The Hold Steady Tickets

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.

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.

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. :)