Photos by Bill Brownlee /Hold Steady lead singer Craig Finn holds court Thursday night at the Bottleneck
It was a massive night.
The Hold Steady presided over a beer-soaked and life-affirming communal celebration of the transcendent power of rock’n’roll Thursday night at the Bottleneck.
A fan admires the fingerwork of Franz Nicolay
As they sang about poet John Berryman during their opening song “Stuck Between Stations,” the Hold Steady, too, are “critically acclaimed and respected.”
The Brooklyn-based transplants from Minneapolis are touring behind Boys and Girls In America, a revelatory album sure to find a place on many year-end best-of lists.
Centered on the wobbly but literate wordplay of frontman Craig Finn, the band’s songs detail the harrowing relationship between debauchery, Christianity and rock’n’roll itself. Their explosive sound filters Bruce Springsteen’s impassioned revivalism through the cynical noise of American punk bands.
“The new album is exactly like the last two,” Finn joked. “These guys play a bunch of kick-ass rock’n’roll music, and I talk a bunch of bullshit over it.”
When The Hold Steady performed at The Jackpot Saloon in Lawrence last year they were a exceptional if somewhat one-dimensional bar band. This time around they made a convincing bid for the title of the world’s best rock’n’roll band, bar or no bar.
They’ve grown tremendously as showmen and as musicians. Guitarist Tad Kubler’s unique blend of punk riffs and classic rock solos has always been strong, but he displayed newfound confidence at the Bottleneck.
Debonair keyboardist Franz Nicolay seemed intent on having more fun than anyone as he theatrically conducted the sing-alongs on the bracing choruses of “Chips Ahoy!” and “Massive Nights.”
Bassist Galen Polivka’s antics included tossing dollar bills to the crowd pressed against the stage during “Southtown Girls.”
It's an increasingly rare commodity: a rock’n’roll band actually having fun on stage.
The charismatic Finn is the main attraction. Unshaven and clad in a black Western shirt, Finn madly gesticulated like a deranged corner preacher. He barked out lyrics about sin and salvation, pausing occasionally to baptize his congregation in beer.
“There’s so much joy in what we do,” Finn declaimed as fought back tears of appreciation. “Thanks for sharing it with us.”
| Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
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