For the sold-out Friday night entry of 2022’s Hold Steady Massive Nights Brooklyn Bowl run on December 2nd, smiling faces, flowing libations, and confetti was everywhere. The Hold Steady’s hometown celebration has been filing the Bowl for years now and each Friday night show is a destination event (and can usually be streamed if you can’t make it to Williamsburg in person).
Opening the night was the Philadelphia-based indie rock outfit Gladie as the five-piece (Augusta Koch – guitar, vocals Matt Schimelfenig – guitar, keyboard, vocals Pat Conaboy – guitar Dennis Mishko – bass Miles Ziskind – drums) eased into the night as the crowd poured in. The band started washing in the sounds, focusing on their new album Don’t Know What You’re In Until You’re Out before picking up the pace and stomp with the best rockers of their opening set “Born Yesterday” and “Nothing” as the tunes contained flashes of Veruca Salt coursing through the alt-rock/poppy/punk riffs and snarls.
The headliners took the stage with lead vocalist Craig Finn’s voice in raw form after the first two nights had taken their toll, however, he vocally improved as the show progressed. Kicking off with “Hornets! Hornets!” the lyrics he sang “I like the crowds at the really big shows. People touching people that they don’t even know” hit home while the winning “Constructive Summer” rang out confidently from the band
The dueling guitars of Steve Selvidge and Tad Kubler muscled up for “On With The Business” while the low end of bassist Gavin Polivka and drums of Bobby Drake propelled “You Gotta Dance (With Who You Came to the Dance With)”. Franz Nicolay delivered the harpsichord for “One For The Cutters” while “The Horn Steady” trio of Peter Hess, Jordan McLean, and Stuart Bogie joined for the first of many numbers on the night during “Spices”.
While the Open Door Policy songs might not have the energy the band thinks they do in the live setting, the older standbys were in fine form, especially with the added brass work from the trio. What originally felt like a fun accent years ago, has become a vital addition to the band and a clear highlight on this night; each song the trio contributed to was elevated. The horn hits were magical during both “Sequestered In Memphis” and the popping “Entitlement Crew” while Kubler and Bogie dueled with competing solos expertly during “Banging Camp”.
A killer rendition of “Chips Ahoy” soared while the title of the event “Massive Nights” was dynamic. The core band locked in for the set-ending duo of “Your Little Hood Rate Friend” and “How A Resurrection Really Feels” with another ripping solo from Kubler.
The night ended with an encore of some deeper cuts like “Ask Her For Some Adderral” before the expected “Killer Parties” finale as another successful Massive Nights show was in the books. During the past few years, these gatherings seem to take on even greater weight as old friends gather, sing and live life with a hell of a band providing the joyous soundtrack.
