Titus Andronicus Played Webster Hall With Craig Finn, 2/29/16

No Faith, No Future, No Problem

I was trying to get my credentials for the evening sorted out at the door when I heard someone politely say, "Hi. I need to make some changes to the Titus Andronicus guest list."

"I can't make any changes now," said the woman working the door. "You need to talk to the promoter. Go wait outside his door, and I'll let him know you're coming."

"Uh... OK... And where would I find that, please?"

"Just around the corner over there."

"Thank you."

I turned, extended my hand and said, "Hi, Patrick," to the questioner and founder / frontman of Titus Andronicus, Patrick Stickles. We said our hellos, and he went off to take care of his issue. At no point during his exchange with the woman at the door did he try to throw his weight around as a member of the headlining band. I don't know. For some reason, that said a lot to me.

Anyway...

I'd come to Webster Hall to see the first night of the Titus Andronicus / Craig Finn "No Faith, No Future, No Problem Tour." My love of both Titus Andronicus and Craig Finn / The Hold Steady should come as no surprise to anyone who's ever stopped by this blog, and to say that this was pretty much a dream show for me would be an understatement. This would be my first time at Webster Hall, so it was excitement all around.

It turned out that last night's show featured a photo pit with the typical "First 3, No Flash" rule. I actually love that. Without it, my OCD takes over; and I end up shooting the show all night instead of just watching. Just after 8pm, security opened the gate and let us in for the start of Craig Finn's set.

Finn's band were a 3-piece with Finn on guitar, Falcon Valdez on drums, and Will Berman on bass. This made for a more low-key sound than Finn featured at Wonder Bar in November when the band were touring as a quartet with guitarist Arun Bali. But it also gave things a feel that was closer to that of Faith in the Future, kind of a quiet record that lets Finn's stories take center stage.

They opened with a stripped down version of Faith in the Future's opening track, "Maggie I've Been Searching for Our Son." The 45-minute set touched on both of Finn's solo records with songs like "Jackson" and a revamped "No Future" from Clear Heart Full Eyes and other Faith... tracks "Christine" and "Newmyer's Roof." Non-album selections included the just-released "Screenwriter's School" along with The Hold Steady's "Certain Songs" and Lifter Puller's "Nassau Coliseum." Finn was also a lower-key version of his Hold Steady frontman persona throughout the set, his wild gesticulations kept to a minimum as he played guitar. We'd get another version of Craig Finn later.

At around 9:15, Patrick Stickles and keyboard player Elio DeLuca took the stage for a quiet rendition of "To Old Friends and New." Stickles stalked the stage with his guitar slung over his shoulder as the audience sang along. At one point, he broke out the harmonica. As the song finished up, the rest of the band made their way out on stage. Titus Andronicus have a different look for this tour with R.J. Gordon taking over bass duties from Julian Veronesi, and was that Pharmacist Chris Wilson on drums in place of Eric Harm?

Following the opening song, the band went into The Most Lamentable Tragedy's opening pairing of "No Future Part IV: No Future Triumphant" and "Stranded (On My Own)." I could feel the barricade heaving behind me as the crowd went crazy. From there, the show careened through several "greatest hits" like "My Time Outside the Womb," "Titus Andronicus," and "No Future Part Three."

I grabbed a spot along the rail to stage left that was up front, where I like to be, but outside the fray in the middle. Things did appear to get a little nuts in the center during the run of songs from TMLT's second act that ends with "Dimed Out." The band closed the Titus Andronicus portion of the evening with "A More Perfect Union" and all 15 or so minutes of "The Battle of Hampton Roads," a song that never feels jammy or overstays its welcome despite its length.

Then it was time for Craig Finn to join the band on stage. Everyone was expecting it when they all lit into The Replacements' "Bastards of Young;" but that didn't lessen the impact, Finn at the edge of the stage, arms spread wide, coaxing the audience to sing along.

"Do you mind if I bring out a friend?" Finn asked, and Hold Steady guitarist Tad Kubler joined everyone for a thundering rendition of "Stuck Between Stations." Finn was in full Hold Steady mode at this point, and the crowd was a sea of raised arms. Everyone left the stage, only to be called out one more time -- Titus Andronicus and Craig Finn -- for a rendition of "I'm Waiting for the Man."

Titus Andronicus, Craig Finn, The Replacements, The Hold Steady, Lou Reed. I couldn't have had a better night. The tour continues tonight in Baltimore and covers the South and Midwest before making its way back East to wind up in Philly on 3/27. Catch them if you can.

You can see shots of both sets at the links below.

Titus Andronicus

Craig Finn

Titus Andronicus / Craig Finn Split Mutual Covers Single Pre-Tour Promo, FREE. Also, Videos.

No Faith / No Future / No Problem

One week from today, Titus Andronicus and Craig Finn kick off the "No Faith / No Future / No Problem" tour at New York's Webster Hall. Today, the pair released a split single that features each covering the other's "No Future."

