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Somewhere between driving to The Troubadour, chatting with Dan {Interview will be posted soon!} and hearing the fluttering keys on “Boston,” I realized Augustana music has been weaving in and out of my life for a decade. In contemplating how much time has passed since I first heard All The Stars And Boulevards, it was nice to reflect on the amount of change in my life, frontman Dan Layus’ life, and Augustana’s musical path. All that time, change, and growth, and Monday night at The Troubadour would be my first time seeing him live.
First up, the opening band: The Tragic Thrills. These guys are a relatively new band, but they didn’t act like it. Great energy, stage presence, and crisp, punchy pop-rock anthems. TTT was a pleasant surprise, enjoying their time on stage and impressing the sold-out crowd. I can’t wait to dive into their debut album and sing along. Check out a couple songs here and grab their album here.
Next up was Twin Forks, the new band of Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional, Further Seems Forever). Twin Forks is a special brand of alt/folk that quite simply rocks. Carrabba’s vocal power compliments these sing-a-long, clap-a-long, dance-a-long jams perfectly. Ukeleles, banjos, and wonderful additional vocals from Kimmy and Kelsie Baranoski create a fresh, fun live experience.
Carrabba is a professional, both in songwriting and performing. He knows how to write a compelling song, and he pours every ounce of energy into it on stage. This aspect was perhaps even better than the songs themselves (which were excellent, check them out!). The group’s energy was fantastic, and every member of the band genuinely looked like they were having a blast on stage. This is a refreshing and endearing quality these days. Maybe I’m just too used to the “too cool to smile” indie acts and intense, serious rockers, but Twin Forks was so much fun to watch, simply because they were having so much fun.
Dan and the band confidently strode out on stage, no introductions, no smalltalk, just letting the songs speak for themselves. Seconds after stepping on stage, the band launched into about eight straight songs without pausing to catch their breath. Crisp, clean, and with raw vocal power, Augustana delivered tracks from each album, with a heavy dose of the recently released Life Imitating Life.
Anything you’d want to hear as a fan, they played. “Sweet and Low,” “Stars and Boulevards,” “Fire,” “Ash and Ember,” “Steal Your Heart,” and of course, “Boston.” The new songs really came alive on stage. “Need A Little Sunshine” left me humming along on the ride home. “Say You Want Me” and “Love In The Air” sounded big, bold, and grand. “Remember Me” is perhaps even more emotionally gripping when you see the notes pour out of Dan on stage.
“Youth Is Wasted On The Young,” my personal favorite from the new album, is an absolute anthem that is perfect in a live environment. “Alive” closed the show on a beautiful and poignant note (closed the show…up until a nice little encore right around midnight).
Augustana powered through nearly 1:45 on stage without much pausing or chatting during songs. They simply played tons of music, 20+ songs with energy and clarity. All my expectations were met and exceeded and the evening was a satisfying “full-circle” moment for music that has been with me for the last 10 years. I can only hope musical talent like this continues to flourish and grow so music fans like myself can sing right along for the next 10.
Augustana – “Ash and Ember”
[…] *Be sure to check out Augustana on their current tour with Twin Forks. Check out all the dates HERE and read my review of the show HERE […]