Summer Resurrection: The Hold Steady Live In Asbury Park

Written by: Geoff Tischman

The Hold Steady played a sold-out show at Asbury Lanes the other night (7/28) for part of their Constructive Summer tour and it was truly a spectacular night of exhilarating rock and roll perfection.

In the ’90s I spent the entirety of my 20’s following bands that I loved all over the country, drinking and partying and having the time of my life.

I know that if The Hold Steady had been around 25 years ago they would have been my go-to band and I would have seen every single show of this current summer run, including getting on a plane to San Francisco for the two upcoming dates there.

But with my partying days behind me, for Today, the 49-year-old sober me was thrilled to catch just one night of the band’s tour at the newly renovated and reopened Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ. Not only is there nothing like a Hold Steady show to get your spirits up and your blood pumping, the love between the fans and the band is intense and wonderful.

There were far too many highlights to list them all, but numbers like “Chips Ahoy!” and “The Swish” were awesome and on the occasion of his 33rd birthday, Titus Andronicus singer Patrick Stickles came out for “Cattle And Creeping Things.” At the end of the show he came out again to help out with “Stevie Nix.”

A summer night with THS, my pal (and SEM Editor-at-Large) David Porter and my Nikon snapping away was just what I needed.

The sheer energy of the night served as a fond reminder of what my life was like 25 years ago.

Set List: