The Hold Steady

Once again, the greatest bar band in the world does not disappoint. I honestly don't think there is a single front-man in the industry that has as much fun on stage as Craig Finn does night-in and night-out. Had a great spot right on the rail up in the balcony across from the stage (overlooking the very energetic crowd) and even up there, I got a work out in. From the opening cords of Hornets to the final sing-along of Stay Positive - the crowd, like Finn, doesn't stop moving. We were treated to two new jams, 'Let's Wait Awhile" & "Teeth Dreams". I can't wait to hear more. I'm looking forward to a new album coming out either late this year or early next because that just means that the band will be back in the area soon.

The Hold Steady performed a great, tight show at The House of Blues in Cleveland on Saturday night (April 2). All I can say is that it was a terrific show! Great set list, great performance, great venue, great crowd - it all came together nicely. If you've never seen these guys, you HAVE to go. It makes for a great night out!! The last of the great bar bands (and I'm sure they hate that label).

As usual, Craig and the boys rocked it. You have to see this band live. Great set, great energy, good crowd. Overall an excellent show. Extra special because we hung out after the show and got to meet the band. Very gracious, cool, down-to-earth guys. Only regret was no "Lord, I'm Discouraged" but ya gotta love bands with such a great catalog that they completely mix up the setlist every night. Rock on, gents!

Great hometown crowd that knew every word and got into every song. The band was great, a lot of energy and played a great set.

So last night rtb, violaleeblue, and I were back at one of our favorite clubs and were there early enough to get a spot upstairs next to the sound booth so we would not get crushed by the expected mob. Yesterday rtb sent us an email with an excerpt from an article on Will Sheff (Okkervil River) where he says that the Bowery Ballroom is one of his favorite venues. Last night Craig Finn (The Hold Steady) told us a few times how happy they were to be back at the Bowery Ballroom most bands will tell you how happy they are to be back in NYC but don t usually say they re happy to be back in a particular club. It s nice to know that both we and the musicians agree. Opening act was Mischief Brew. When lead singer and guitaritst Erik Petersen started singing I thought they were (or at least he was) Irish but after the song he spoke and said they were from Philadelphia and all trace of accent was gone. There is a Celtic undercurrent in a lot of their songs but what they re pounding out is new school punk protest songs. I love a good protest song. Unfortunately there are very few of them. The anger usually overtakes the poetry and you re left with someone lecturing you. They walk the line it s not great protest music but it is a lot better than most. The band grew out of Petersen s punk band, The Orphans. And lucky for him his old drummer was available because a police car hit the Mischief Brew drummer the night before and his arm is in a sling. He not only missed this gig but they left for Europe today and he ll miss the tour. He rode the same train home as I did and I wanted to shout out to him how sorry I was that he d be missing the tour. The trio is rounded out by bass player Shawn St. Clair. The band looked good, their fake Irishness worked for the songs, and I liked them a lot. These are fun singalong drinking songs and I can see them being played on all the jukeboxes on St. Patrick s Day. I only knew one song by The Hold Steady, which is their single Sequestered in Memphis but I played it over and over because it s such a fun song. And my favorite musician of the moment Ben Nichols sings backup, which makes it sweeter. This is one of Ben s favorite bands and he s said that this is the band he wants his band to be and now that I ve seen them I totally see why. First of all there s the Springsteen influences they re obvious in both Lucero and The Hold Steady but The Hold Steady is better at stealing and adopting Bruce. Then there s their ease on stage. Ben is self-conscious and sings standing still with his eyes closed. The Hold Steady lead singer and guitarist Craig Finn is childlike in his movements and joy. He bounces around the stage, his arms and legs are non-stop and they stomp and clap and reach out to the audience. During one of the encores his left foot kept stomping and he suddenly looked over in surprise is that my leg doing that? It was like he had no control once he started performing. The joy is infectious. The audience was bouncing up and down, they were singing along, and they kept reaching out to Finn as he reached out to them. The members look like they are all from different bands. Keyboardist Franz Nicolay (also played accordion and harmonica) looks like a refugee from a Cheap Trick cover band. Drummer Bobby Drake could be in a retro punk band. Lead guitarist Tad Kubler is the indie boy and bassist Galen Polivka is the garage band boy. Finn is the anti rock star with his glasses and receding hairline. But he s charismatic with a boundless joy and it overtakes everything. All together they are a modern classic rock band. Each song is unmistakably theirs because of the repeated use of the same riffs, Finn s unique vocals, and the storytelling lyrics. They didn t make us wait long for the single playing it about four songs into the set. And what fun it was to finally be able to join in and sing along. I wish I could have sung along to all of them.

