Positively rockin'

A wise man on the new Hold Steady Documentary, ‘A Positive Rage’, said something along the lines of the following: “A lot of people don’t believe that rock ‘n’ roll can save the world… I don’t think any of those people have ever seen The Hold Steady…” In many respects, this guy, in a moment of awe, summed up this documentary. The Hold Steady are lots of things to allsorts of different people. They are a wonderful rock band, they are a band that enjoy their live shows (therefore making the shows more enjoyable for the audience), they are bringing back rock and roll and they are five men on tour.

In the documentary part of this live package, we get to meet the latter of these things. We see how the band grow from a bar band to releasing ‘Boys And Girls In America’, their third album, and we see how this tour changes The Hold Steady and how they deal with their new fame. The interviews are insightful and interesting. The perspective of a rock band about to blow up in their home country is quite fascinating during this DVD. The laid back approach to touring and doing what they love is incredible. The modesty and gracious attitude that every member has is something to behold. The fans interviewed post-Hold Steady show are honest, funny, giddy and excited and the show shots are fantastic, with shots from London and Minneapolis showing off what this band can and does do every night on tour. There is a lot of heart in this documentary and it shines.

And then we get to the accompanying live CD…

This disc was recorded in Chicago, Halloween 2007. The show comes highly recommended if you’ve never heard this band before. If you’re new to the band then this is where I’d recommend you start. This is what The Hold Steady sound like live, in a nutshell. There are huge riffs, speeches, love, affection, screaming audiences and rock and roll in bucket loads. The songs that were new then have been rehashed and recorded for the latest studio album, ‘Stay Positive’, and give a bit of an insight into how things get changed between the road and the studio. The versions of ‘Stuck Between Stations’, ‘The Swish’ and fan favourite, ‘Killer Parties’ leave you with a full heart and a dire need to see the band live immediately.

If the latter does occur when you hear this record, I heartily recommend catching a real live show, buying all of the studio albums and a red bull. You will need the energy to keep up with the five dudes on stage.

This live package is incredible in every sense of the word. I know I’m a “fan” and would say this, but I wouldn’t be saying it if I didn’t believe it. This package (when bought from the shop) also comes with brand new free songs ‘40 Bucks’ and ‘Spectres’, which I will have to review separately because they are something completely different to the package: you cannot get these anywhere other than with the disc itself. Worth every single penny.

The Hold Steady are on tour throughout May, June and July.