Concert Memory: Brian Fallon - April 29, 2018

I returned to the Starland Ballroom for my second time this year on a Sunday night in late April to see Brian Fallon in concert. The weather was chilly, but clear. Playoff hockey was still going strong (at least for my favorite team, who would be eliminated from the playoffs just over a week later). Baseball season had started and my favorite ballclub was getting hot. And I was preparing for my annual trek to Columbia, Maryland for the M3 Festival. All these wonderful thoughts of Spring were on my mind as I rolled into the parking lot of The Brass Monkey Bar and Grill to have dinner with my cousin prior to the show.

Should you ever get the chance to visit the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, I A: highly recommend that you do, B: implore you to stop at The Brass Monkey prior to the show. This is one of those hole in the wall dive bars that has great service and some of the best burgers in the state. Discovered by my friend Bobby during our trek to see Theory of a Deadman where I would discover Pop Evil, The Brass Monkey is just amazing. Great food, great service, and great prices. You really can’t go wrong if you eat there prior to attending the concert. My cousin got to experience this place for the first time and he was impressed.

After leaving with a belly full of hard cider and amazing burgers, we ventured to the venue to see Brian Fallon perform. We got in with plenty of time to grab a drink, pick a spot to stand, and wait for the opening act to grace the stage.

Caitlin Rose was that act and while I had never heard of her prior to this show, I certainly know who she is now. She was terrific! Seeing her live made me seek out her material and I added spending quality time with her music to my to-do list. I was impressed with her stage presence, her style, and her magnificent voice. A tip of the cap to Brain Fallon for choosing her to open on this tour. It was a terrific option to say the least.

I had not seen Brian Fallon perform a solo show before, and I had not seen him perform at all since one of the final shows the Gaslight Anthem did in New Jersey. Since then he had released two solo albums that I fell in love with and left me craving more. The songs from these records were all terrific and I was excited to see which ones he would perform. I was also curious to hear how they would sound in the live setting versus the studio version. The short answer is wonderful. Brian Fallon was in extraordinary form that evening.

I’ve always felt that the best concerts are the ones where you leave with a new favorite song. Perhaps it’s a song you hadn’t heard but now love, or a song that you forgot about and had the joy of rediscovery during the live setting. In the case of that Brian Fallon show, I was fortunate enough to leave with two new favorite songs.

“Sugar,” is a forgotten gem from The Horrible Crowes, a one-off studio album that Fallon recorded with Ian Perkins in between Gaslight Anthem albums. When I heard it on Elsie I thought it was a good song, but never gave it proper attention. “Sugar” is a slow, dark song and I was more attracted to the harder rock style songs on that record. Yet, hearing “Sugar” live for the first time totally changed my appreciation for this song. I never realized how magnificent the song truly is. Since this night, I’ve listened to “Sugar” dozens of times. I am grateful that Fallon decided to perform this one in concert. 

“My Name Is the Night (Color Me Black)” is a song from Fallon’s latest release, Sleepwalkers. It’s a song that I liked a lot after hearing it on the record, but it’s also a song that I now absolutely love. I most likely would have fallen in love with this song given enough time, but hearing it live just promoted the timetable. Fallon’s live rendition of this future hit was spot on. Most of the crowd seemed to enjoy the song as well because they were singing the lyrics right back to Brian. This is a magnificent song, that will be enjoyed for years to come. It will probably also become a go to request for future Fallon concerts.

The night wrapped up in an odd, but spectacular fashion. Technically, there was no encore, but the way Fallon addressed this was exceptional. After the performance of “Etta James,” the band walked off the stage and Fallon moved over to the onstage keyboard. He addressed the crowd about how encores have basically become fake. You know that the artist is coming back out, they just go backstage and wait it out. What are they even doing back there? Fallon suggested that rather than wasting time like that he could play another song instead. The crowd roared their appreciation.

Brian then performed the jewel of the evening. A stripped down, piano only version of the classic Gaslight Anthem song “The ’59 Sound.” The new arrangement was breath taking as the focus was clearly on the lyrics in this quieter rendition. Hearing this song in that arrangement was a real treat to the ears. It was a beautiful version that I hope will be captured on a live record someday for all to enjoy. Although, with the power of today’s internet, I am sure that you can just look it up on YouTube and see it for yourself.