Always seem grateful for the opportunity to be playing. Sounded great, very energetic, and hilarious.

These guys put on such a high energy show...it was awesome all the way through. Will definitely go see them again.

You really can't beat The Hold Steady for pure entertainment. They were tight, and they rocked, and the crowd loved every minute. The venue was a perfect size and the sound was fantastic. Amazing show.

I have only begun to like the Hold Steady when I bought tix to the show. I'm sure most fans want to kill me for saying that (I can make it worse - my g/f really hadn't heard much of them at all). However, I have to say that if they were my favorite band, the show would have been amazing. I left wanting to listen more, know more and hopefully head back to another show. They do a great job at playing and working the crowd. Both me and my g/f left there being bigger fans and wanting more. Watching lead singer Craig Finn silently and with more anger, repeat the lines of lyrics during a number of songs was an interesting. Somehow he makes it all work. Also Williamsburg Music Hall is a great venue. Sound could be a tiny bit better, but overall it's setup and size is one of the best around.

These guys absolutely rock. Nothing else to say. I mean, Craig Finn is top notch.

A fantastic show that concentrated on "Boys & Girls in America." The "hometown" Brooklyn crowd was in the palm of their hands. Great, great band.

Stadium-worthy sing-alongs, hand-holding, and putting your arms around a (drunken) brother are all staples of the Hold Steady rock show experience. They are a band based on rock stars of previous generations, such as Bruce Springsteen, who told stories with their songs. There is a plotline in almost every song, sung with a gruff yet funny talk-sing stammer by frontman Craig Finn. They got power ballads, hard-charged rockers, organ-fueled anthems, pretty much anything. Definitely reccomend checking these guys out

I love 'em. On record they are tremendous but live is where they are life-changing. The intimacy of MHoW added even more to the Hold Steady live experience - and the added "homecoming" bonus.

If you have ever been to a house party, where your buddies are playing, and no one cares about looking cool, then you might know what it is like to see the Hold Steady. One of, if not the funnest, band I have ever seen.

I went to the Hold Steady on Tuesday at the Bowery and on Wednesday in Brooklyn. Being that the band formed in Brooklyn, that concert was full of energy and completely outrageous; that is the only reason this show gets 4 stars and not 5. The Bowery was a great size venue for the HS, and of course they rocked hard. Every time I go to a Hold Steady show it is the most fun I have had since the last time I went to a Hold Steady show. Plus, at this show they played Seperation Sunday in its entirety, which is something special within itself.

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing the Hold Steady live by now, first kick yourself in your own ass and then go buy tickets to their next show. These guys play good old fashioned (bar) rock and bring their best effort every time they play. Since they don't look like rocks stars I still think they are out to prove something every time they play and it really shows. This venue is really too small for them imo, but they still managed to put on a real good set and played for quite some time, going through work on all of their albums. Clearly the crowd was most into the Stay Positive and Boys and Girls in America stuff. Awesome show.

The Hold Steady turned in a great performance for a sold out crowd at the El Rey Theater. The band covered material from all four of their albums. About a quarter of the crowd appeared to know the lyrics well enough to sing along. Singing along is a big part of The Hold Steady appeal. Craig Finn was in fine form, although his between song chatter was minimal. The sound in the house was good for the Hold Steady. For the opening band, El Bronx, the sound was poor. Perhaps there was no time for their soundcheck. The Hold Steady played many favorites including, Constructive Summer, Stay Positive, Slapped Actress, Banging Camp and How a Resurrection Really Feels.

