Just before taking off for the UK, where they’ll play a string of sold-out shows (and have apparently been anointed THE American band for ’07), The Hold Steady swung by the Late Show studios for a take on the critically acclaimed and respected “Stuck Between Stations.” When the guys dropped into Hi-Fi bar to watch it air after the taping, we asked Craig if he kicked it with Madonna while there. (Don’t think we ever got an answer on that one.) Anyway, for the completists, head to Faronheit for some cool, acoustic THS tracks.
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Rock. Glad to see them get some more exposure.
One small nit, tho: Still find Craig’s happy-hand movements incredibly distracting and detracting from the music. Also, his voice is incredibly ragged.
Thank you for posting this! My dorky ass has been searching for this since I missed it on tv last week.
It wasn’t a bad performance, but they seemed sort of suffocated or something. The vocals sound a little off, and they just look like they’re being limited by the stage or the producers.
THS stands for True Hollywood Story.
Love THS (especially the episode on Lara Flynn Boyle), but was it just me or was the mix funky – the keys were too quiet and did Craig have a throat cold that week?
that guy does not look like he should sound like that. nope. not one bit.
Letterman is scary
Bands I like usually disappoint when they do a Late Show appearance but this was solid.
yeah, despite the vocal frog it was really solid. band is super tight, great performance…. wish they’d come to stinkin nashville already!
I thought it was actually fanTAStic. Yeah, his voice is a little ragged, but I thought it sounded awesome–and the band, unlike so many others on Letterman, seemed ramped up and just frickin’ amazing. My pal Gordon taped it (yes! VHS!) and converted two other folks to the Hold Steady by making them watch it . . . plus, Franz + Tad were at their all-time best. Great show. Does anyone have a rip??
Kim – I don’t know if you’v ever seen the stages for Letterman, Conan, etc, but I can tell you they are TINY. TV adds like 1500 square feet. But the actual space between Letterman’s desk and Paul and the band is very small, which means performers have an incrediby cramped space to play in.
As for the sound, YouTube videos aren’t exactly hi def.
Letterman’s stage is tiny Kim. I think the camera adds 1500 square feet. If you see the place in person you’d be shocked at how small the space is between Dave’s desk and Pau l& the band.
oh dear. i am alone in my incomprehension of the hold steady’s popularity. i’m totally, utterly confused.
not alone. I’m with ya on this one.
The performance was solid.
And I love the hand movements.
The performance was solid.
And I love the hand movements.
I vote for Franz to take over when Paul Schaffer retires.
I think I kind of like the voice, and I know I love the hand movements– it’s like he’s having a little seizure, but in a really, really endearing sort of way.
I cant stand this band. The lead singer thinks he’s like some genius at writing songs. I’ve read a few of his interviews and read some reviews he did of other’s music and thought, ?okay from the way he’s criticizing these other bands, his band must be good, right?? Wrong! He’s wack. The band is a tight and rehearsed band. But come on how lame was that song, cheese ball lyrics, obnoxious voice, obnoxious hand movements, drums were a little boring..
Sorry I don?t get what’s so stand outish about this band..