The Hold Steady

If you don't know them, check them out. Think Springsteen disillusioned youth + Angus Young-style guitar + Randy Newman wittiness/vocal delivery + a little Elvis Costello snarkiness, and you're not too far off. I've been a fan since "Separation Sunday" (which I still think is their best record), and I just caught their show on Monday. We had to stand too close to the speaker tower, and my right ear is still ringing, nearly 48 hours later. In retrospect, it was worth it.

The cool thing about the show - which was in a small basement 'venue' on a local college campus - was the crowd. We were two rows back from the stage on hard stage left, and were surrounded by ecstatic college kids, pogoing, headbanging, fistpumping and screaming along with every word. The energy was refreshing, and it was heartening to see a bunch of college kids getting their rocks off to what amounts to bookish classic rock. There might be hope after all. (Probably not.)

A review of this show wouldn't be complete without props to Craig Finn*, the frontman and songwriter. Having only heard them on record (and having heard of a reputation for spotty live shows), I was expecting a half-drunk, still, hunched-over and sullen shouted recitation of the lyrics into the mic. But Finn projected pure joy from on stage, and he made an effort to connect with every pair of eyes in the audience. In fact, the house lights were on during the show so the band could see the crowd. More importantly, his lyrics transformed from poetic to conversational, just by seeing his delivery. On record, it sounds like his language is obtuse, but seeing him just casually but emphatically talk the words to the crowd, as if he was having a drunken conversation with a close friend standing out on the lawn at a party with red plastic beer cup in hand, the syntax achieves a meaningfulness akin to that special importance of a conversation conducted after you've had a few.

And I'm saying this after seeing the show at a 'dry' venue, so I wasn't even appropriately buzzed.

Anyway, if you like classic/hard rock with an intelligent edge, check them out. If you're already a fan, see them live.

*What's especially funny/interesting about Finn's stage presence, aside from his really but cute silly arhythmic white-boy-from-Minnesota dancing, is his tendency to repeat his lyrics after he's said them, away from the mic. Couple that with his tenacity for eye contact and his conversational delivery, and it looks a lot he's yelling something at random audience members, until you figure out what he's doing. It's weird, but oddly endearing.

I saw them play Toad's Place here in Richmond a year or two ago. Good show. Definitely channelling old Springsteen in that band. I can't remember the album they were touring for but the single off the album was "Stuck Between Stations".

Probably one of my 5 favorite bands. I would REALLY love to see these guys live, I always assumed they'd put on a hell of a show based on their presence on the albums.

Xceler8x wrote: I saw them play Toad's Place here in Richmond a year or two ago. Good show. Definitely channelling old Springsteen in that band. I can't remember the album they were touring for but the single off the album was "Stuck Between Stations".

I believe that was off of Boys and Girls in America, but I'm too lazy to look it up. They did a lot off that album, and a lot off Stay Positive, the new one. I'm a big fan of Separation Sunday just 'cause I'm a dork and the literary/biblical references combined with the story arc, drug culture nods and hard rawkin' get me every time.

I just heard them doing 'Atlantic City' on some charity/tribute album. I didn't recognize the song as Springsteen since I was in the other room, but I could tell it was the Hold Steady, but they'd added a sax. I thought, 'Oh, man, they're deep into the Boss' territory now. He's gonna be pissed.' But all is well.

alex wrote: I just heard them doing 'Atlantic City' on some charity/tribute album. I didn't recognize the song as Springsteen since I was in the other room, but I could tell it was the Hold Steady, but they'd added a sax. I thought, 'Oh, man, they're deep into the Boss' territory now. He's gonna be pissed.' But all is well.

Heard that song on the best radio station in Richmond, 103.1.

I think it's the War Child CD. Supposedly the artists they cover picked the songs for the performing bands to play. Here's the blurb off the website:

‘War Child: Heroes’ is an unprecedented collaboration between music’s most heralded legends and the finest current artists. We asked 15 ultimate icons to select a favourite song from their classic back catalogue and to nominate the new act they most trust to create a unique interpretation of that hand-picked track.

So The Boss actually nominated The Hold Steady to cover his tune. Pretty cool!

The website that's off of is here: http://www.warchild.org.uk/heroes

I did not know that concept. Damn cool indeed. I'll have to check out the rest.

I think my company is replicating some of their CDs.

I saw one on a conference room table and wouldn't have paid any attention to it if I hadn't seen this thread this morning.

I'll have to hunt down a copy and give it a listen.

I just heard one of their songs on the radio & really liked it - but I should mention that I'm niether a Springstein, Costello nor Newman fan.

Honestly, they remind me of Husker Du.

I can see Husker Du, yeah.

Husker Du is one of those bands that I know virtually nothing about, but every other band I like seems to get compared to them. Pandora has been throwing them at me lately as well. Which album of theirs should I start with?

I've been a fan since I heard 'Your Little Hoodrat Friend' on the radio a couple of years ago. Finn's vocals remind me more of Nick Cave, than anything else, though. Also of Pere Ubu, at times.

Josh wrote: Husker Du is one of those bands that I know virtually nothing about. Which album of theirs should I start with?

Candy Apple Grey was always one of my favorites BITD.