Patrick Stickles takes on Craig Finn's "No Future," which appeared on 2012's Clear Heart Full Eyes. Stickles strips it down; and, in his words, paints "a lonely landscape bereft of hope." I'm not sure about that, but the Stickles version definitely scuffs things up and provides some jagged edges. Given my personal upbringing, one of the things that has always resonated with me from both songwriters is their use of Catholic imagery. It's more overt in Finn's case, and there is just something very fitting about hearing Stickles reel off all of Finn's religious references.

Finn covers the first song in Titus Andronicus's "No Future" cycle. Here, the seven-and-a-half minute ballad from The Airing of Grievances becomes a four-minute, bouncing strummer -- a song for the road. When Finn sings that he's "dying slowly from Patrick Stickles disease," it highlights the universality of Stickles's very personal songwriting.

No Faith / No Future / No Problem is available as a free download over at the Titus Andronicus Bandcamp page. The tour starts next week at Webster Hall, and you can see all of the dates below.

For more Titus Andronicus / Craig Finn collaboration, you can also check out the Titus Andronicus YouTube channel for videos of Finn performing three covers with the band during one of the TMLT release shows: Billy Joel's "You May Be Right," The Hold Steady's "Stuck Between Stations," and The Replacements' "Bastards of Young."

Lots of stuff from two of my favorites.



Titus Andronicus on Tour

Feb 29 New York City, NY – Webster Hall ¢
Mar 01 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar ¢
Mar 02 Charlottesville, VA – The Southern ¢
Mar 03 Asheville, NC – Lincoln Theatre ¢
Mar 04 Athens, GA – 40 Watt ¢
Mar 05 Gainesville, FL – High Dive ¢
Mar 06 New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa ¢
Mar 08 Austin, TX – Scoot Inn ¢
Mar 09 Norman, OK – Opolis ¢
Mar 10 Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck ¢
Mar 11 Omaha, NE – Lookout Lounge ¢
Mar 12 Minneapolis, MN – Mill City Nights ¢
Mar 13 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall ¢
Mar 15 St Louis, MO – Off Broadway ¢
Mar 16 Bloomington, IN – Bluebird ¢
Mar 17 Newport, KY - Headliners Music Hall
Mar 18 Cincinnati, OH – Ballroom at Taft Theatre ¢
Mar 19 Akron, OH – Musica ¢
Mar 20 Pittsburgh, PA – Cattivo ¢
Mar 21 Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall ¢
Mar 22 Ithaca, NY – The Haunt ¢
Mar 23 Albany, NY – Hollow ¢
Mar 24 Northampton, MA – Pearl Street ¢
Mar 25 New Haven, CT – Toad's Place ¢
Mar 26 Pawtucket, RI – The Met ¢
Mar 27 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer ¢
May 12 Washington, DC – 9:30 Club ^
May 13 Morgantown, WV – 123 Pleasant Street ^
May 14 Columbus, OH – Skully's Music Diner ^
May 15 Champaign, IL – The Accord ^
May 16 Lincoln, NE – Vega ^
May 17 Denver, CO – Marquis Theatre ^
May 18 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad ^
May 19 Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge ^
May 20 San Diego, CA – Che Cafe ^
May 21 Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory ^
May 23 Los Angeles, CA – The Fonda Theatre ^
May 24 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
May 25 Davis, CA – Odd Fellows Hall ^
May 27 Portland, OR – Revolution Hall ^
May 28 Vancouver, BC – Biltmore Cabaret ^
May 30 George, WA – Sasquatch Festival
Jun 1-5 Barcelona, ES - Primavera Sound

¢ w/ Craig Finn
^ w/ La Sera

"Fired Up" Remix from Titus Andronicus

SEVENTHSEVENINCH

Titus Andronicus just released a remixed version of one of my favorite songs from The Most Lamentable Tragedy. This version of "Fired Up" will appear on the final installment of the Titus Andronicus #SEVENSEVENINCHES series.

The remixed version removes the drums and electric guitar of the original, focusing on Owen Pallett's string arrangements and piano. I always felt that the strings on The Most Lamentable Tragedy were one of the things that took the record out of the realm of simply concept album into something rock operatic and theatrical. They gave many of the songs on the album the feel of a big production number, and "Fired Up" always felt like one of the biggest. Maybe the remixed version loses a little of its traditional rock and roll feel, but it retains all of its power.

This may end up being my last Titus Andronicus-related post for the year (Maybe not. Who knows?). In case it is, I'd just like to say thanks to Patrick and the band not only for releasing my favorite album of 2015 but also for being great supporters of this site and real nice human beings.

Check out the remixed version of "Fired Up" below and head over to titusandronicus.net to keep up with the band on everything, including their recently announced set of March tour dates with Craig Finn.



