I feel like the Hold Steady are the American Idol winners of indie rock. Craig Finn is the everyman that every man loves to cheer for — even me. I’m not a big Hold Steady fan (in fact, I’m not even a small Hold Steady fan), but I love seeing them live. They seem to enjoy playing music more than most people enjoy anything.
I only stuck around for the first three songs (that’s how long we have to photograph bands), but was happy with what I heard. I don’t remember the first song, but the second and third were pretty much the only ones I know and like: “Chips Ahoy!” and “Sequestered in Memphis.”