The evening wrapped up with a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice (It’s Alright),” which was performed as a duo with Caitlin Rose. She mentioned how she was overwhelmed by the response the crowd gave her that evening to which Fallon replied “This is Jersey! These are my people!” That of course got one of the loudest roars of the night. “See You On The Other Side” came after the duet and the hard rocking “If Your Prayers Don’t Get To Heaven” (one of my favorites) closed out the show.

The end of the night came much too soon and left my wanting so much more. I don’t say that like it’s a negative either. That’s the sign of a great performance! Hopefully I will be able to catch The Gaslight Anthem at one of their anniversary shows this summer. If not, I will just have to hope that Fallon decides to make a return trip to New Jersey for a solo performance. As soon as it is announced, you can count me in!

Setlist

Last Rites

Forget Me Not

Red Lights

Come Wander With Me

Ladykiller

Bell Bottom Blues

Sugar

Neptune

My Name is the Night (Color Me Black)

Among Other Foolish Things

Watson

Downtown Train

Rosemary

A Wonderful Life

Smoke

Etta James

The ’59 Sound

Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (w/ Caitlin Rose)

See You On The Other Side

If Your Prayers Don’t Get To Heaven

Can We Please Get The Gaslight Anthem Back Together?

I’ve been on a Gaslight Anthem kick recently. You know, the rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey? While I’ve been focusing on their last two records Get Hurt, and Handwritten, I have listened to their entire catalog multiple times. It not only reignited my passion for the band and reminded me how fantastic they are, but it also led me down a trip where I was listening to lead singer Brian Fallon’s other band, The Horrible Crowes. Their cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” is truly amazing. Yes, I did just say that.

Brian Fallon’s ability with the written word is just uncanny. He is as intense a lyricist as exists in rock music and he is also one of the finest in his field.

Here are some key examples:

All my friends want to get in to Heaven

And all I keep thinking is I wish you were here

I heard that they’ve been calling me The Great Depression

Rollin’ and tumblin’ breaking my own heart again

                                                                                … From “Rollin’ And Tumblin’”

I’ve been fumbling with your heart strings

And that’s good enough for me

And If I rained on one of your hours

Then I know I must be working 

Try it on for size my darling

See what a man you can make of me

I will eventually haunt you

You will eventually be my queen

                                                                                … From “Biloxi Parish”

You remind Anna, if she asks why

That a thief stole my heart while she was making up her mind

I heard she lives in Brooklyn with the cool

Goes crazy over that New York scene on 7^th Avenue

But I used to wait at the diner, a million nights without her,

Praying she won’t cancel again tonight

And the waiter served my coffee with a consolation sigh

You remind Anna, if she asks why

                                                                                … From “Here’s Looking At You Kid”

It is rare to find an artist that can write with such intensity and passion. I like to think it’s because he’s from Jersey like yours truly, but it is more likely that he was really blessed with the gift. And as great as solo Brian Fallon is (Painkillers is an exceptional record) it’s just not the same. The entire band needs to get back together.

The Gaslight Anthem went on their hiatus after recording and touring for the greatest album they had made to date. They went out on a high note, and they left their fans craving more. I was fortunate enough to see them live once on their Get Hurt tour and I was left mesmerized. Their live show is as superb as their albums. And then, shortly thereafter, the band announced their hiatus.

They were riding the wave to the top and then abruptly decided to halt their progress. Little information is available as to why The Gaslight Anthem went on hiatus. Brian Fallon has stated that “it was getting crazy” before they halted and that everyone was “relieved a little bit.” So, there may have been some undocumented turmoil going on within the band that caused the stop.

But with Fallon hard at work on his second solo album and amid a European tour, I don’t see The Gaslight Anthem getting back together anytime soon. There may be a better chance of getting Brain Fallon’s side gig The Horrible Crowes back together before The Gaslight Anthem reunites. And that’s sad.

The Gaslight Anthem is an exceptional band and it takes all four members to create the music they made. It’s not just Brian Fallon. It’s Fallon with Alex Rosamilia, Alex Levine, and Benny Horowitz. All of them together are responsible for the sound and the style of The Gaslight Anthem. And while Fallon may be the principle songwriter and lyricist in the group, I think it’s the influence of his bandmates that makes their songs so amazing. It’s the collective unit that produces a better creation. Again, Brian Fallon solo is great stuff, it’s just not The Gaslight Anthem.

