The Tour So Far

[Jersey]

Any reports of a Tad Kubler guitar swing?

How bout a solo on a speaker stack?

Did hear that Gales was throwing dollars at the crowd in Albany.

Any good banter to speak of?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[hoodrat]

bal'more was kind of business-like, but i spotted some happy franz feet and crazy left hand, and craig did a little jitterbug. i kept hoping gales would try imitating the j roddy bassist. 'cause that would be hilarious.

ps. still upset i missed the pipe organ

[koko]

I like the dancing bear on Craigs guitar

[april81972]

Gales threw dollar bills at Calvin too. Craig's mic fell off the stand when he went to sing into it during one song...can't remember which one though. Koob went to the front of the stage to halt a potential throwdown b/t two rowdy students. Bouncer ejected one of them. Otherwise Calvin was business as usual...they rocked our faces off.

[beencaughtstealin]

anything new in the setlists thus far? i was just a tiny bit disappointed last time around with DBT when i saw them twice, and the set lists were basically the same. i've seen them probably seven times total, and have still not heard magazines, handshake, or DJ's. any chance they've started slipping curves and nerves into regular rotation?

really doesn't matter i suppose... it's a hold steady show, right? it'll be awesome either way.

[hoodrat]

Apr 4, 2009 8:09:20 GMT -5 beencaughtstealin said:

anything new in the setlists thus far? i was just a tiny bit disappointed last time around with DBT when i saw them twice, and the set lists were basically the same. i've seen them probably seven times total, and have still not heard magazines, handshake, or DJ's. any chance they've started slipping curves and nerves into regular rotation?

really doesn't matter i suppose... it's a hold steady show, right? it'll be awesome either way.

dude, check out the setlists in the scene reports forum. it has been insane. crucifixion cruise, hot fries, milkcrate mosh, arms and hearts, you gotta dance.

[beencaughtstealin]

Apr 4, 2009 8:49:47 GMT -5 hoodrat said:

Apr 4, 2009 8:09:20 GMT -5 beencaughtstealin said:

anything new in the setlists thus far? i was just a tiny bit disappointed last time around with DBT when i saw them twice, and the set lists were basically the same. i've seen them probably seven times total, and have still not heard magazines, handshake, or DJ's. any chance they've started slipping curves and nerves into regular rotation?

really doesn't matter i suppose... it's a hold steady show, right? it'll be awesome either way.

dude, check out the setlists in the scene reports forum. it has been insane. crucifixion cruise, hot fries, milkcrate mosh, arms and hearts, you gotta dance.

i've actually been fortunate enough to catch milkcrate, hot fries, and you gotta dance twice, so i guess i can't complain too much. and from what i've heard, they've only done curves like twice ever, so that may never happen... unfortunately, that just happens to be my favorite THS song.

ahh well, like i said, it's a hold steady show, so it can't be bad, no matter what they play.

[kim]

Nothing fancy from Koob at all.

Urbana was a great set for the band but an awful audience. A drunk chick tripped and fell onto Franz's keyboard. She broke the stand and Franz just looked at her and kept playing. That's about the most interesting.

The setlists have been excellently varied. A lot of b-sides, a lot of early stuff.

Not a lot of chatting from Craig--just a couple dedications here and there, mostly to old friends.

[cubbies4e]

Apr 4, 2009 14:36:46 GMT -5 @kim said:

Nothing fancy from Koob at all.

Urbana was a great set for the band but an awful audience amazingly frenzied audience, making it bad for the people up front, but not so much for people in the back. A drunk chick tripped and fell onto Franz's keyboard. She broke the stand and Franz just looked at her and kept playing. That's about the most interesting.

The setlists have been excellently varied. A lot of b-sides, a lot of early stuff.

Not a lot of chatting from Craig--just a couple dedications here and there, mostly to old friends.

Sorry I can't let you guys slander my schoolmates when its only true for a small percentage for who were at the show (and had no idea that you guys were being crushed).

