The Twilight Sad Played Bowery Ballroom - Pictures, Review

On Wednesday night at the Bowery Ballroom, we stopped in to check out the second of The Twilight Sad's two New York dates. Suffice it to say, we were impressed: The band played an unrelenting set that ran the gamut of their catalog and was loaded with genuine emotion, musical passion, and more than a fair dose of pure, unadulterated noise.


Unquestionably, the band's records call for such a performance, and we had our doubts as to whether they'd be able to pull it off as a four man unit. We should not have been worried. Between the screaming guitars, thumping bass, and passionate vocals, the sound not only did the records justice, but (especially at the set's conclusion) outdid them.

However, what grabbed us more resoundingly about the evening was how much the band seemed to appreciate being on stage, having an audience, and being given a forum in which to play their music. Despite two long players and a smattering of EP's, the band still plays with its heart on its sleeve, and with a passion and vigor that you don't always see. This included singer James Graham dropping to his knees at one point to give more than a little input on the drums.

At the conclusion of the set, Graham hopped into the audience to perform a killer version of "Cold Days From The Birdhouse" (which he claimed he had only played a couple of times - really?). At that moment it became extremely clear the high amount of mutual admiration going on in the room. This is a band that appreciates it's fans, and whose fans appreciate it right back. With good reason - they're doing more than a couple of things right.

More pictures at the HAD Archive