Fresh from releasing The History Books Short Stories EP last week, New Jersey rock outfit The Gaslight Anthem continue their current era with a string of sold out shows, including three nights at London’s Roundhouse.
The Gaslight Anthem @ Roundhouse
On a soaking Tuesday night in the capital, clothes and hair may have been wet, but spirits were not dampened in anticipation of an enthralling live performance. Getting the night off to an electric start is Emily Wolfe, the night of music commencing with her no-nonsense hard rock. The Austin, Texas-based guitarist and singer even plays her own custom Epiphone guitar, known as the Emily Wolfe Signature Sheraton Stealth. The sound she created as the only guitarist on stage was phenomenal.
Halfway through her set she changes guitar to a magnificent white Epiphone double neck 12-String, the 33-year-old effortlessly switching between the necks with the dexterity of a guitar veteran. Wolfe played three songs from her latest record, The Blowback, including Silencer and Rock Bottom On A High Wire. The Texan songwriter aired her 2016 single Atta Blues before ending on the infectious Holy Roller from her eponymous 2019 album.
Suitably warmed up, the crowd are thrust into a breathless start from The Gaslight Anthem, playing their first four songs back to back without any introductions. Beginning with Spider Bites, the opener from their sixth studio album History Books. Great Expectations from their breakthrough album The ‘59 Sound follows before the quartet launch into American Slang, the tune’s iconic 5 note refrain sending the crowd into a frenzy. There was most certainly a strong connection between the band and their fans, with the first six songs being sung near word for word by the impassioned North London audience.
It’s the second of their three night residency at Camden’s iconic Roundhouse, and whilst there are no edges to the arena, that can’t be said about the New Brunswick foursome who are playing out of their skin to the London crowd. Singer Brian Fallon mentions that they like to shake things up a bit in terms of their setlist wishing giving tonight’s fans something different from the previous night. And they’re not wrong, with nearly half of their set completely unique to Monday’s show.
Meet Me By The River’s Edge and Even Cowgirls Get The Blues continue the excavation of their back catalogue. The sound of the 1,500+ in attendance joining Fallon on chanting “woah, woah” at the start of Handwritten, the sound reverberating around the North London cauldron.
Whilst Fallon’s third solo album, 2020’s Local Honey, may have been the record he’d always wanted to make, all roads led him to music that he needed to make. Heartland rock with his bandmates of close to 20 years that have garnered so much critical acclaim through the years. Acclaim that ended up full circle with hero Bruce Springsteen linking up with the band to feature on the title track of their 2023 record. Having often been compared to The Boss and his having been an important musical influence for them, to have him offer to be on the record is validation to the significance of their work and how much he values the band. It’s a relationship that goes back nearly 15 years when the fellow New Jerseyite joined The Gaslight Anthem on Glastonbury Festival’s John Peel Stage in 2009 to perform The ’59 Sound.
After a 9 year hiatus following their fifth album Get Hurt, the New Jersey collective returned last year with History Books – a largely safe return to form in songwriting albeit with a slightly restrained production. An odd choice to the listener, yet the songs sound much crisper and are bought to life here tonight with Autumn and Michigan, 1975, the latter of which has lead guitarist Alex Rosamilia perform an elongated solo intro which slides into 4 bars of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1999 hit Scar Tissue.
The band are having fun and Fallon alludes to changing the setlist up once more which, when compared to the first night at The Roundhouse, they played 11 different songs across their set. Their classic songs get the rapturous ovation they deserve whilst the newer songs still hold court to the infatuated audience.
“Music and the future of music is in the hands of the young kids. My kid played me this song and I loved it” Fallon declares, introducing Ocean Eyes, their newly released cover of the early Billie Eilish hit from the Butch Walker produced Short Stories EP.
Emily Wolfe returns to the stage with the band and plays guitar and offers hauntingl duets on The Weatherman and Blue Jeans and White T-Shirts, the latter from their 2008 EP Señor And The Queen. Fan favourite Miles Davis And The Cool transports the crowd back to love struck and misspent youth.
The last trio of 45, the emotive The ‘59 Sound, a song about the death of a friend of Brian’s, and The Backseat, ended a fantastic night with the the crowd bellowing out the final chorus “And in the backseats, We just tried to find some room to breathe.”
Whether they were out to prove a point, making up for lost time, or simply regaining the love that they have playing together, The Gaslight Anthem gave their adoring fans a night to remember. A unique experience from a maturing band, entering a new phase of their career but one it looks like they’re enjoying and taking in their stride. Playing together as good as they ever have with a fanbase as passionate as they ever have been. Both need each other and for now, that’s what they have.
You can catch The Gaslight Anthem later this year on the following dates:
JULY
10th – Rock City, Nottingham
11th – 2000 Trees Festival, Withington
Live review of The Gaslight Anthem at The Roundhouse, London on 26th March 2024 by Chris Lambert. Photography by Nick Allan.
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