The Hold Steady – June 16th – The Bluebird Theater

This show, like many, was a LONG time coming. I’m pretty sure I bought my tickets for this one way back in early 2020, before COVID was much more than a fever dream around here. I’ve loved The Hold Steady since I heard the first notes of Boys & Girls in America in 2007, but, if I’m being honest, their live shows have been a bit of a let down for me. Don’t get me wrong, the band – and especially Craig Finn – have ALWAYS poured their hearts into the shows and left it all on stage, it’s been the crowd that’s typically been a little lacking. See, this is a rowdy Rock and Roll band that falls somewhere between Springsteen, Vonnegut, and The Clash on the grand spectrum and they deserve a crowd that meets them in the penthouse suite ready to party.

This was my first experience with one of the mini-residencies – or “Weekenders” as the band calls them – that Finn and the boys have been doing of late and I can say unequivocally that they have discovered a winning formula: Set up shop in a city like Brooklyn, London, Minneapolis, or Denver and let the fans come to you – and come they will, ready to party.

The line at the bar dissipated quickly as the opening notes of “Denver Haircut” sent an electric buzz through the air and we were off on the kind of musical roller coaster ride that only Craig Finn can pilot.

It doesn’t have to be pure
It doesn’t have to be perfect
Just sort of has to be worth it

We touched down in Beverly Hills and Shaker Heights, got “Stuck Between Stations” with the likes of Rick Danko, Elizabeth Shue, and “Stevie Nix,” and witnessed a “Multitude of Casualties” as we breathlessly careened into the “Party Pit.” There were fists pumping in the air and beer sloshing onto shoes as the band kept the energy at a fever pitch in what was no doubt the sweetest part of the city on Thursday night.

I was yet again in awe of how effortlessly torrents of lyrics spill from Finn’s mouth as he weaves tales of drug addled youth, Catholic guilt, back alley make-out sessions, and questionable decisions. You’d think delivering 25 songs over two hours as passionately as Finn does would be nothing short of exhausting, but he seems to feed off the energy in the crowd in a way that made me believe he was actually getting more energy as the night went on. I love this band and I can always tell when they’re having a good time.

Nothing was held back on the first night of this run and us “Weekenders” were treated to an incredible set closing run of songs as Finn baked up a fresh batch of “Chips Ahoy” to kick off this run of “Massive Nights.” The dance floor was crowded and the bathrooms were empty when we spent some time with “Your Little Hoodrat Friend” before getting absolutely blown away by the “Southtown Girls.”

The well deserved encore break allowed us all to catch our breath for a minute before the band returned to serenade us with the very appropriate “First Night” and I was tempted to head back to the bar and order one more double-whiskey-coke-no-ice but realized that in order to make this a “Constructive Summer” I have to dance with who I came to dance with, and I have to admit, I loved every minute of it.

After 15 years of fandom, I finally caught the killer Hold Steady party that I was chasing. This formula works, and you can put 900 dollars on me hitting another one of these runs. Thanks to the band, and thanks just as much to the fans that made this one to remember. Oh, to be fourty-six forever.

Thanks for reading and thanks for understanding.