Craig Finn- Pittsburgh Living Room Show 01/20
by Matthew Martin
On January 20th, 2017, the day our new President was inaugurated
and spouted nationalist rhetoric to the thousands who were in town, my
buddy and I drove to Pittsburgh to get outta DC and see Craig Finn play
an intimate show in an office space.
Seeing
Craig in this particular setting playing songs from his new album
appropriately named "We All Want The Same Things" was extremely
cathartic for me. We sat on the floor and listened to songs about
people who've seen better days, but are so damn positive that those
better days are still reachable and right over that horizon.
This
blue collar optimism in the face of defeat is the signature of any
Finn-penned song. The new songs on the upcoming record are no
different, if maybe a little darker at times. Those characters are
still there fucking up, but getting back up and fighting back. If this
isn't a metaphor for the times we're in right now, man, I don't know
what is.
I'd never seen a show in this setting,
and I gotta say, it was wonderful. It was something I'd highly
recommend to anyone who is within driving distance to see one of their
favorite musicians play an incredibly intimate show to fewer than 50
folks. It gives a real sense where the artist was when that song was
created. It didn't hurt that Craig made time for some questions during
the show, so it was a real insight into some of his songs.
I
think most in the room, including Craig, felt a little weird about what
had just happened earlier in the day. I think everyone felt a little
better about the world afterwards. Maybe not for too long, but at least
for a little bit. And, dammit, that's what music is for. Craig Finn
is a national treasure and I can't wait to hear this album in full. Go
pre-order this album here and I can guarantee you you won't be disappointed.
