Nearly 10 years ago to the exact day, The Front Bottoms released their fan-favorite album Talon of the Hawk. A decade later, the NJ crew showcased the staying power of that record, embarking on a short tour where the band would play all its songs front to back, followed by a secondary set of fan favorites from throughout their discography. Over the weekend, the band made their much-anticipated, sold-out stop at the Paramount on Huntington Long Island (NY). Here are five moments that stood out from the gig:
A Strong Start
One special aspect of an album tour is hearing the live renditions in the same sequence the band originally drew up for the record and knowing exactly how the set will flow. Once The Front Bottoms took the stage, the crowd immediately went wild for the opening one-two sequence of “Au Revoir” and “Skeleton.” But it was hearing “Twin Size Mattress” – arguably the band’s most enduring single – in album order, rather than toward the end of a main set or in an encore, that was most memorable from their playing of Talon of the Hawk. The crowd certainly did their part here, screaming along to the words and pumping their fists to lead singer Brian Sella’s anthemic vocals.
‘Talon of the Hawk’ Rarities
Also because the band played Talon of the Hawk in its entirety, some songs that are live rarities got some well-deserved airtime. The deeper live cuts included the album’s closer “Everything I Own” (only played live 10 times ever, per setlist.fm) and “Santa Monica” (only played live 23 times ever, per setlist.fm) in context of the band’s overall history of 400+ live shows. The former was carried by the band’s emphatic instrumentation after the last chorus; the latter featured Sella modulating his voice with a heavy dose of reverb and the crowd eagerly participating in the call-and-response in the back half of the track.
Journeying Through the Discography in Second Set
After the band finished running through Talon of the Hawk, they immediately shifted gears into a secondary set that traversed most of their discography. They kept the energy high from the get-go of this transition, leaning into “leaf pile,” one of the heaviest tracks of the night. But it was the following track “Flashlight,” from The Front Bottoms’ early self-titled album, that got the most movement out of the crowd since “Twin Size Mattress.” Elsewhere in this part of the set, Sella added an eerie warble to his howls on “Be Nice to Me” – fitting for the track’s werewolf imagery. And his voice shined brightly on the low-key beginning to this set’s closer “Outlook.”
The Latest Iteration of the Backing Band
It’s also worth mentioning that the current backing band for The Front Bottoms put its own subtly unique spin on the band’s live renditions that distinguish them from earlier touring eras. For instance, bassist Natalie Newbold adeptly assisted with the vocal interplay with Sella that closes out “Funny You Should Ask” and “Flashlight.” She, along with guitarist Erik Kase Romero, also added some additional oomph to Sella’s vocal delivery on cuts like “Lone Star” and “Maps.”
The Encore Finishes Strong
After the main set finished with “Outlook,” the band quickly returned to the stage. (“You know we’re not gonna leave you like that,” Sella said to the crowd.) The backing band continued to shine through the end of the set, too. Roshane Karunaratne’s work on the keyboard helped bring “The Beers” vividly to life, serving as the backbone for the crowd’s huge singalong, and he later added a whimsical touch to “bus beat.” The latter track also showcased the combined vocal power of Sella, with support from Newbold and Romero. Towards the end, Sella shared his appreciation for the fans who have been along for the ride for a decade-plus: “This is a very special night for us – a lot of smiles, a lot of positive energy.”