I've seen the Hold Steady 5 times now, and this was by far their best show. These guys play great punk/classic rock style riffs, have both deep and witty lyrics, and Craig Finn has amazing presence on stage. Before the show, have drinks, and make new friends - I was in the "party pit" at the very front and center with my group of 11 people, and I made it a point to make friends with everybody I could. Everybody at Hold Steady shows are friendly, and it truly is a Unified Scene. After the show, I received Craig's setlist and got it signed by the entire band, and two of my other friends also received setlists and one of them got a guitar pick. The band is extremely friendly as well, and they always come out to chat with fans after the show, and they'll even recognize you if you have come more than once. They are the Hold Steady, and they are a great band that don't just play music - they PERFORM and ENTERTAIN.

I can't think of how it could have been better. Every member was flawless last night

These guys were a good live act. Can't say the same for the Bronx.

Craig and the boys put on quite a high energy, virtually non-stop show at the El Rey. The one drawback was that the micing of the vocals was off. If you were in front (yes, I was) you could not make out the words. This should have been balanced better. Of course, if you knew the lyrics anyway, it didn't matter.

East coast band brought west coast thrills at El Rey! Awesome show, 2nd time I've seen em and will see them again the next time they're out yonder!

These guys are great every time. Crowd was pretty into it for an LA show.

A lotta dudes, but it's a band singing dude anthems. And the band rocked!

My sixth time seeing them---if I'm in the same city as them, I'm there---and though the soundsystem was not ideal (not enough volume or presence overall, not enough clarity in the vocals) this band never fails to deliver with great passion and humor and unforgettable body of classic rock tunes, smart and well observed, about scensters in love and in trouble.

Been a big fan for about 5-6 years now, and this was the first time Ive seen them. I've tried in the past, but its a tough ticket to come by here in the Twin Cities. Not much of a stage-show, but still one of the best concerts Ive ever been too. Craig Finn has such a stage presence, such energy, that no stage show is needed. The setlist was a great mix, and every song was done wonderfully, with all of the same energy. If you ever get the chance to see them live, even if you are only a casual fan, DO NOT MISS THE HOLD STEADY!!!!!

Loved Hold Steady and the Whigs! This was my first Hold Steady concert but my boyfriend is a big fan so I had a major crash-course in being their biggest fan ;) I just Can't believe they didn't play Heaven is Whenever... It's just the TITLE TRACK! Very disappointing :( But I won't hold is against you Finn!

The Hold Steady played the small Kalamazoo venue as if it were a trendy NYC hot spot. All the energy of a stadium show.

As always. The Hold Steady put on a great show. The only minor complaint would be that they didn't play Lord, I'm Discouraged.

I couldn't believe The Hold Steady was gonna play such an awesome small venue. I was a little nervous the show would suck because of the small room but none the less the venue was amazing as was the sound and the band.

Bar none, one of the best shows I have attended in years. The Strutt and staff were wonderful. Sound system needs improvement, but overall was not too bad.

This band delivers! Although they didn't play a couple of my favorites, they played 22 songs, amazing me song after song! They attract fans of all ages, backgrounds, etc. It is truly the only show where the whole crowd just had a great time. Craig is a true genius. Tad guitar riffs can be simple, yet so powerful. They have some of the best riffs ever. I can't wait until a new album and a new tour :)!

The Hold Steady blew me away Thursday night. The 3 guitar attack is amazing. Finn enjoys the hell out of himself on stage and they had my attention for the entire 2 hours they played. Best show I've seen in a few years.

The band was great - the sight lines in the club were great, fellow concertgoers were great. I only caught up with the band since "Stay Positive" and i was so glad I decided to catch the show. Craig was engaging the crowd all night, not only with banter but with baseball (first game of Twin's/yankees) One Gripe -$10 drinks, $5 for water - yeah I know, in the city but damn....

band was way too loud. had to leave after 3 songs.

Really fun show, my first Hold Steady show and these guys jam.... they are one of those bends that's better live.

Excellent show with lots of energy from the band and crowd alike. It seemed as though Craig Finn & Co. were geeked to be playing The Beacon. The sound could've been better; vocals were a bit lost most of the night.

The Hold Steady but on one hell of an amazing show!

The Hold Steady keep getting better. It's been great to watch them develop over the past decade.

I have never seen them live before, and they definitely exceeded my expectations. Great show!