Titus Andronicus on Tour:

Feb 29 New York City, NY – Webster Hall
Mar 1 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar ¢
Mar 2 Charlottesville, VA – The Southern ¢
Mar 3 Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre ¢
Mar 4 Athens, GA – 40 Watt ¢
Mar 5 Gainesville, FL – High Dive ¢
Mar 6 New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa ¢
Mar 8 Austin, TX – Scoot Inn ¢
Mar 9 Norman, OK – Opolis ¢
Mar 10 Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck ¢
Mar 11 Omaha, NE – Lookout Lounge ¢
Mar 12 Minneapolis, MN – Mill City Nights ¢
Mar 13 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall ¢
Mar 15 St Louis, MO – Off Broadway ¢
Mar 16 Bloomington, IN – Bluebird ¢
Mar 17 Newport, KY - Headliners Music Hall
Mar 18 Cincinnati, OH – Ballroom at Taft Theatre ¢
Mar 19 Akron, OH – Musica ¢
Mar 20 Pittsburgh, PA – Cattivo ¢
Mar 21 Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall ¢
Mar 22 Ithaca, NY – The Haunt ¢
Mar 23 Albany, NY – Hollow ¢
Mar 24 Northampton, MA – Pearl Street ¢
Mar 25 New Haven, CT – Toad's Place ¢
Mar 26 Pawtucket, RI – The Met ¢
Mar 27 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer ¢

¢ - with Craig Finn

Craig Finn Played Wonder Bar with Esmé Patterson, 11/5/16

Faith in the Future

I went to last night's show purely as a fan. To paraphrase what a good friend of mine said to me at a show a few weeks ago, I was there "as Jim." It's hard for me to resist taking a few snaps and saying a few words though, so here's that.

I got into Wonder Bar just after doors opened and spent some time at the bar with a few friends. I met -- for the second time -- a couple of Unified Scenesters who were spending a few nights following Finn on the PA / NJ / NYC portion at the end of his tour. The playlist coming over the PA for the evening had a definite aughties mainstream indie rock vibe -- NMH, The National, Wilco, Fleet Foxes, The Shins, TV On The Radio, My Morning Jacket. I guess that's what Craig Finn / Hold Steady fans are supposed to be into or something.

Colorado's Esmé Patterson took the stage just after 9pm. An engaging personality, Patterson didn'tseem at all perturbed by the LOUD hum of conversation coming from the bar. In fact, she was gracious and honestly excited to be in the land of Springsteen. She and her drummer did a nice job of drowning out the talking during her songs.

Patterson did several songs from her latest album, Woman to Woman. It's a collection of responses from the women in famous rock songs like Jolene ("never chase a man"), Billy Jean ("Ain't I? Ain't I your lover?), and Caroline No ("You're crying for what you can't keep and no one knows why but me."). Just a really good set from a creative songwriter.

Craig Finn and his band, The Uptown Controllers, came out at around 10 and opened with Finn delivering a mostly solo acoustic version of "Maggie I've Been Searching for Our Son" from his latest album, Faith in the Future. From there, Finn and the band played through a roughly two-hour set that hit on both of Finn's solo albums. Most of the songs rocked slightly harder than they do on the records, and Finn took several opportunities to engage in some of his performance trademarks like spreading his arms wide, snapping his fingers, or backing away from the mic to repeat lyrics to the audience.

While Finn's solo work isn't nearly as loud as his work with the Hold Steady, it contains many of the same themes. Throughout the night, there were references to saviors, the crucifixion, heaven, and redemption. There were also plenty of broken characters making their way through the world.

Finn ended the main set with the full-band, electric version of "Maggie." The encore included Lifter Puller's "Mission Viejo" and The Hold Steady's "Certain Songs." My friends from the Unified Scene stood next to me and sang every lyric all night, but Finn brought everyone -- including casual fans -- into his little circle for two hours.

I was happy that I decided to attend as myself last night. Standing up front and listening to some good stories is just that much better for me when I'm not trying to do it from behind the viewfinder of my camera.

Craig Finn

2012 Esquire Songwriting Challenge:  "Respective Coasts"

One of my favorite lyricists / talk singers, Craig Finn, has contributed a song called "Respective Coasts" to the 2012 Esquire Songwriting Challenge.  It's vintage Finn and, like his recent solo efforts, is pretty pared down when compared to The Hold Steady.  I've always loved Finn's work, and I've always been surprised at how the Catholic Rock flavor of his songs has appealed to me.  You can take the boy out of the church, I guess...

Finn's first solo album, Clear Heart Full Eyes, came out earlier this year and is worth a listen.

You can purchase "Respective Coasts," along with the rest of the EP, over at iTunes and raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The Esquire link features a promo video and some photos by Toms River, NJ photographer / director, Danny Clinch, who also took these shots.

(via @steadycraig)