Maybe I will still a little high from the Hold Steady show last night at Mezzanine in San Francisco. My experience, at least at first, wasn't as strong and immediate as I though it would be, but by the end of their set and before their first encore I was getting really into it. The band was fucking tight and I loved the choice of songs they played. The most surprising aspect, at least to me, was that the kids up front were fucking *into* it. I mean, hands in the air, singing along during the singalongs, jumping up and down, and both feeding Craig Finn and being fed by his energy. By the second encore, perhaps the first time I've ever seen a second encore happen well *after* the house music came on and a good amount of the crowd had left, I was right there up front, hands up, singing along, having a blast. Here I was, a 31 year old man jumping up and down at a rock show like I did when I would see Avail at Gilman Street at age 19. Maybe with all the things that have changed in my life, I'm still basically the same after all.

Here's the setlist in case you're a superfan and you're curious:

The Hold Steady @ The Mezzanine, San Francisco, CA July 29, 2008
Constructive Summer
Chips Ahoy
Chicago Seemed Tired Last Night
Sequestered In Memphis
Girls Like Status
Massive Nights
Southtown Girls
Lord, I'm Discouraged
Yeah Sapphire
Knuckles
Hot Fries
One For The Cutters
You Can Make Him Like You
Your Little Hoodrat Friend
Crucifiction Cruise
How A Resurrection Really Feels
Slapped Acress

Encore #1:
Positive Jam
Stuck Between Stations
Most People Are DJs

Encore #2:
Banging Camp
Killer Parties

Labels: live music, mezzanine, san francisco, setlists, the hold steady