[biblesalesman]

The two shows I have seen have been incredibly good. The band has been tight. There has been some acknowledgement of the fan base. There is still a personal feel. There have been bruises and bumps. I laughed when Craig lost his glasses in Albany. The look of terror on Koob’s face was funny. Craig yelling at Bobby to STOP playing. The music is as tight as I have seen it and the sets have been feverish and intense. No guitar swings. But who cares. I don’t need that. Let me hear that killer solo instead. But something else is happening…the band is maturing and becoming a business. This is what they do. This is the goal folks. We just haven’t gotten on board with it. I saw this when Springsteen made the jump from small theatres to arenas. People upset. People feeling that he sold out. Bruce however would be the first to tell you that the reason he got into rock and roll was money and chicks. Well I think this is Koob and Craig’s last time out as a band and THIS one has to be successful. And fuck if it isn’t happening. AND some of us don’t like it. There are all these rules now right? And what’s with these fucking ticket sales huh? I mean we were here first weren’t we? We DESERVE the tickets, because, well we were here first. I mean shouldn’t the fan club get the best seats, or the best “spot”. And SCALPERS??? For The Hold fucking Steady? Are you kidding me man? Yep, there they were outside Irving Plaza…tix going for 75 bucks!! I don’t know, it’s all changing man, way too fast and right in front of our eyes. They are SERIOUS about this shit. Somehow the party got real, and there are no more stage invasions and no more beer throwing and there’s frat boys everywhere. And the girls are gonna get prettier and the drugs will get speedier and its all gonna get bloodier. And some of this is sarcasm and some of its not and the fine line in between has me royally fucked over. They are still the greatest band I have ever seen. Yep, I said it ..the greatest fucking band I have ever seen. But I don’t want to read shit about them anymore and the more I think of writing the more hypocritical I feel. So how’s the tour so far? Well the bands pretty tight. Me I’m out for now, for awhile, till I feel positive again. Till I feel unified. Hope things go well. See ya’ll in June or so.

[Jersey]

Adios, muchacho.

Enjoy the break.

I might be right behind you.

[ekennedy]

Apr 4, 2009 18:55:39 GMT -5 @biblesalesman said:

And the fine line in between has me royally fucked over.

Bible,
Sadly, I have to agree.

I had written a long explanation.

But I don't think it will bring much positivity.

Still love all of us, the hold steady, just feel like something is missing.

[ptp25]

Urgh I know what you guys mean. I have to admit I just got into THS in the past year; Please do not get me wrong and pin me as "one of those guys" listed in the rant above. But I have been around long around to know when it seems like a band is about to "make it" and lose that something special you loved about them so much. I can really see this happening with THS; especially taking in all 4 albums within a year, you can really see the progression/direction....and Stay Positive is going in "that" direction. I am SOOOO MAD I didn't come across THS earlier and catch a bunch of shows already.

It turns into "I don't hate the band, I hate their fans". Not the real fans that have been around for the past 5 years but the "new" fans and Radio and the tv shows. Then some little sh*t stuck up actor/actress will mention the band in the "OC" and it will all die. The days where you came home after a show with a soggy shirt from your sweat and someone elses beer and your ears ringing until the next morning. . . gone.

When you find a band that grabs you, hold on and enjoy the ride before it becomes business.
Wow, that was long...

[elliptical]

Bible, Mike, ekennedy,

I went through all of this in mid-December, when it was combined with the end (as it turned out) an incredibly stressful period in my own life. And I came back, even though it took three months. Because I missed the Unified Scene and the band. I don't think the US and the band will change out of recognition, but if they do, be happy that you were there when it was good. Because it was. In fact, it was the best time of any band and fans I've ever seen in more than 25 years I've had of seeing bands and being a fan.

[jamesjesusangleton]

Some of you people ...