This is one of the best live acts around. At Irving Plaza last year they had the place shaking. They gave it their all at the Beacon but why was their gear 20-feet back from the first row. It created a weird vibe. And the sound was poor. Very muddy. This band is so good and so much fun but they deserved a better setting. The Beacon is not the place for a rock show.

This is one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Craig Finn is one of the greatest lead men alive.

Forget any concerns America's Greatest Bar Band turned the Beacon into the America's greatest bar. A triumph.

Pretty great concert. The sound was mixed poorly, but the band more than made up for it in energy. Craig Finn is a fantastic and ecstatic frontman, and he can make you believe in rock and roll for at least one night. Played a lot of great songs, a little heavy on their two latest albums, most of the classics from Separation Sunday and Boys and Girls in America, and unfortunately just two from Almost Killed Me. The best thing to do with this band is just dance.

High energy, loud fantastic performance by guys who appreciate their fans and have a genuine joy about them on stage. Nobody sat down in the posh Beacon and this band sounded like one ready for bigger venues, stadium status

The Hold Steady have alway been a fun band. Great party stuff. They have however been a bit sloppy from time to time due to how much they drank before and during their set. This was fine, there is something to be said for being on the same level as most of the audience. While undeniably providing a great party atmosphere it's not as powerful as they could be as proven by this sober gig. They played with energy and a focus stronger than ever before. Craig Finn is a joy to behold and this new lineup gets the job done. No more show-offs just a band dedicated to the love of rock and roll

Craig Finn & Hold Steady! With your recent performance at theBeacon Theatre, you've broken away from being a "Bar Band" to becoming a "Concert Band" Next Stop - MSG!!! SUCCESS!

The music was so loud it was unlistenable. Loud is fine, but you couldn't make out the vocals.

If you're not a fan of these guys yet, it's time to check them out! Their enthusiam is contagious, and their concerts are a rock n roll party. Think earlly Springsteen meets modern punk. The lyrics are poetic, funny, and plentiful. They almost always tell an interesting story, and they always contain one or two GREAT lines. The music itself is pretty straighforward rock but with all the right influences which range from the Clash to Jimmy Page.

Great, high-energy show. Fun night for sure and definitely wort the trip.

If you love Rock N' Roll you will love The Hold Steady. Energy, Wit, Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Maybe the Best Bar Band Ever!

The venue was just the right size. Opening act Wintersleep meshed with the audience well. And what can I say about The Hold Steady that hasn't already been said? Great performance, upbeat and rocking. Just like they sing in "Constructive Summer" all their songs are sing-a-long songs. The audience was made up of fans who knew the catalog, making the experience that much better, singing along with the band, anticipating time changes and riffs and choruses. I have never seen a lead singer enjoy his job more than Craig Finn. He interacted with the crowd, sang the lyrics with passion and clear joy on his face. He radiated energy and the crowd fed off it. Just a great, tight performance. My favorite band.

Greatest show of all time. The Hold Steady is my favorite band, but even my friend who doesn't really know the band well had a great time.

5th time seeing them. It's always worth going to a Hold Steady concert. They put on such a great show every time.

The Hold Steady might just very well be the best band around today. There was so much energy on stage. Craig Finn has a huge stage presence and the crowd loved everything he did. The setlist covered their whole career and they played just as many songs from their first album as their new album. All in all an incredible show that I would pay to see every night!!

A show for the ages. Crunchy guitar stewing in lyrical genius = A great recipe. A dash of PBR tallboyz for flavor and its hammer down!

If you've never seen, and only heard, The Hold Steady, then trust me when I say that the big fuss over this band may never make sense to you. With a singer who doesn't really "sing", riffs that sit somewhere between 80's arena rock and 90's Seattle, a mustachioed guy in a three piece suit playing an accordion, it's easy -- on paper -- to get a little confused and bewildered by The Hold Steady. Perhaps even cast them aside as gimmicky. Go see them live. When Craig Finn bursts onto the stage with his 100 percent joyous energy and starts spitting rhymes and prose about parties, salvation, cities you're probably not that familiar with and the Mississippi River (lots about the Mississippi River) I assure you you will suddenly "get it." This band is amazing. This band is fun. This is the band to take your friends to. This band is the band to know all the words to. The Hold Steady's albums are great, fun and surprisingly deep thematically, but the highlight of The Hold Steady experience is definitely seeing Craig in his Minnesota Twins jersey bring the energy of a hip-hop MC, Tad Kubler rip those solos, and one of the more entertaining rhythm sections you'll ever see. Do yourself a favor and catch this band the next time they're in your town.

