The Hold Steady @ McCarren Park Pool, Brooklyn 6/29/08
JellyNYC kicked off its free McCarren Park Pool concert series yesterday with a hometown gig by America's Best Bar Band™ three years running. Williamsburg's Pool is usually a great venue for pre-show amusement: dodgeball, water slide, I counted 37 ice cream trucks. But yesterday's storms made it difficult to be amused. It was a wet t-shirt contest without prizes. Fortunately, the skies cleared just as THS took the stage shortly before 6PM. Umbrellas came down and beers were hoisted, as they are wont to do at Hold Steady shows.
Stay Positive's been streaming for weeks (and it's now out digitally), so no surprise that the crowd -- committed guys and gals who are willing to get soaked to see this band -- were familiar with the new tunes. The setlist included the entire new album save for the folky "Both Crosses." Sunday was Tad Kubler's birthday, so Craig Finn gave him the "gift of soloing." This was regifted to the audience on a wonderful "Lord, I'm Discouraged."
Craig's little kid enthusiasm -- he literally bounces at the start of songs, clapping in double time -- helps sell the punk rock worship of his lyrics. Weaker new ones ("Navy Sheets") benefit from live energy, and standouts "Stay Positive" and "Sequestered In Memphis" become fist-pumping anthems that will be singalong staples of THS's live show for the rest of their career.
The new album is in stores (with bonus tracks) 7/15, but you should just buy it on iTunes now. I think it will be a great Fourth Of July soundtrack.
Also, Franz shaved his head. Pics this way...
SETLIST
01 "Constructive Summer"
02 "Bangin' Camp"
03 "Chips Ahoy"
04 "Magazines"
05 "Multitude of Casualties"
06 "Yeah Sapphire"
07 "Navy Sheets"
08 "Kooks"
09 "Stay Positive"
10 "Stuck Between Stations"
11 "The Swish"
12 "Your Little Hoodrat Friend"
13 "How a Resurrection Really Feels"
14 "Joke About Jamaica"
15 "Sequestered In Memphis"
16 "Arms & Hearts"
----
17 "Lord I'm Discouraged"
18 "One For The Cutters"
19 "Slapped Actress"
All photos by Amrit...
It's JellyNYC's final year at the Pool (apparently they are turning the venue into a ... pool.) Here's the constructive summer goodbye...
7/06 Ronnie Spector and the Rabbit Factory Soul Revue
7/13 The Breeders and Matt+Kim and The Whip
7/20 Liars, Fuck Buttons and Team Robespierre
7/27 MGMT, Black Moth Super Rainbow and Ting Tings
8/03 Black Lips, Deerhunter, King Kahn & His Shrines and Tall Firs
8/10 TBA
8/17 Aesop Rock, Panther and one more TBA
8/24 TBA
Posted at 5:03 PM by Scott in Concert
Tags: The Hold Steady
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how could you like this band?
Score = -7
i think the question is: how could you NOT like this band?
Score = 2
How could you NOT like this band?
Score = 0
craig's little kid enthusiasm, straight through to his need for a bib
Score = -1
yeah... I fail to see how you could really dislike THS. Is there a story behind this? Would you care to elaborate? Let it all out hmm?
Score = 1
The lead singer of this band just looks annoying. He looks like he belongs in Barenaked Ladies circa 1997.
Score = -16
b-r-u-t-a-l.
Score = 1
The title track is one of the only tracks i don't really like on the new album.
Score = 1
yea i usually disregard musical content and focus more on the lead singers look.... shut up
Score = 2
wait these are FREE concerts? why in the hell don't we get this here on the west coast?!?!?
SO UNFAIR.
i love THS :)
Score = 0
Hey Luke, its actually a good idea--thats how I discovered MCR and AFI.
Score = 0
What I want to know is what happenned with Franz's mustasche between last Thursday's show in Boston and this weekend's in Brooklyn. On Thursday, it was either not styled or it somehow grew a few centimeters outward within a few days to once again give him that signature curly 'stasche. I even went up front to the stage to make sure I was seeing right, and the kid standing next to me almost fell over the guard rail in total disbelief when Franz came out looking more like Hitler.
Score = 0
well just hearing the song Sequestered In Memphis makes me dislike this band.
Score = -4
"Navy Sheets" weak? Who are you kidding?
Score = 1
Hey Gaby, that's why you spend the summer in New York. That way you get all the fun of the East Coast, and still keep your West Coast values.
Score = 0
Nice, nice pics Amrit. I always love what you snap.
Score = 0
teh gayness.
shit, did i just say that?
Score = -2
http://stereogum.com/img/hold_steady-mccarren18.jpg
Score = 3
Holy Cookie, 'Chips Ahoy' is the feel good song of the summer. And what a diverse crowd.
Sigh, i'm in love with the singer of the band...cliché.
Score = -3
this show was incredible. constructive summer is my summer anthem for this year.
Score = 2
If you wanna know what growing up in the Midwest is like, listen to The Hold Steady.
Score = 1
Wait, so they didn't play 'killer parties' to close it? Jesus I hope that is rectified by the time they make it to michigan
Score = 1
I have a bunch of photos from the McCarren show here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/subcow/sets/72157605900883717/
Score = 0
I can't think of a band I hate more than these guys
Score = -9
Oh but i can:
- Backstreet Boys
- new Radicals
- Alanis Morisette (not really a band, but she and her ego make one)
- John Mayer (ditto)
- Boyz 2 men
- Everclear
- Keane
- Coldplay
- Colour me Bad (Really, do you like CMB better then The Hold Steady? Cause, reading you comment, i think you do. And if you prefer tunes like 'i wanna sex you up' over 'Chips ahoy' then... BURN!)
Score = 1
Jesus, these guys are one of the few bands out right now that just put out straight, kick ass rock music. No gimmicks, and they don't sound like anyone that has come out in the last few years. As far as people not liking them because Craig makes weird faces on stage, that's ridiculous. The band can flat out play, and they sound the same live as they do recorded, which is rare amongst bands that are out today. Hey "Teenage head", who cares if he looks like he belongs in Barenaked Ladies. It's true, Barenaked Ladies is horrible, but don't judge a band based on that. I'd love to hear 5 bands that you like.
Score = 1