Hiatus is a tricky word. A lot of bands have taken a hiatus and were never heard from again. Other bands have taken a hiatus and came back completely different with other members. I don’t think that would be the case here, as Fallon has stated he would never record under the name The Gaslight Anthem without all four original members. But I do think that hiatus is another word for finished. As much as I want to have them back, hear a new record, and see them on tour, I don’t think that it’s going to happen. It saddens me to state this, but I think we have seen the last of The Gaslight Anthem.

Perhaps I’m wrong. Maybe the time off has been good to the band members and someday soon they will realize how much they miss each other and get the urge to record music together. It’s possible, but doubtful. There are too many documented instances of bands going on hiatus to never return. And after almost three years apart it gets easier and easier to just continue to drift away. The Gaslight Anthem are an incredible force and now at the prime of their careers, they’ve turned away from each other to take some time off. It’s hard to find a particular level of success once, getting it a second time is near impossible.

So, while I may never get to hear any new music from the band, I will always have their five-album catalog, and it will always be in my regular rotation. And that will have to be enough for me. I’m just thankful that there was a Gaslight Anthem at all. Spectacular music is getting harder and harder to come by, but The Gaslight Anthem filled that void for a little while. 

Friday's Rockin' Roundup - Playoff Hockey Edition

Welcome to another edition of Friday’s Rockin’ Roundup where I roundup all the cool happenings in the world of music. And while I’ve been trying to keep up on my favorite bands and music there’s been a little distraction going on called the NHL Playoffs. Regular readers probably remember that I am a huge fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins. I started watching hockey because of Mario Lemieux---one of the greatest Penguins ever.

The Penguins have had an exciting post season thus far and they just beat the Washington Capitals in an exceptional game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. If they win their next series against the Ottawa Senators, the Penguins will go to the Stanley Cup Final for the second year in a row. Last year they won it all and I am hoping that they will repeat their championship performance this year. The first game of their next series is Saturday night. I will be glued to my television, rooting for a Penguins victory.

And while I was busy watching the coolest sport on Earth, here what’s rocked this week:  

All theGaslight Anthem Songs Ranked

The Gaslight Anthem are a band that I absolutely adore. They are currently on an indefinite hiatus, but that doesn’t stop me from constantly seeking out the latest news about the band. Mostly I do it in the hopes of hearing that they are coming out of hibernation and working on a new record. Being that the band is from New Jersey, NJ.Com took the liberty of ranking all the Gaslight Anthem songs from worst to best. And while I don’t necessarily agree with all the rankings, I love that they put this up for debate. If you are a fan of the band, this is a must-read article. And if you aren’t familiar with the band, NJ.Com was kind enough to include a You Tube video for each song so you can sample them for yourself.

Linkin Park to Use Fan First Technology for Their Current Tour

They aren’t the first band to try the fan first technology, but they are the first band that brought it to my attention. Ticketmaster launched what they call “Verified Fan” earlier this year and Linkin Park is using the technology to help real fans get tickets to their show. The concept is simple---the more you are willing to do for the band, the higher your chances are of scoring presale tickets. Join the fan club, tweet about the band, promote them on Facebook, and/or pre-ordering their latest album are all ways that you can improve your standing. The concept was created to help battle the scalping bots and I think that it’s a step in the right direction. It may not solve the re-selling of tickets at overinflated prices permanently, but it’s good to see that Ticketmaster and Live Nation are trying.

Imagine Dragons Have Announced a New Album and Tour

Evolve will be available on June 23^rd. This will be the third album from Imagine Dragons. Their first two records were impeccable, so expectations for disc number three are high with me. Their tour starts in late September and runs through the fall. Presale tickets will be available starting next week. I am going to try my best to catch one of their shows. I’ve never seen Imagine Dragons in concert, but I hear they are amazing.

U2 30th Anniversary Tour Launches Today

U2 kicks off their 30^th anniversary tour tonight. The first concert takes place in Vancouver and U2 will be touring North America for the rest of the spring. The Joshua Tree will be played in its entirety and I am revved up to see this concert. I haven’t seen U2 live since 2005, so this is going to be a special treat for me. I know that I will be checking the Vancouver set list come tomorrow morning.

Paul McCartneyAdds Tour Dates

Sir Paul McCartney has added more shows to his summer/fall tour. Additional nights have been added in the NY/NJ area as well as Chicago and Detroit. Tickets are on sale today, so if you want to see McCartney you’d better get to Ticketmaster now and get some!