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
