Went to see The Hold Steady Wednesday night. And I would love to write a really intelligent review of them. But all I really want to say is that they were absolutely fantastic. They've apparently got a reputation for putting on legendary shows, and Wednesday night didn't disappoint.
Performers of intelligent, complicated Rock 'n' Roll, their songs are full of Bukowski-esque (?) characters. Losers, drug addicts and bad girlfriends all make appearances. My favourite song, Stuck Between Stations, first references Sal Paradise, the narrator of On The Road, and then a Minneapolis poet, whom I've not read in years, called John Berryman, to comment on the disillusionment of being young today.
Musically, they're often expansive, taking the time to venture off on guitar solos or piano riffs. The influences are pretty wide, if blatant. And it works.
They're sort of a cross between Husker Du and Bruce Springsteen.
I haven't been this excited about a band in a very long time, and i strongly recommend you check out Stuck Between Stations, Lord, I'm Discouraged, Stay Positive (which I need to look into, but I suspect it's about living under Bush), Stevie Nix, and Chips Ahoy!.
Seriously. They're awesome.
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