Nearing the last days of their fall 20 Years Tour, Cold War Kids performed in St. Louis on November 11. And for this one night, the Long Beach, California indie rock/punk-soul band gave the fans at The Pageant the power to believe again and feel invincible.
Did the lads on stage thrash around as much as they used to? No. Did they still deliver an incredible amount of energy and sound tight during their 90-minute set? Yes. Amid mostly low lights and touches of fog throughout, the band brought familiar favorites and a couple of newer songs from their 2023 album simply entitled Cold War Kids.
They began the night with the pulsating, fan-favorite “Love is Mystical” and then slid into the mesmerizing “Run Away With Me.” Lead vocalist and founding member Nathan Willett’s distinct vocals haven’t aged a bit as he fluctuated between falsettos and staccato on songs such as the punchy “We Used to Vacation” and the catchy “Hang Me Up to Dry” where Willetts vocals shine. Founding member bassist, Matt Maust stayed steady throughout. He donned a Happy Monday’s Match of the Day Elland Road June 1991 concert t-shirt that we’re hard-pressed to figure out if it’s vintage or not.
Oklahoma City’s Husbands opened with a 45-minute set of their hazy, tranquil, indie-rock sounds. The band, shrouded in haze throughout their time onstage played to a growing crowd. Self-described as an indie, garage, surf, pop, rock, what-have-you band, the quartet performed originals that included the dreamy, 80s “Try Not to Worry” and the melodic, slightly fuzzy “Super New China.”
The room should have been packed to the gills. Instead, on this dreary Monday night, the die-hard fans who did make it were treated to a solid heart-felt performance by both bands and were heard singing the lyrics, “How am I the lucky one?” from “First” on their way home.
See all concert photos from the night: https://bit.ly/CWK24cz
Cold War Kids’ setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/cold-war-kids/2024/the-pageant-st-louis-mo-1b5e91c8.html
In my work life, I help nonprofits and small businesses with media and public relations. In my what I love to do life, you can typically find me photographing either wild horses or concerts.