Opening band surprised me, I really enjoyed El Bronx! Very interesting. THS... although included a few songs that weren't a good part of the crowds favorites, still put on an excellent show!!!! Had an awesome time in the party pit, fans are always so much fun. I 100% recommend this band if you're down for a good time. =)!! Hornets! Hornets! Sequestered in Memphis You Can Make Him Like You Navy Sheets Banging Camp Stay Positive Constructive Summer Multitude of Casualties Don t Let Me Explode Your Little Hoodrat Friend One for the Cutters Cheyenne Sunrise Magazines Joke About Jamaica Yeah Sapphire Lord, I m Discouraged Milkcrate Mosh Chips Ahoy How a Resurrection Really Feels Encore: Stuck Between Stations You Gotta Dance Southtown Girls Slapped Actress

Went for the opening act, The So So Glos, but came out of the show a big fan of The Hold Steady. The energy these guys have onstage is surreal and you'll love every moment of it, whether you're a new fan or a diehard fan of theirs. The crowd was incredibly welcoming and full of great people. Plain and simply,whether or not you believe in perfection, this show was as near perfect as you can get to.

A massive night with the hardest rocking band - epic.

I would say that this was the best show I have ever been to, but they were even better the following night. Amazing band.

The "Brooklyn" aspect of the event, other than the bands coming from Brooklyn, was disappointing. We thought the festival was going to feature more from Brooklyn than the music. The food was basic at best (I'm being kind).

This was a great rock show. Craig Finn is an excellent front man and the band is simply tremendous. So much energy... So much fun. I'd see them again and again.

This was an awesome show! I had not seen either band live before and would so do it again.. although they had a stand up comic that not many people seemed to like.

This was my first time at the Royale and I have to say that the venue was great! I love the balcony area and relatively small size of the venue. The opening act was a very funny man named Kurt (or Curt, not sure of the spelling). I've never seen a rock show open with a comedy act but it was a great idea and really fun. Next up were Lucero who happen to be one of my favorite bands of all time. These guys put on a great show, sounded great and had a perfect set. The Hold Steady were up next but it took them so long to set up their gear that I ended up leaving before they started. Next time take less than 30 minutes to set up the gear guys.

This band rocks. They get on the stage with their instruments and their catalog of outstanding music, and without a lot of fanfare, they just rip through their tunes and get the crowd all hot and bothered in the process. This is what rock shows are about! The Hold Steady oozes coolness. Frontman Craig Finn frequently smiles at the audience, clearly letting us know that he is having a fantastic time, and guess what? He appreciates us, and the fact that we're having a great time. His sense of gratitude and appreciation is so heartfelt, it's palpable. The good vibes flow, and everyone is uplifted. The fantastic energy and feeling of revival through rock and roll is not unlike the mood created by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band. Yes, they are that good. I don't know what else to say except that The Hold Steady are gems, and those lucky enough to attend their concerts will be rewarded.

I've seen The Hold Steady before so I know that they can wail. I love their energy and I've never seen an audience sing along to EVERY song like they do for these guys. Bummer that the sound system was cranked to 12 so that all you heard was a dull, ear-shattering drone of distortion! The venue doesn't have the greatest acoustics but it's generally decent. I think the sound guy took the name too literally and just set the volume and HELD STEADY.

Groovy opening act Mount Carmel really got me excites. They were an awesome opener so much that they deserve to be mentioned. The rest of the night I was high energy rocking out to Craig Finn fueled rock and roll poetry which made me love the Hold Steady even more now that I know they put on a good show. Royale was a nice venue overall though they tend to play loud, had I done it over I would have brought earplugs.

It was an hour and a half set. There was lots of energy, both from the band and from the crowd.

SO much fun! The Hold Steady puts on an amazing show.

