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Turkey Time Means Focusing on Football, Film, and Food! [Extra Extra]
J. Tillman at the Mohawk - Giveaway
Show Preview: Brackett & Co., Real Estate
Thursday 3/27
Emos (603 Red River St)
$16 - show at 10 pm
[info] | [tickets]
Here's a litmus test for whether you'll be into The Hold Steady: allegedly the band was conceived during a late-night viewing of the classic concert film about The Band, The Last Waltz, during which singer Craig Finn turned to guitarist Tad Kubler and said, "Dude, why aren't there any bands like this anymore?" Just picture his misty eyes and tell me you have no room in your heart for this man. The Steady's third album, Boys And Girls In America, earned them comparisons to both Pulp and Bruce Springsteen, and oddly enough both make sense: this unlikely-looking group of post-delinquent Brooklynites (via Minnesota) are able to summon chugging golden-age-of-rock riffs, mega-anthemic choruses, and kitchen-sink-epic lyrics about hard-luck characters and the dreams they've run into the ground, seemingly at the drop of a hat. (Or is it the pop of a cork? You should see their tour rider.) But despite the previous description, Craig Finn's voice resembles nothing so much as a stoned, pissed-off Donald Fagen, reeling off his super-literate story-songs with callous disregard for things like syncopation, and the band's loud, messy tunes owe as much to Johnny Thunders as they do to The Boss. They're playing with local indie-rock lions Zykos and Moonlight Towers, who after this show embark on a tour with Blind Melon (!) I know-those guys are still around?
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Here is the preview I wrote and submitted to the Austinist:
The Hold Steady: Still in the Bars
I explained to my buddy, Mark, that he had no choice; he HAS to see the Hold Steady in concert. NPR, I told him, named the Hold Steady “the best bar band in America.” If you ask me, NPR probably knows bar bands like a nun knows sex positions. But Mark, that goofy bastard, loves NPR.
I’m also forcing Mark to listen to the Hold Steady for at least an hour every day. To his first listen, the Hold Steady sounded like the music his older played driving him to track practice. The Hold Steady songs are about characters as familiar as the riffs: Gideon the lovable fuck-up, Charlemagne the scary but incredibly cool older guy and Holly the beautiful, contagious party girl. I can’t wait to hear what happens to them in the yet to be released album “Stay Positive.”
For all their gritty stories and critical acclaim, the Hold Steady still play with the enthusiasm of kids in a garage. It’s as if they can’t quite believe they’re rock stars. Granted, the lead singer looks like a Level-8 Dungeonmaster, and the keyboardist is a pair of overalls away from stomping Koopa Troopas—but the Hold Steady seem to really appreciate being rock stars.
The Hold Steady are playing at Emo’s on March 27th. Gideon, Charlemagne and Holly will be there; so will Mark.