(Somewhat) Massive Nights

Over the past few days I've spent a lot of time rambling about bands that probably mean very little to most of my friends, so I'd just like to briefly (term used in a very liberal fashion) point out that I had the privilege of seeing The Hold Steady perform to a sold-out Troubadour tonight, and I can now finally start to grasp Pitchfork's undying faith in the new "indie sensation." This band better get all the same rewards that came to all those other overhyped bands like The Decemberists, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Interpol, Modest Mouse, etc. Vocalist Craig Finn has one of the most intriguing and unique lyrical dispositions I've encountered (that's been the case ever since he sang for Lifter Puller). His drunken eloquence is light years beyond simply reading words on a page or hearing melodies on a record - this is a must-see show, even if you don't much care for their records. Oh yeah, Kiefer Sutherland was at the show and, as a fan of 24, I thought that was pretty cool.

Tomorrow I promise to write about celebrities or politics or offer some flowing stream of consciousness piece on nothing in particular. I'm pretty sure 5/7 of my crowd bolted for the exit already anyway.

The Hold Steady - "Stuck Between Stations" (Live in NYC)