The Hold Steady and The War on Drugs @ Slowdown

There are a lot of acts out there that people always say you have to see live. The Hold Steady firmly belong to this group, and since I've been a big fan of their studio work for some time now, I jumped on the opportunity to catch them close to home at the Slowdown in Omaha, NE on April 8. Known for their high energy performances led by singer Craig Finn, The Hold Steady have received rave reviews across the board. The War on Drugs were set to open up the evening and would do so in timely fashion.

Read all about it after the jump

The Hold Steady

The War on Drugs, based out of Philadelphia, began their set abruptly with their unique, almost psychedelic sound with folksy vocals sewn in. The trio rattled through several songs in this manner during their brief opening set. Song after song sounded more and more like the previous. Although they were by no means bad, the repetition and lack of differing sounds produced by the trio quickly grew old. It would be good music to listen to when you’re feeling a little bit more on the mellow side, which I surely wasn’t that night. Oddly enough, listening to their studio work makes me enjoy them more with each listen. I think a big part of my inability to get into their short set was the incongruous sounds of the two acts – I was expecting something more upbeat. I would really like the opportunity to see The War on Drugs again, as I think I would be better able to appreciate their work now that I know what to expect.

The War on Drugs

The War on Drugs

The Hold Steady is in a genre all by themselves if you ask me. Their unique sound interwoven with enjoyable guitar riffs and Finn’s one of a kind, characteristic vocals leave you never questioning who’s on stage. Every article I had ever read about them was positive, lauding their energetic shows with die-hard fans screaming the lyrics back at the band. I was a bit overly excited while awaiting their presence at the Slowdown.

The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady took the stage and immediately exploded into the self-titled track to their latest effort, “Stay Positive,” sending the small yet cramped crowd into a frenzy that continued until the final note. Every raspy word that came out of Finn’s mouth was reverberated back to him by the entire dance floor. Finn communicates with his emotions and movements as much as he does vocally, making him the centerpiece of the set. Going through their studio collection, The Hold Steady sings about everyday things that people go through “growing up,” with some recurring characters and themes appearing throughout their music. Their songs range from happy, sad, and fast to slow, humorous and serious, and that was exactly how the show was as well.

The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady

We had taken refuge directly in front of lead guitarist Tad Kubler. Although Finn was the obvious leader of the band, each musician brought his own talent into the mix. Kubler was no different. His mass of effects pedals ensured that the audience would never grow old of his constant heavy guitar riffs. Occupying the other side of the stage was the multi talented Franz Nicolay on keys, harmonica, accordion and vocals, helping to create differing sounds throughout the evening.

The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady played a solid show that lasted a little under two hours, with barely a break in between songs. The sheer power of their music is enough to keep even the most simple-minded crowd into it. The sold-out venue that evening was far from that, as those in attendance worshiped every last note as if their existence depended on it. As they ran through a slew of songs ranging across their entire catalog, upbeat tracks like “Massive Nights,” “Hot Soft Light,” “Knuckles” and “Constructive Summer” kept everyone jumping. On the flip side of that, several of their slower songs, including “Lord, I’m Discouraged,” gave the crowd a quick breather while maintaining their attention and awaiting every last lyric as if it were a drug.

The Hold Steady

All in all, the show was nothing short of amazing. The War on Drugs was an adequate opener who exited the stage at the perfect time, leaving a good impression on much of the crowd. They prompted me to pick up their latest release for further investigation. The Hold Steady brings the whole package in their live format. Simply put, it is a giant party where everyone is on the same level, connecting through a similar vector, which is music. I found myself instantly craving more, and checking into the next time I might have the opportunity to catch them again, which unfortunately looks like it will be at the Rothbury Music Festival, which is entirely too far away! With the year only being a quarter of the way through, The Hold Steady is by far the best act I've experienced so far in 2009. The bar/club scene seems like the perfect place for them, and they seem at home on stage in that environment. I would highly suggest giving them a listen live if you get the chance.

Try to Hold Steady,
The Toastman

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