Reenergized Hold Steady Own Brooklyn Bowl Friday Night (SHOW REVIEW)

“Some nights it’s just a crush, and some night’s it’s bloodlust,” wrote Craig Finn in his band’s Separation Sunday classic “Stevie Nix.” Some nights it is also a full on party with a band who was on home soil playing to an insane crowd, visibly ecstatic to have a re-energized Hold Steady back celebrating their defining album Boys and Girls in America.

On Friday December 2nd, Brooklyn Bowl was electric early as the crowd was treated to a surprise opening set from another hometown group, The So So Glos. The four piece, fronted by the brothers Levine, got things started proper via their upbeat poppy punk that would have sounded just as at home in sunny southern California as the cold 718 on this wintery Friday night. Opening with “A.D.D. Life” from the band’s newest release Kamikaze they worked through a punchy set of tunes closing with the classic protest song “Eve of Destruction” and had the crowd fired up proper for the headliners.

The Hold Steady decided to return to playing live this first weekend in December 2016 to celebrate the ten year anniversary of Boys and Girls in America, but they just had to start it off with a “Positive Jam”. The band Craig Finn (vocals) Tad Kubler (guitar) Steve Selvidge (guitar) Galen Polivka (bass) and Bobby Drake (drums) welcomed Franz Nicolay (keys/vocals) back to the stage to play piano for these special shows (Friday was night three of a four night sold out run).

Clearly in full on celebration mode the group played every song fans would want to dance and shout to over the course of the night. Losing money and love on the horses via “Chips Ahoy!” was followed by those damn “Same Kooks” while “Your Little Hoodrat Friend” and “Charlemagne in Sweatpants” mixed it up with “Southtown Girls” and “Stevie Nix”. The dueling guitars ripped up “Ask Her For Some Adderall while “Hot Soft Light” bounced up and down with passion before “Party Pit” rumbled via thunderous drums as did “Massive Nights”.

Oh and the singalongs, the glorious singalongs, unlike any other group The Hold Steady inspire grown-ups to shout in mass while tossing confetti in the air and hugging complete strangers.  The encore saw “Hornets! Hornets!” fly around the high tech bowling alley, while the groups basic message was reinforced with “Stay Positive”. “Killer Parties” kept us alive for a cover of the Violent Femmes “American Music” closing out a powerful night.

For a band who wanted nothing more than to play in bars for friends, they have achieved wild success around the world and fans from all over were there to celebrate with them during this amazing run of shows. Sure, nights can get massive, speedy and druggy, but they can also be exhilarating, joyous and life affirming; it was grand to have the boys back in town making more than just clicks and hisses.

The Hold Steady Setlist Brooklyn Bowl, Brooklyn, NY, USA 2016

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