We still feel pretty sweet tonight (gig 1/3)
Who: The Hold Steady!
Where: The Bowery Ballroom! Best rock and/or roll venue in the city.
Who Else: Right On Dynamite. They were OK. Decent, even.
Plus: Marisa, Briana, Katie, Jeremy. Better than decent!
Pre-Show Ritual: Bagels and Mountain Dew before going out: maximum energy without too much to jostle around in the stomach.
The Hold Steady always kicks ass, but this was probably the most subdued crowd I've seen since we saw them in Albany in 2006, when it seemed like there were only 70 or so people there (and I was way sweatier after that one). It was nice to stick with Marisa and Briana and not get shoved around too much or do any gasping for air (well, maybe a little after "Ask Her for Adderall"), but a little eerie. Maybe the crowd was calmer because it was a Monday show, but last time was a Monday and it was as moshy as I've ever seen. Maybe the crazies are going later in the week, or saving their energy for a four-night run.
It was still crazy fun, even though I'm a little confounded by their newfound interest in playing half of Almost Killed Me and almost nothing from the superior-to-most-albums-ever Separation to Sunday. "Most People Are DJs" fucking rules. I loved jumping to the hard coda of "First Night" (though I don't really see the point of playing that *and* "Lord, I'm Discouraged") (it's like "Yeah Sapphire" and "Party Pit" -- you really have to choose one). Opening with a slow-building "Killer Parties" as band members entered and added their parts one by one: inspired. Unexpected enthusiasm from the crowd: "Magazines."
Anyway, for a trio of above-mentioned reasons -- THS always rock, the crowd was subdued, and they didn't play "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" -- I'm considering adding to the three-show streak and seeing them at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday (more tickets for both MHOW shows were just released). This may be a dumb 12:45AM type of idea but it is tempting. Even when I have tickets to something else awesome (like J-Lew on Tuesday or the Decemberists on Wednesday), I don't much like the idea that a Hold Steady show is going on without me.
Gonna build something this summer (thanks ML!):
Killer Parties
Constructive Summer
You Gotta Dance With Who You Came to the Dance With
You Can Make Him Like You
Sequestered in Memphis
Barfruit Blues
Sketchy Metal
Chips Ahoy!
The Swish
Magazines
First Night
Multitude of Casualties
Yeah Sapphire
Southtown Girls
Lord, I'm Discouraged
Stay Positive
Slapped Actress
How a Resurrection Really Feels
---
212 Margarita
Ask Her for Adderall
Stuck Between Stations
Most People Are DJs
Where: The Bowery Ballroom! Best rock and/or roll venue in the city.
Who Else: Right On Dynamite. They were OK. Decent, even.
Plus: Marisa, Briana, Katie, Jeremy. Better than decent!
Pre-Show Ritual: Bagels and Mountain Dew before going out: maximum energy without too much to jostle around in the stomach.
The Hold Steady always kicks ass, but this was probably the most subdued crowd I've seen since we saw them in Albany in 2006, when it seemed like there were only 70 or so people there (and I was way sweatier after that one). It was nice to stick with Marisa and Briana and not get shoved around too much or do any gasping for air (well, maybe a little after "Ask Her for Adderall"), but a little eerie. Maybe the crowd was calmer because it was a Monday show, but last time was a Monday and it was as moshy as I've ever seen. Maybe the crazies are going later in the week, or saving their energy for a four-night run.
It was still crazy fun, even though I'm a little confounded by their newfound interest in playing half of Almost Killed Me and almost nothing from the superior-to-most-albums-ever Separation to Sunday. "Most People Are DJs" fucking rules. I loved jumping to the hard coda of "First Night" (though I don't really see the point of playing that *and* "Lord, I'm Discouraged") (it's like "Yeah Sapphire" and "Party Pit" -- you really have to choose one). Opening with a slow-building "Killer Parties" as band members entered and added their parts one by one: inspired. Unexpected enthusiasm from the crowd: "Magazines."
Anyway, for a trio of above-mentioned reasons -- THS always rock, the crowd was subdued, and they didn't play "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" -- I'm considering adding to the three-show streak and seeing them at Music Hall of Williamsburg on Thursday (more tickets for both MHOW shows were just released). This may be a dumb 12:45AM type of idea but it is tempting. Even when I have tickets to something else awesome (like J-Lew on Tuesday or the Decemberists on Wednesday), I don't much like the idea that a Hold Steady show is going on without me.
Gonna build something this summer (thanks ML!):
Killer Parties
Constructive Summer
You Gotta Dance With Who You Came to the Dance With
You Can Make Him Like You
Sequestered in Memphis
Barfruit Blues
Sketchy Metal
Chips Ahoy!
The Swish
Magazines
First Night
Multitude of Casualties
Yeah Sapphire
Southtown Girls
Lord, I'm Discouraged
Stay Positive
Slapped Actress
How a Resurrection Really Feels
---
212 Margarita
Ask Her for Adderall
Stuck Between Stations
Most People Are DJs