The Hold Steady - First Avenue (Minneapolis, MN) - July 4, 2010

“…it’s good to see you back in a bar band, baby” — Barfruit Blues

There are songwriters and there are storytellers. Craig Finn is a storyteller. Half the fun of a Hold Steady show, especially in Minneapolis, is listening to Finn’s stories and reminiscences. He’s walking, talking proof of the adage “absence makes the heart grow fonder”. The Hold Steady may be based in Brooklyn, but if judged by the Twin Cities references in the songs they are still hometown guys.

The night before this July 4th show Finn, et al played for a sold out crowd in the parking lot of another (slightly less legendary) Minneapolis club. Sure, they could’ve played one night at a larger venue, but no doubt the combination of First Ave, the holiday weekend, and a Twins home (day) game were too good to miss. The plan worked out well for everyone.

If it was an over-scheduled weekend, or if the band was tired, it sure didn’t show. They ripped through their set with their usual energy. New guitarist Steve Selvidge and keyboard player Dan Neustadt fill in nicely. Sure, Franz Nicolay‘s backup vocals are missed, but you can’t have everything. Besides Selvidge’s extra guitar frees up Finn to do what he does best — connect with the audience as well as give guitarist Tad Kubler someone to play off of.

Hey, Craig — it’s good to see you back in the bar!

Set list:*
The Sweet Part of the City
Barfruit Blues
Rock Problems
Cattle and the Creeping Things
The Swish
Magazines
You Can Make Him Like You
We Can Get Together
Ask Her for Adderall
Banging Camp
Soft In The Center
Hornets! Hornets!
Chips Ahoy!
First Night
Stuck Between Stations
Stay Positive
Massive Nights
A Slight Discomfort

Encore:
Positive Jam
The Weekenders
Most People are DJs
Killer Parties

*They also played “Sequestered in Memphis” and another song, the title of which I didn’t catch, so the above set list is incomplete/inaccurate.