The Hold Steady (w/ The Mountain Goats & Dillinger Four)

Salt Shed - 7/1

A show at the Salt Shed is quite an experience. First, there’s the knowledge that, quite literally, it was once a giant shed that housed a bunch of salt for the Morton’s Salt Company. Second, as my friend Luke pointed out, when you walk in, it has more of an art gallery feel to it than anything. The industrial vibe is maintained throughout and the massive space feels both modern and timeless. The concept of space is ever present, and the lighting highlights the uniqueness of the angles and steel structure that makes up the composition of this venue.

Instead of chairs and people, imagine a bunch of salt. That’s the history of this venue.

But I’ve also been spoiled by several recent shows at smaller venues like Chicago’s Riviera and Vic Theatres. GA is terraced and there are plenty of spots to lean against rails, which is increasingly becoming more important the older that I get. Salt Shed’s GA is all flat, which is a.) not good for short folks like myself, and b.) is brutal on the middle aged individual’s feet and joints. It got packed and it got really hot amidst the hordes of people, which at times wasn’t a particularly great feeling.

That said, the sound was great, the crowd was lively, and most importantly, the bands were incredible and seemed to be having a genuinely good time. But you’d be hard pressed NOT to have a good time at a Hold Steady show. But let’s start with the openers.

The punk rock quartet Dillinger Four are apparently Craig Finn of The Hold Steady’s favorite band, and though they themselves even said that they might seem out of place on this bill, they set a high energy bar, and seemingly, like a lot of punk bands, have only one setting—100% commitment. And if one thing unites all three bands, it’s commitment.

Dillinger Four. Photos never do punk rock justice

There’s a lot of Clash and a lot of Rancid in their sound and the only thing that sort of made them feel out of place was how big the venue was. I can imagine them tearing up small venues (in the best possible way), but even so, they connected. They seemed to have a lot of fans in the crowd who knew exactly when to chant during certain songs. It’s one of the small joys of seeing a band you don’t know much about, but you can tell has a rabid following—watching the fans sync with the band and create a show within a show. Good bands know how to do this. Punk bands are better than most at transmitting that energy.

Next came, what one might consider, a bit of a gear shift with The Mountain Goats. Maybe, but this is also another favorite of Craig Finn and another that had plenty of its hardcore fans ready to sing along. Founder, songwriter, and frontman John Darnielle, who for many years was the only member of The Mountain Goats, is a proficient songwriter who is prolific and adept at his craft. His style isn’t too far from The Hold Steady’s in many ways. There are lots of lyrics. There are lots of stories. And his mastery of phrasing and his band’s ability to paint layer upon layer of sonic texture brings the songs to life with a sense of energy and immediacy. Their new album Bleed Out is a film noir-esque detective story, and though I haven’t heard it from start to finish, it seems to be the type of idea that is perfect for Darnielle’s novelist sensibilities.

The Mountain Goats

And then The Hold Steady. I am not the superfan that my concert going companions Luke and Rob are, but I enjoy this band greatly and have become more of a fan over the years, especially after seeing them live. Craig Finn understands connecting with an audience and pours every ounce of himself into every second of the performance. Especially in their early days, there were a lot of Springsteen comparisons, which is fair to a point with story-driven songs and a rich rock sound that harkens back to early E Street Band records. But I think the main way the comparison holds true (or steady, if you will), is that Bruce and THS are both so attuned to that magical relationship between band and audience. You can tell they feed off of one another and you know that every time you see this band, you’re likely seeing something incredibly special.

It’s the band’s 20th anniversary and I think Craig Finn said that they now have something like 135 songs, so now in their own way, they are becoming elder statesmen of rock and roll. Selling out small and large venues alike, they keep the dream of rock and roll alive and they transport you to a place that despite your middle aged screaming joints, makes you want to dance, makes you want to sing, makes you want to be covered in confetti, makes you feel connected to something bigger than yourself. And so you do. And it’s almost the same feeling you got from the first time you ever really “got” rock and roll (whatever that means). It’s that rare feeling of complete immersion into a place where you feel like time has stopped, but also a place where you’re acutely aware of the concept of the deep river of music that has brought you to this point and that will flow on and on well after you’re gone. The lyrics have their own stories, but the performance that you’re witness to is a story in and of itself—with each individual playing their own part in the joy and celebration of music and of being alive in the here and now.

So yeah, I had an okay time.

You can’t take for granted bands like The Hold Steady. There are very few bands that can do what they do, but because they make it seem so effortless, you sort of expect that from every live show you go to. Which isn’t fair. It’s a special talent who is able to connect with such depth and energy. In fact, of all the bands I’ve seen over the years, I can probably count on one hand the ones who connect like The Hold Steady—Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, Wilco, Mavis Staples, and Mekons immediately come to mind.

And that’s not to say I’ve never felt a connection with the music of other bands, it’s just a select few that seem to have this reciprocal bond with their audience where you can feel the give and take and where you feel the bonds of music elevating the experience. When you do feel that, it's a feeling you’re always going to chase after. No drug has ever made me feel it. You can’t easily wrap your head around the how’s and why’s of it. I suppose that’s what makes it so damned special.

That’s rock and roll, man!