Concert Review: The Gaslight Anthem
Sunday shows are always something special, and this past one was no exception. It had been eleven years since I last covered The Gaslight Anthem in Boston, and this time, they played at the much larger and newer MGM Music Hall. Brian Fallon and his Jersey-based crew are easily one of my favorite bands, and getting to see them live is always a treat. Even more so since they broke up in 2015 and only reunited two years ago. With a new album in the mix, they’ve come back swinging, proving that time apart has only made them sharper.
Opening the night was Pinkshift. The crowd was still trickling in, but that didn’t stop lead singer Ashrita Kumar from owning the stage like she had a sold-out audience from the first note. Her voice? Out of this world. Picture the energy of Evanescence or Halestorm but with their own fresh spin. The breakdowns hit hard, mixing melodic metal with slow, heavy riffs that got everyone’s blood pumping.
Next up was Joyce Manor, bringing all the pop-punk and emo vibes. Their set was like a nostalgia trip straight back to the early 2000s. If you were ever into Taking Back Sunday, Yellowcard, or Newfound Glory, this was a dream come true. The energy was infectious, and the crowd was fully on board.
Photographed by Anthony Abu-Hanna for Melodía Magazine
Then, The Gaslight Anthem hit the stage, but not before setting the mood with Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun blasting over the PA. From there, they launched right into “American Slang” and “45,” and it was clear from the get-go that Brian Fallon is in his element more than ever. His voice has aged like a fine wine. The whole band seemed to be having an absolute blast, and the crowd was right there with them, losing it to tracks like “The Spirit of Jazz,” “Helter Skeleton,” and “The Patient Ferris Wheel.”
One of the night’s highlights was hearing “Bring It On,” a song they haven’t played in years, but has been somewhat regularly featured on this tour. You wouldn’t know they haven’t played it in years from how tight they sounded. The energy just kept climbing with every song. Drummer Benny Horowitz was driving things forward, especially when they ripped into their latest track, “Positive Charge,” which brought some serious weight.
Of course, no concert is complete without a few slower, quieter moments, and The Gaslight Anthem gave us those with tracks like “Mulholland Drive,” “High Lonesome,” “Here’s Looking at You, Kid,” and “Michigan, 1975.” But they balanced it with deep cuts too, like “Wooderson” and “1930” from their debut album Sink or Swim—a treat for the longtime fans.
One of the coolest things about The Gaslight Anthem is how they mix things up every night. No two shows are exactly the same, and this one had a special twist with jam-band darling bassist Karina Rykman joining them for the last five songs. They even surprised the crowd with a cover of Billie Eilish’s Ocean Eyes before diving into two of their biggest hits: “Great Expectations” and “The ’59 Sound.”
Photographed by Anthony Abu-Hanna for Melodía Magazine