Hold Steady, as always, ROCKED. Never a bad show. Royale was cool, but the sound was really loud, washed out a lot of the music.

Really good! Craig Finn had SO much energy and the crowd was super into it!

Terminal 5 is the worst concert venue in the city, and it's still not enough to ruin The Hold Steady, who continue to be the best live band working today.

They ripped through all their hits off the new and old albums and didn't mutter more than a couple sentences to the audience. Really good performance. Terminal 5 is an excellent venue as well. Easy to find a place to sit, as well as many difference vantage points to view the show.

The Hold Steady was amazing as ever! Great energy and sincerity. Not really a fan of the opening band, but The Hold Steady more than made up for it.

Terminal 5 venue is a great place for The Hold Steady to rock out-- with great acoustics on the bottom floor, the ability to drink where ever you please, it just doesn't get better than that when you have a band like The Hold Steady rocking the stage like they built the place!

The Hold Steady always deliver a great performance. Their energy on stage always draws in the crowd. This was my first trip to Terminal 5. The idea of the venue is very interesting but the sound quality is lacking.

Story-telling at its finest in front of worshipping crowd that s a night with The Hold Steady. The sold-out crowd pushed to the front with everyone reaching out, gesticulating, and finger-pointing in imitation of and in homage to Craig Finn. First up were trash-pop (why do bands need to come up with new categories to define themselves?) band The Gay Blades (the name comes from Lou Reed s Vicious ) with Clark Westfield (née James Dean Wells) on lead vocals and guitar, Puppy Mills (née Quinn English) on half a drum kit, and Mike Abiuso (with 80s new wave hair) on keyboards. And may I say how much I m over tight jeans? Especially on guys. Stop. Please stop. The music is fast and loud (I could feel the kick blowing back the pants legs of my not-tight jeans) a mix of punk and pop. In interviews they say they want to be sexy and sleazy and swagger and they do have the swagger part down. Westfield interacts with the audience and heckles the hecklers as good as the best comedians. They brought out horns for two songs, one of which was written for Mick Jagger (not that it s gotten to him) and the song did sound very much like a song Mick would sing. Now traveling without a keyboardist, The Hold Steady - Finn (lead vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (lead guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), and Steve Selvidge (rhythm guitar) gives us a full wall of heartland rock. As always the kick has a photo from whatever is their current cd. The anti-rock star Finn sings and dances in pure joy with his body seemingly not under his control. Kubler plays great licks with the rhythm pounding behind. Since this was show three for me I could sing along a bit but I do have to buy their cds so I can really sing with them. Finn told us that coincidentally that night was eight years to the day that they had played their first gig. And it was in the same club when it was called North 6th. I imagine that the energy level and the joy with which they played eight years ago is the same if not greater than what we got that night. They consider themselves a bar band and it s with that same intensity and dedication that they play for us. Finn will often go to the front of the stage and yell out the chorus while the crowd sings along. He tells us to clap and then his arms wave madly about and the crowd starts finger-pointing and waving their arms back at him. His songs are all short stories filled with love and remorse and rock and roll. There is no way you can go to a The Hold Steady show and not start dancing and singing and clapping and be happy to be in the presence of someone who loves what he does. This is why rock and roll was invented to give us Craig Finn and The Hold Steady.

They're always amazing, especially from the front row. :)

Really tight show with a whole different feel for THS as this was the first time i saw them with no keyboard player. Great selection of songs from new album and some nice older tunes as well.

What a great show. I saw The Hold Steady late last year at the Beacon and loved it. Now to see them in such a small place was unbelievable. I love that they like to go back to their roots and play the small places. They really connected with the audience and it was the 8th anniversary of their first gig. Great Live Band

killer show at a sold out music hall of williamsburg. i dig this venue a lot, despite the fact that the "bleacher seats" we were hanging out on upstairs, had the heater blowing directly on them, so at one point i thought i was going to pass out from heat exhaustion, heh. if you haven't seen this band before, they truly do bring it. fans of husker du, in particular, will dig their sound and especially the raspy, whip-smart vocals. while the whole band is tight as hell and great players, the lead singer, craig finn, is kinda mesmerizing to watch. he's so dorky that it comes around full circle and becomes cool/ rock n' roll (see: elvis costello). watching your jewish dentist do dorky white boy dances on stage while the music plays wouldn't SEEM to be entertaining, but i swear, craig looks like he's having such a great time up there that it's infectious and you can't help but join in on the fun. this hometown crowd certainly did, with peeps singing along to pretty much every word of every song. really a great time...

