A third annual visit to London to partake in a segment of The Hold Steady's London Weekender; but surprisingly this was one I wasn't anticipating with as much frenzied relish and the previous two... The Hold Steady, Minneapolis' rock'n'roll ruffians, inheritors to a swaggering lineage running from the likes of The Rolling Stones and early Springsteen, through The Replacements and Husker Du, all the way to the Gaslight Anthem, Menzingers and such blue-collar contemporaries, had for at least the last decade also been clear owners of the title of Greatest Rock'n’Roll Band on Planet Earth, so far as I’ve been concerned. However, a performance last time out which was initially flat, taking time to soar to usual heights, was followed with a very patchy album in 2019's "Thrashing Through The Passion", perhaps their poorest effort to date and one which honestly read like a collection of outtakes and half-formed ideas, rather than a flowing, coherent whole. Heavy is the (collective) head that wears the crown, indeed... in fact, for me THS had consequently all but ceded their title to the more lustrous and magical brilliance of Nada Surf (next Thursday's hosts at this very venue, ironically enough). So, Mr. Finn and co., what'cha gonna do (brothers) to turn the tide around, and restore my faith in The Hold Steady?
An intriguing aside to this one was the addition of Durham's C86-inflected spritely punkers Martha as support, and an announced 7 pm stage time for them saw me, suitably kitted up in shorts, kneestraps and contact lenses - it is the Hold Steady, after all, so I'm still likely to utterly lose my shit - setting off just after 3.30! Parked at Osterley and tubed in, hitting the venue for an early 6.20, well in time to take a place at the front, chat with some fellow early-comers (one of whom complimented my Nada Surf t-shirt and told me about his having once invited them to stay at his Tennessee ranch after a local gig!), and be ready for Martha's early entrance at 5 to 7. On it from the off with the racy "Wrestlemania" and the rolling, repetitive hook of "Ping", the sound was tough and full, and this ruffian band of gender warriors did it full justice. An early "Goldman's Detective Agency", my favourite Martha track, got me bopping and singing along to their effervescent bouncy guitar pop, vocal chores as usual being swapped between all 4 band members, although guitarist JC took most leads. A galloping "Horny", again featuring an insistent repetitive hook, was the penultimate highlight, drummer Nathan pronouncing, "it's an honour to support The Hold Steady; we first saw them in 2007, so it's taken this long to get here!" Well, it was worth the wait; Martha rose to the occasion good and proper, and fucking nailed this set!
Gambled on a loo break, somehow managing to squirm back through this sell-out and anticipatory crowd to my spot about 3 rows back. Dead on 8, the intro music of Boz Scaggs "Lido Shuffle" started up, eliciting some warm-up "woah-ohs" from the crowd, also reciprocated by the band and particularly vocalist Craig Finn as they took the stage. And from note one of brilliant - and brilliantly chosen - opener "Stuck Between Stations”, all my doubts fell away like scales from my eyes, disappearing as fast as the air from my lungs in the sudden yet good-natured crush. A phenomenal starter, chased in shortly after by a huge singalong for "You Can Make Him Like You". These boys know how to start a gig, no messin'...
This was again one of those rare nights when the join between band and audience was so blurred as to be imperceptible. The rock, well, rocked, with a swagger and a strut, never totally note-perfect but played with so much passion and conviction that that mattered not. And Craig Finn was everywhere... quickly as red-faced and sweaty as the rest of us (I was pretty much in full Cleo mode by the third number!), dashing hither and thither like a demented hamster, repeating vocal lines off mic with the most beaming of grins, a picture of euphoria, this little rotund, slightly receding man somehow managed to reflect the distilled essence of decades of rock'n'roll. "We went to the Clash exhibit today; I didn't know what [the Clash's lyrical references] meant, I just knew they were important..."
In all honesty, Craig's usually frequent stream-of-consciousness banter was largely absent tonight as they concentrated on the rock, the exclamation, "Oh shit, it's "Party Pit"!" being a notable exception prior to a soaring singalong rendition. In fact much of the set was air-punching, terrace-chant roof-raising singalong moshpit catnip tonight, and I stayed in throughout, immersed fully in the experience. "Sequestered In Memphis" was a swaggering delight; a plaintive "Lord, I'm Discouraged" provided a necessary mid-set breather as well as a guitar riff highlight from Tad Kubler, eliciting roars from the crowd and applause from his singer; and the frantic punk rock of "Constructive Summer" nearly saw me subsumed by the pit. "Hoodrat Friend" saw a mid-song diatribe from Craig complimenting his band and the occasion, the subsequent confetti throw as the final chorus erupted reflecting the celebratory mood, and "Resurrection" rounded out a stunning 1 1/2 hour set as swift as any of late. Encores took this to 2 hours, the usual euphoric "Killer Parties" seeing Craig lead the crowd in the inevitable chant of, “There! Is! So much Joy!!! In what we do!" And once again they proved it, sweeping away my pre-gig concerns as if they never existed.
An easy list from a friendly roadie then quick merch-stand chat with Martha's JC, and I was off, sweaty as hell and feeling like a cod - totally battered! A couple of quick tube arrivals promised a quick return to the car; however I was held for 20 minutes at Northfields - 2 stops away! - so back to the car for 11.15 and home after the painful 50mph limit on the M4 for a weary and hungry 12.45, kebab in tow. Knackered but euphoric; and I can safely say that following that stellar performance, the Hold Steady crown has been restored to its full gleaming lustre... as they say, tonight at least I was a skeptic at first but these miracles work!
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