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Bobby Drake, Tad Kubler, Franz Nicolay, Galen Polivka and front man/writer Craig Finn are The Hold Steady. Brooklyn based but originally from Minnesota.
Very prolific so far having released a long player per year for the last three years, ‘Almost Killed Me’ [2004], ‘Separation Sunday’ [2005] and last years’ ‘Boys And Girls In America’, The Hold Steady are finally making their mark in the UK.
Their latest offering having been released over here, inevitably followed by a tour of Europe, tonight they are playing a packed trendy Hoxton venue. Their first show in London since 2004!
As this motley crew takes to their instruments but before playing a single note, a bespectacled, smiling Craig takes pictures of the clapping, hands waving audience. A click here and a click there and off they start with ‘Stuck Between Stations’, coincidentally the opening track on ‘Boys And Girls In America’ and also the first of many songs from that particular album to be played tonight, [actually nine out of eleven].
They clearly have fun performing ‘Hot Soft Light’, ‘Chips Ahoy’, ‘You Can Make Him Like You’, ‘Party Pit’, ‘Massive Nights’....with interludes from older tracks such as ‘Banging Camp’, ‘Multitude Of Casualties’, ‘Cattle And The Creeping Things’ and ‘Stevie Nix’ from ‘Separation Sunday’ and a unique nostalgic visit to 2004 with ‘Swish’.
Despite breakthrough ‘Boys And Girls In America’ being heavily influenced by novelist Jack Kerouac’s ‘On The Road’ and presenting catchier melodies there is an obvious link running through the last three years...
Each song a well crafted short story, an intellectually weighed personal account of distant drugs taking and drinking related experiences. Strong religious imagery galore, all a testament to Craig’s already established reputation as a skilled writer and story teller par excellence.
Very quickly and before our very eyes we get to know the modest intellectual as a child trapped in a man’s body being allowed out for a couple of hours.
To the delight of the crowd and the bemusement of his bandmates, Craig manically jumps around like a ten year old having consumed a gallon of cola too many before bedtime. He encourages clapping and singalongs.
The quintet’s obvious joy to be on stage has now spilled out of the room and everyone’s in party mode.
Even Craig’s honest, moving declaration that: “manic depression is a frustrating must! “ will not dampen the mood.
Flat cap wearing keyboard player Franz makes an interesting character to watch and could be mistaken for your typical Cockney cheeky chap.
After a couple of minutes backstage The Hold Steady are back where they belong and without missing a beat launch into ‘Citrus’ after which Craig announces that they only have time for two more tracks.
With his usual humbleness he thanks the audience for being here tonight while his colleagues crack on with ‘First Night’ with such contagious gusto
that there is no other option for the audience than storm the stage.
So many bodies jumping up and down that we have lost sight of the band. The main man is still singing as he’s been hugged and kissed by male and female alike....
We never did get that final number but according to their set list it should have been ‘Killer Parties’.
Oh well! There is always next time....
Words: Florence ACHERYphotos from myspace
www.theholdsteady.com
www.myspace.com/theholdsteady |
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Photo by Courtney Chavanell
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