The best bar band in America strikes again, although the lack of keyboards hurts their older material.

The Hold Steady were great, as usual. The Meat Puppets also were very good. Whoever the 1st act was, however, were TERRIBLE. NOISE IS NOT MUSIC people! The worst thing about the whole event was the UNEXPLICABLE amount of time between acts. Between the craptastic 1st act & the Meat Puppets it was almost 30 minutes, then almost 45 unexuseable minutes until the Hold Steady. RIDICULOUS!

These guys rocked 1st Ave! Wow...they sounded just as good as their albums, and were so tight in clean in their play. Awesome, and I cannot WAIT to see them again!

The outdoor theatre was a pretty cool experience, however it was difficult to see. If we had been father up we might have been able to see better, but being in the middle of a drunk and sweaty crowd with 90% humidity would probably not have been that great of a trade off. So overall, the band was phenomenal and I would definitely see them again, and again, and again, but probably not if they were going back to the Cabooze.

A sultry July evening was the scene for an amazing show from an amazing band. From the minute Sal Paradise started the show to the final suggestion to walk on back, The Hold Steady kept this attendee smiling and pumping his fist for 120 minutes. Awesome show, excellent song selection and a level of energy from frontman Craig Finn that combined a 1960's Mick Jagger with the glee of a 10 year old at his birthday party. See The Hold Steady every chance you get.

Show was great, they sounded better in person than on the radio!

Outstanding, for realsies. This is my second Hold Steady show, and I seriously have the most fun.

the venue was amazing, the band incredible. great night.

I've seen four other Hold Steady shows; thoroughly enjoyed them, and, while I wouldn't call the other sloppy, they weren't totally tight. But this show - they were *so* on. Craig sounded great, the mix and PAs and acoustics were spot on - a very exciting and inspiring performance.

The Hold Steady is just a fantastic band and they're great live. It was worth sitting through the two average opening bands (A Different Animal & The Donkeys). Craig Finn and the guys just keep getting better!

Fantastic show. Although the openers were a little not my style, The Hold Steady consistently pleases. Plus, their encore included both "Stuck Between Stations" and "How a Resurrection Really Feels." Absolutely. Glorious.

Wish it was a three hour show. Love the Fillmore. Thanks for the poster!

Great show! Excellent set list, emphasizing the new album but with a good range of old favorites. The El Rey is a very nice venue.

A shame that the 2 opening acts ate up so much of the evening and didn't allow the hold steady enough time to open up and play more of their material. Set seemed rushed and somewhat forced. Nice to see them, might not jump at the chance next time.

They look like extras from the office, but these guys know how to put on a show! The next morning at work may suck; my ears are still ringing... But well worth it!!!!!

Yo. The Hold Steady are one of the best live bands of our time. After take the stage at midnight, they played for two hours straight, mixing unreleased new tracks and old favorites (both singles and great album tracks). The lead singer, Craig Finn, is impossibly magnetic and takes so much joy in performing. My friend who was with me who was disastrously hung over thought it was one of the best concerts she's seen all year. GOGOGO.

It's been about a year since I've seen Finn and company rock the stage. Last night they were exceptional, even after playing an earlier show the same day. The change in lineup was noticeable, but the reduction in keys was nicely balanced by the additional guitar.

The Hold Steady did not disappoint. Power, musicianship, humor and above all passion. I was lucky enough to see this amazing band in a very intimate setting. Perhaps 500 people. 500 sweating, po-going, lyric screaming, wild eyed people. Anyone who was not a fan before attending - was one by the end of the first song. I've seen The Who- in the 70's. Van Halen in the early 80's. U2 in the 90's. And Tony Bennett in the '00's (ok - he puts on a hell of a show!) And no one has matched the passion and joy of The Hold Steady on that small stage. Wonderful.