisms and wordplay recall Gord Downie of The Hip at times) recites his band’s call to arms at nearly each show. During Killer Parties, which closes many Hold Steady shows (and on the band’s recent live release A Positive Rage), he states: “There is so much joy in what we do up here. I want to thank you for being here to share that joy with us.” This shared joy and bond between band and audience is what defines a true rock show.
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers refers to his band’s concerts as The Rock Show. One of the defining shows in my concert history was a DBT show in Cleveland in 2006. One of the loudest and longest shows I have attended left me energized rather than tired when it was over. Watching DBT perform gives a clear definition of what Hood means by Rock Show - both band and audience are completely immersed in the moment with the music guiding the way (totally, man). Seeing The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady allowed me two more opportunities to experience The Rock Show.
I came to The Gaslight Anthem a little late; despite hearing glowing reviews I did not listen to their second album, The ‘59 Sound (released in August ‘08) until January ‘09. Since then I have certainly made up for lost time as that album, their debut Sink or Swim (2007), their EP’s and any live recordings I can find have dominated my listening time. I even had to amend my Best of ‘08 list to include The ‘59 Sound in the Top Ten.
The excitement upon realizing that I would coincidentally be in New Jersey the same weekend the band was playing two shows to close out the spring leg of their tour at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park was quickly deflated by fnding out the shows were sold out. A Jersey band on the rise and gaining momentum playing homecoming shows in a small, historic venue means tickets sell out quickly. Do not fret, reader, as some persistence on the information superhighway (internet), combined with a little overpayment, allowed me to obtain two tickets to the final night of the tour.
Crowded is not the right word to appropriately describe the Stone Pony that Saturday night in May. People were packed in like a lot of people packed in a tight place (how about that simile). It took a Herculean effort by my friend to make it to bathroom, all the way on the other side of the room, and back without serious damage (outside of some crushed toes in open-toed shoes along the way). Luckily, the night outside was cool, for a hot and humid night would have been dangerous as it felt like a balmy 150-200 degrees inside the bar. This, however, is a key element in the Rock Show.
All of the people were at The Stone Pony with a purpose, and when nearly every arm thrust into the air with the first chord of each song and when the crowd’s singing drowned out frontman Brian Fallon, the Rock Show equation was completed. The band played a majority of The ‘59 Sound, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite records of the decade. From Sink or Swim they played Wooderson (how great is it that they have a song named after McConaughey’s role from Dazed & Confused, including the line of ‘All Right, All Right’?), The Navesink Bank and Drive, and from the Senor And The Queen [EP], the set included the excellent Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts.
The band combines influences of rock, punk and R & B to create their sound and their influences appear throughout the set. They covered Tom Petty’s American Girl, I’da Called You Woody, Joe (a Joe Strummer tribute) opened with a Stand By Me tag, Say I Won’t (Recognize) begins with lines borrowed from Sam Cooke’s Havin’ A Party, and Angry Johnny And The Radio references Dylan.
The following link leads to a review from the New Jersey Star-Ledger with some videos (from the first of the two nights) that give a sense of what it was like in The Stone Pony that weekend:
http://www.nj.com/ledgerlive/index.ssf/2009/05/gaslight_anthem_at_asbury_park.html
On this night, the combination of band, venue and crowd provided an ideal Rock Show. About a month later, a different band, venue and crowd combined for a similar result when The Hold Steady played Castaways in Ithaca.
I have been on board with The Hold Steady since 2005’s Separation Sunday, and although I do appreciate and recommend all of the band’s releases I still feel that is their strongest album from start to finish - but maybe that is simply because that is the album that introduced me to the band. I had seen The Hold Steady play a small show at Syracuse University in 2007 (with the local, and at the time unknown to me, Ra Ra Riot opening) in support of Boys And Girls In America and since have been itching to see them again. I never imagined that my next Hold Steady show would be in Ithaca and at an intimate venue like Castaways, but thanks to Dan Smalls Presents (follow the link in the side bar for info on more shows in the Ithaca area) that became a reality. Another sold-out show in a small venue with a great live band.
The Hold Steady excel in writing album opening songs, and at Castaways they hit the crowd with the opening song from their previous three albums within the first four songs: opening with Hornets! Hornets! from Separation Sunday, followed by Stuck Between Stations from Boys And Girls In America and then following Sequestered In Memphis with Constructive Summer, which opens the band’s most recent release, 2008’s Stay Positive. Set highlights included: Stevie Nix, Yeah Sapphire, Banging Camp, Magazines, First Night, Chicago Seemed Tired last night and set closer, How A Resurrection Really Feels.
The encore consisted of Lord, I’m Discouraged, which showcases Tad Kubler’s classic guitar solo (and it is nice to hear a good guitar solo again after they have seemingly vanished from the majority of current rock music), into Your Little Hoodrat Friend, Most People Are DJ’s and show closer/band mission statement, Killer Parties.
Having spent the previous few nights opening for Dave Matthews at SPAC it was clear that the band reveled in playing a full set to an enthusiastic, packed house. The band enjoyed their time in Ithaca schedule a return visit in September for The Positive Jam, a festival at Stewart Park to close out summer (more info on the event here: http://thepositivejam.com/)
The following link leads to a half-hour video of The Hold Steady from the show Live from the Artist’s Den:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/87879/live-from-the-artists-den-the-hold-steady
While some shows may be hampered by distracted fans, both The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady shared the joy of live music with fully attentive sold-out crowds in intimate venues to keep the Rock Show alive.
