Pop Break Live: Bleachers at The Vic Theatre in Chicago
Words & Photos by Al Mannarino
Dressed in all white, Jack Antonoff made his way to the stage and set up behind a set of Vox speakers. He sported a captain’s hat and decked out from head to toe in costume jewelry. Just like his latest album, Gone Now, he began his show at the historic Vic Theatre with “Dream Of Mickey Mantle,” a song that perfectly encapsulates everything that makes Antonoff’s latest project, Bleachers, so amazing. With beautiful lyrics, phenomenal production, and Antonoff’s raw vocals, it was the perfect way to start the show and just one reason why Bleachers are one of the best live acts in music today.
Antonoff quickly changed into his Springsteen inspired attire and went into “Goodmorning,” the second track off Gone Now, which acts almost like a Part 2 for the albums introduction.
Back in 2014, we spoke to Antonoff before the release of the first Bleachers record, Strange Desire, and he described the sound of the band as “ a combination of Springsteen and the punk bands I saw growing up.”
With Gone Now, you can hear more of the Springsteen influence, and his ability to entertain a crowd and the passion in each song he sings is very much like what The Boss has been doing for decades.
Fans of Strange Desire eager to still hear songs from his incredible first album were in luck as he played hit singles like “I Wanna Get Better” and “Rollercoaster,” as well as deeper cuts like “Wild Heart,” “Wake Me,” and “Like A River Runs.”
Bleachers played an impressive 18-song set featuring the tour debut of Gone Now track, “Nothing Is U” and a cover of “Carry On” by Antonoff’s other world famous band, fun. They closed out the show with “Don’t Take The Money,” which in my opinion, should have been dubbed the ‘song of the summer.’ With support from Amy Shark and Bishop Briggs, Bleachers rocked Chicago for the second night in a row, and further cemented their place as one of the most exciting acts in music.
Bleachers Setlist:
Dream of Mickey Mantle
Goodmorning
Wild Heart
Everybody Lost Somebody
Hate That You Know Me
Wake Me
Nothing Is U
Happy Birthday to You (Mildred J. Hill & Patty Hill cover)
I Miss Those Days
Let’s Get Married
All My Heroes
Rollercoaster
Carry On (fun. cover)
Like a River Runs
Foreign Girls
You’re Still a Mystery
I Wanna Get Better
Don’t Take the Money