There are complaints when they play big rooms cos it's not the same; there are complaints when they play small rooms, because they sell out; there were complaints when the world didn't care about THS; there are complaints now the world does care and there are more than 100 people at the shows.

[stevedave]

Guys, What is all this 'my indie band done left me and got all famous blues' about? They are getting bigger because they are great. They will continue to get even bigger because they are great. That's the pay off.

Here's to them headlining major festival stages in 2010. And I'll be at every show on the way.

[bigontheinside]

Just relax... They're still like the best band!

[lilhan]

uhm, i didn't even read half of this but i just wanna say that i love this band more than ever before and i love you guys more than ever before and whatever is bugging the clever kids will pass, it will. then we can all rage and watch as the hold steady fucking rock it out on stage in any venue they can book. take whatever you can get, run with it, enjoy it and above all, stay positive. xo

[elliptical]

Apr 5, 2009 8:00:41 GMT -5 @lilhan said:

uhm, i didn't even read half of this but i just wanna say that i love this band more than ever before and i love you guys more than ever before and whatever is bugging the clever kids will pass, it will. then we can all rage and watch as the hold steady fucking rock it out on stage in any venue they can book. take whatever you can get, run with it, enjoy it and above all, stay positive. xo

Amen, Hannah.

[ameritoon]

I think I'm feeling opposite of everyone else. I went to their show in Pontiac last summer, and I didn't feel anything. My girlfriend's sister apologized after the show because they weren't the same. Then the show I went to the other day in Grand Rapids totally had it's old feel, everything seems to be getting better.

[mhetrick14]

so dramatic.

[mhetrick14]

Apr 5, 2009 3:35:39 GMT -5 jamesjesusangleton said:

Some of you people ...

There are complaints when they play big rooms cos it's not the same; there are complaints when they play small rooms, because they sell out; there were complaints when the world didn't care about THS; there are complaints now the world does care and there are more than 100 people at the shows.

exactly.

[theblondette]

I think it's interesting that everyone seems to have read Bible's post as him thinking that the experience has changed and not for the better... I think what he was saying is that this always happens, and it's always strange, but you keep on loving the band... but he needs to regroup his perception of the band and of the scene. And that's alright.

[jamesjesusangleton]

Apr 5, 2009 13:52:42 GMT -5 theblondette said:

I think it's interesting that everyone seems to have read Bible's post as him thinking that the experience has changed and not for the better... I think what he was saying is that this always happens, and it's always strange, but you keep on loving the band... but he needs to regroup his perception of the band and of the scene. And that's alright.

Well, I wasn't responding specifically to Bible's post, but to some of the posts underneath, and to some of the posts on the More NYC Dates thread, where among the wholly justifiable anger about "secondary ticketing", there's a lot of unhappiness based around the fact that a return to small rooms - as often hoped for on the board - has led to rapidly sold out shows.

[kim]

Apr 4, 2009 15:14:11 GMT -5 cubbies4e said:

Apr 4, 2009 14:36:46 GMT -5 @kim said:

Nothing fancy from Koob at all.

Urbana was a great set for the band but an awful audience amazingly frenzied audience, making it bad for the people up front, but not so much for people in the back. A drunk chick tripped and fell onto Franz's keyboard. She broke the stand and Franz just looked at her and kept playing. That's about the most interesting.

The setlists have been excellently varied. A lot of b-sides, a lot of early stuff.

Not a lot of chatting from Craig--just a couple dedications here and there, mostly to old friends.

Sorry I can't let you guys slander my schoolmates when its only true for a small percentage for who were at the show (and had no idea that you guys were being crushed).

Hey now. I'm not changing your words; please don't change mine.
I never said it was U of I students. I said it was the audience. For all I know, it could have been townies or Chicagoans or a hundred other groups of non U of I students. I realize you may not have known how it was up in the front, but I know how it was up in the front. My opinions, experiences and bruises are just as valid as yours.