Jeff Rosenstock | Louisville, KY
On April 6th 2024, I took a road trip and ended up watching Jeff Rosenstock's first ever show in Louisville, and it was a memorable experience. The frontman has been touring since last September, and I had the opportunity to see the New York show back then. I was shocked by how an entire room of strangers came to life when the band started playing - people were hugging each other, jumping together, and singing along like everyone knew each other for years. I thought that because that was a hometown show, the energy was way more palpable than other shows, but I was wrong. The Louisville show had a smaller capacity, but the energy was just as intense - another room of strangers becoming friends immediately and dancing around.
The night started with Gladie, a Philadelphia-based band that mixes indie rock and pop. Alexandra Koch's voice reminded me of some iconic 90's female singers, sounding both powerful and refreshing at the same time. The crowd swayed to the sounds of "Mud,” "Born Yesterday," and "Twenty Twenty." While it was a short set, we could see the enthusiasm of fans that danced along and applauded the band after every song.
Sidney Gish was next, the whimsical one-girl band that combines dreamy lyricism and infectious melodies. Gish is always accompanied by her loop pedals that allow her to create an entire array of sounds by herself. It is like watching an entire band, but there is only one person on stage. The setlist included a lot of fan favorites and we could hear screams from the audience when she announced them. "Imposter Syndrome," "Persephone," and "Rat of the City" were amongst some of the highlights of the night. Gish managed to make it look effortless to layer and loop so many tracks live in order to recreate her songs for the public. She talked to the crowd about ponies and mint juleps, and there was definitely a sense of community in those moments. Many fans sang along and applauded the songwriter when she sang her last song "Not For You, Bunny.”
Last but not least, Jeff Rosenstock walked onstage with his band to set up for the night. The frontman even pointed at me and said "I love your shirt,” making me laugh. System of a Down started to play over the speakers, and the band jumped on stage to sing the last chorus of "Chop Suey" with the crowd that was already screaming the lyrics. The first Louisville show ever for the band had an amazing turn out, with the venue filled up with fans, some local and others that drove from far distances to be there. After the first few songs, Jeff told fans that everyone might get in each other's spaces, but that doesn't not mean they can be disrespectful. He encouraged fans to greet each other and respect each other. Jeff's lyrics are unapologetically honest, serving like anthems for the ones that have lost hope at some point in their life. The setlist included all the major hits, from "Scram!" to "You, In Weird Cities.” The crowd screamed, danced, jumped, crowd surfed, and moshed. At one point, Jeff brought up that Kentucky was the state that produced the largest number of disco balls in the country. "I don't see one here though. Anyway, give me the most reflective blinking lights for this one." The crowd in unison grabbed their phones and started shining their flashlights. He laughed and told the fans to not get their arms too tired. Before the song ended, a disco ball appeared in the crowd and everyone shined the lights towards it. Jeff couldn't believe what he was seeing and couldn't help but laugh while singing the song. He mentioned this was one of his favorite shows on the tour, and the crowd cheered. It was amazing to watch the energy and community Jeff brings to wherever he goes and I am looking forward to seeing him move a multitude of fans many times again. The U.S. tour ends April 13th, and then the frontman continues to the European leg of the tour in May.
