Guest Post: Greg Reviews The Hold Steady & Art Brut

While I was getting my local music fix on last night, a lot of friends were out and about- a few to see Film School/Eulogies at Beauty Bar and many to see The Hold Steady and Art Brut at Cane's. My friend Greg, who was kind enough to write a review for the Maximo Park show a few months back, was at Cane's and once again sent me a recap.

People always tell me that I'm the biggest music fan they know, but the truth is I'm barely scratching the surface. I love music but I'm so green; there's so little I actually know about music. Greg on the other hand is a specialist. His daddy was a big time DJ in the south, where he grew up, so he's been into music all his life with some incredible tales of legendary bands he met that rolled through his dad's on air show. You may not see him out at the local stuff too often, but you'll definitely see him around, standing up front with a pint of beer in his ball cap enjoying the music- and not once ever leaving his spot.

That said, here's Greg's review of The Hold Steady:

There are many bands out there today that can probably lay claim to the "worlds greatest rock band" and I have seen just about all of those bands that I probably can, but I am here to state right now that The Hold Steady is that band. Period. End of discussion.

Back in the 90's current members Craig Finn and Tad Kubler we're part of the Minneapolis indie rock band Lifter Puller; who gained plenty of critical acclaim at the time, but never really broke out and gained national exposure like a lot of indie bands were at the time . The late, great Joe Strummer was actually a big fan of the band and told Finn after a Lifter Puller gig once that they would be big one day; "but not as big as Pavement".

Well, I'm not sure if that was prescient foreshadowing by Strummer, and it took Finn and Kubler shutting down Lifter Puller, moving to Brooklyn, and going from an artsy indie rock band to a balls-to-the-wall bar band that they decided to name The Hold Steady, but Mr. Strummer's prophecy actually came to fruiton with the exception of one thing, they ARE argubally bigger than Pavement ever was and they have certainly laid claim to that after two classic albums (their debut, "Almost Killed Me" and their current album "Boys and Girls In America") and one very, very good album (2005's "Separation Sunday"). But it is the Hold Steady's legendary live shows that has elevated them to the heights where they are now and helped them gain a huge world wide following.

Their gig Thursday night at Cane's was just further proof of that. I have seen The Hold Steady 6 times over the course of the past 13 months (8 times total since 2005) and every show is just as mind-blowing, and actually keeps getting better; and last night's gig was probably the best Hold Steady gig I have ever been to. I know I say that after every Hold Steady show, but its the truth! The band has been touring almost non-stop over the past year in support of "Boys and Girls In America" and culled 9 songs from that album for last night's show , including a song that they normally do not include in their shows, but many critics and fans have called the best song on the album- "Chillout Tent". And yes, it sounded just as amazing live. Also included in the set were long time crowd favorites "Hoodrat Friend" and "Cattle and Creeping Things" from "Separation Sunday" and "The Swish" from "Almost Killed Me." The band is also starting to integrate new songs into their set lists, and last night they previewed three- songs called "Sequestered in Memphis", "Creepy", and "Discouraged". Hopefully all three of these songs wind up on their next album; they all sounded quite amazing.

If you have ever been to a Hold Steady show you probably already know that the absolute topper of their live shows that brings the house down every single time is the song they close with, the classic "Killer Parties" from "Almost Killed Me."; where they occasionally pull people onstage at the song's end. Last night was one of those nights and yes, yours truly made it up there again. It is quite an unbelievable and exhilirating experience that words really can't do any justice. You just have to be up there with everyone jumping up and down and revelling in the magic with the band to get that rapturous feeling. I've never been baptized and never really had a "religious experience", but I could only imagine that is probably what I would feel like. It was the perfect ending to one of the best shows I've ever seen.

Next time The Hold Steady comes back to town, do yourself a big favor and go, I pretty much guarantee that it will be one of the best shows you will ever see. Enjoy The Hold Steady while you can, they are what's totally right about rock and roll and makes going to rock shows the magical and life-affirming experience that they are supposed to be.

The show was officially billed as a co-headling gig with UK rockers Art Brut; who to me come off as the mischievious cousins of fellow Brit rockers Maximo Park and Kasier Chiefs, which is a good thing. This was my first time seeing Art Brut and I really thought that they put on amazing set as well. Eddie Argos is one of the best and most inventive lyricists in rock today, in my opinion. I am a big fan of both of their albums and their high energy set really did those songs justice. I really love bands who have singers who go into the crowd during the show, and old Eddie was pretty much all over the place at Cane's, even jumping up on rails and getting the crowd close to the the bar in on the action. I had read once that their live shows could be viewed as an ironic parody of British rock, but I really thought that they put one one helluva a straight forward high energy rock show. I know I will be seeing them again when they roll through town hopefully again soon.

L.A. rockers The Blood Arm opened the show. I really didn't know much about them before the show, but they really got the night off to a great start by delivering one heck of a set. Their singer was pretty much all out in the crowd as well, which definitely got them off to a favorable start with me. It will be interesting to see how far this band can go, I think they really have what it takes.

Last night was definitely the best night of music I have been to this year. My voice is shot, my ears are still ringing, I'm a little hung over, but last night was about what going to rock shows is all about and it is a night I will surely cherish for awhile. Until next time, take care and hope to see you at the shows!

THE HOLD STEADY SET-LIST

1. HOT SOFT LIGHT
2. STUCK BETWEEN STATIONS
3. PARTY PIT
4. MASSIVE NIGHTS
5. SEQUESTERED IN MEMPHIS (NEW SONG)
6. CHIPS AHOY
7. GIRLS LIKE STATUS
8. CATTLE AND THE CREEPING THINGS
9. CHILLOUT TENT
10. CREEPY
11. SAME KOOKS
12. YOU CAN MAKE HIM LIKE YOU
13. HOODRAT FRIEND
14. SOUTHTOWN GIRLS

ENCORE

15. CITRUS
16. DISCOURAGED
17. THE SWISH
18. KILLER PARTIES

ART BRUT SET LIST

1. PUMP UP THE VOLUME
2. BANG, BANG, ROCK AND ROLL
3. BLAME IT ON THE TRAINS
4. BAD WEEKEND
5. 18000 LIRA
6. ST. PAULI
7. MODERN ART
8. MOVING TO L.A.
9. MY LITTLE BROTHER
10. POST SOOTHING OUT
11. EMILY KANE
12. NAG NAG NAG NAG
13. DIRECT HIT
14. GOOD WEEKEND