Live albums are a tricky genre. In some cases they are the best introduction to a band. Kiss and Cheap Trick found it hard to convert the concert tickets into record sales, so they put the energy and power of their live show on vinyl. Other live albums aren’t as essential, they function merely as a souvenir for the devoted. A Positive Rage, the first official live album from The Hold Steady, is a mixture of the two.
A Positive Rage was recorded on Halloween night at the Metro in Chicago, during the band’s breakthrough Boys and Girls in America tour in 2007. Frontman Craig Finn tells the crowd that the show is going to be taped for a live record, and that he’s glad they are a part of it. The band launches into “Stuck Between Stations,” and Finn chants the lyrics with rapid-fire intensity. The setlist is a great introduction to the band’s music, because it has the right mix of staples (“Killer Parties,” “Southtown Girls”) and deeper cuts (“Barfruit Blues,” “Girls Like Status.”). The band sounds great, with Tad Kubler’s guitar providing the solid canvas for Finn’s verbose lyrics. Franz Nicolay’s keyboards hit the high notes that Finn can’t, while bassist Galen Polivka and drummer Bobby Drake hold it all together.
The band has a great sense of timing, knowing when to stretch out a song or keep it at its original length. The band is smart enough not to succumb to live album clichés. There are no extended drum solos or indulgent screaming contests. They would just get in the way of the good time.
The best live albums make you feel like you are there, and A Positive Rage transports you in the middle of the party pit. The crowd is the sixth member of the band, singing along, clapping, and shouting. There is a profound sense of joy in the room. Craig Finn’s stage banter is short, but totally sincere. When he tells the crowd that he is glad they are there, he actually means it. There’s no pretentious rock star bullshit. The major issue with A Positive Rage is the mix. Nicolay and Finn are mixed slightly higher than everyone else, and occasionally overshadow the rest of the band.
A Positive Rage is a great live document. It’s got a great setlist, awesome musicianship, tons of energy. The accompanying documentary is as big-hearted as the band itself. However, I can’t really recommend it. Why? Because you can listen to this record and get an idea of The Hold Steady live, but you aren’t getting the whole package. To truly understand the power of this band, you need to get off the couch and see them yourself. You need to get in the pit and dance like a fool with 1,000 of your closest friends. You need to raise a toast to St. Joe Strummer, because he was our only decent teacher. A Positive Rage is good, but it’s not even close to the real thing. Next time The Hold Steady comes through your town, check them out. They are worth it, every single time.