*The Hold Steady @ Castaways(Ithaca)/6.14.09
In my previous review of The Tragically Hip’s NYC show in May I discussed the joy that the band exudes performing live which provides an ideal segue to this tale of two rock shows. Craig Finn, frontman for The Hold Steady (whose mannerisms and wordplay recall Gord Downie of The Hip at times) recites his band’s call to arms at nearly each show. During Killer Parties, which closes many Hold Steady shows (and on the band’s recent live release A Positive Rage), he states: “There is so much joy in what we do up here. I want to thank you for being here to share that joy with us.” This shared joy and bond between band and audience is what defines a true rock show.
Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers refers to his band’s concerts as The Rock Show. One of the defining shows in my concert history was a DBT show in Cleveland in 2006. One of the loudest and longest shows I have attended left me energized rather than tired when it was over. Watching DBT perform gives a clear definition of what Hood means by Rock Show - both band and audience are completely immersed in the moment with the music guiding the way (totally, man). Seeing The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady allowed me two more opportunities to experience The Rock Show.
I came to The Gaslight Anthem a little late; despite hearing glowing reviews I did not listen to their second album, The ‘59 Sound (released in August ‘08) until January ‘09. Since then I have certainly made up for lost time as that album, their debut Sink or Swim (2007), their EP’s and any live recordings I can find have dominated my listening time. I even had to amend my Best of ‘08 list to include The ‘59 Sound in the Top Ten.
The excitement upon realizing that I would coincidentally be in New Jersey the same weekend the band was playing two shows to close out the spring leg of their tour at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park was quickly deflated by fnding out the shows were sold out. A Jersey band on the rise and gaining momentum playing homecoming shows in a small, historic venue means tickets sell out quickly. Do not fret, reader, as some persistence on the information superhighway (internet), combined with a little overpayment, allowed me to obtain two tickets to the final night of the tour.
Crowded is not the right word to appropriately describe the Stone Pony that Saturday night in May. People were packed in like a lot of people packed in a tight place (how about that simile). It took a Herculean effort by my friend to make it to bathroom, all the way on the other side of the room, and back without serious damage (outside of some crushed toes in open-toed shoes along the way). Luckily, the night outside was cool, for a hot and humid night would have been dangerous as it felt like a balmy 150-200 degrees inside the bar. This, however, is a key element in the Rock Show.
All of the people were at The Stone Pony with a purpose, and when nearly every arm thrust into the air with the first chord of each song and when the crowd’s singing drowned out frontman Brian Fallon, the Rock Show equation was completed. The band played a majority of The ‘59 Sound, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite records of the decade. From Sink or Swim they played Wooderson (how great is it that they have a song named after McConaughey’s role from Dazed & Confused, including the line of ‘All Right, All Right’?), The Navesink Bank and Drive, and from the Senor And The Queen [EP], the set included the excellent Blue Jeans & White T-Shirts.
The band combines influences of rock, punk and R & B to create their sound and their influences appear throughout the set. They covered Tom Petty’s American Girl, I’da Called You Woody, Joe (a Joe Strummer tribute) opened with a Stand By Me tag, Say I Won’t (Recognize) begins with lines borrowed from Sam Cooke’s Havin’ A Party, and Angry Johnny And The Radio references Dylan.
The following link leads to a review from the New Jersey Star-Ledger with some videos (from the first of the two nights) that give a sense of what it was like in The Stone Pony that weekend:
http://www.nj.com/ledgerlive/index.ssf/2009/05/gaslight_anthem_at_asbury_park.html
On this night, the combination of band, venue and crowd provided an ideal Rock Show. About a month later, a different band, venue and crowd combined for a similar result when The Hold Steady played Castaways in Ithaca.
I have been on board with The Hold Steady since 2005’s Separation Sunday, and although I do appreciate and recommend all of the band’s releases I still feel that is their strongest album from start to finish - but maybe that is simply because that is the album that introduced me to the band. I had seen The Hold Steady play a small show at Syracuse University in 2007 (with the local, and at the time unknown to me, Ra Ra Riot opening) in support of Boys And Girls In America and since have been itching to see them again. I never imagined that my next Hold Steady show would be in Ithaca and at an intimate venue like Castaways, but thanks to Dan Smalls Presents (follow the link in the side bar for info on more shows in the Ithaca area) that became a reality. Another sold-out show in a small venue with a great live band.
The Hold Steady excel in writing album opening songs, and at Castaways they hit the crowd with the opening song from their previous three albums within the first four songs: opening with Hornets! Hornets! from Separation Sunday, followed by Stuck Between Stations from Boys And Girls In America and then following Sequestered In Memphis with Constructive Summer, which opens the band’s most recent release, 2008’s Stay Positive. Set highlights included: Stevie Nix, Yeah Sapphire, Banging Camp, Magazines, First Night, Chicago Seemed Tired last night and set closer, How A Resurrection Really Feels.
The encore consisted of Lord, I’m Discouraged, which showcases Tad Kubler’s classic guitar solo (and it is nice to hear a good guitar solo again after they have seemingly vanished from the majority of current rock music), into Your Little Hoodrat Friend, Most People Are DJ’s and show closer/band mission statement, Killer Parties.
Having spent the previous few nights opening for Dave Matthews at SPAC it was clear that the band reveled in playing a full set to an enthusiastic, packed house. The band enjoyed their time in Ithaca schedule a return visit in September for The Positive Jam, a festival at Stewart Park to close out summer (more info on the event here: http://thepositivejam.com/)
The following link leads to a half-hour video of The Hold Steady from the show Live from the Artist’s Den:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/87879/live-from-the-artists-den-the-hold-steady
While some shows may be hampered by distracted fans, both The Gaslight Anthem and The Hold Steady shared the joy of live music with fully attentive sold-out crowds in intimate venues to keep the Rock Show alive.
Comments