San Francisco, CA – 04 Sep 2024
Seasoned vets show why experience matters with a rousing good time
Midwestern emo act The Get Up Kids are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their album Something to Write Home About with a nationwide tour (plus Toronto) and are playing the album in full each night. Along for the ride for almost all of the dates (minus the bookending fests in the front and back) are Chicago’s Smoking Popes. Through my connection with the Popes* I was able to score a last minute press/photo pass to night two of two back-to-back gigs at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.
The Smoking Popes promptly took the stage at 8pm to a room maybe half-full but filling quickly. While The Get Up Kids are celebrating Something to Write Home About, the Popes are busy gearing up for the 30th anniversary of their sophomore LP Get Fired. But since we’re not there yet, they split the 12-song, 40(ish) minute set amongst songs old and new. Immediately tearing into a quick three-jab punch with “Simmer Down,” fan favorite “Let’s Hear It For Love,” and viral disease-turned love song “Rubella,” the Popes set the tone for the evening. Lead vocalist/guitarist Josh Caterer refused to be constrained by the microphone, joining touring bassist Reuben Baird and Telethon‘s Jack Sibilski (filling in for Eli Caterer) across the stage every chance he could. By the time I worked my way out of the photo pit after the third song, the venue was nice and packed.
Additional tracks included two of their newest songs “Golden Moments” and “Madison,” both of which will appear on their forthcoming LP, expected out early next year. Their cover of “Pure Imagination” from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory was prefaced by a rendition of Gene Wilder’s already disturbing monologue during the paddle boat/tunnel scene from the film. It’s a bit creepy how quickly Josh Caterer’s crooning voice can go all sinister on you.
After the Popes cleared their equipment from the stage everyone settled in for the (seemingly, but not really) interminable wait for The Get Up Kids. I made my way to the photo pit again and chit-chatted with some of the eager fans, including a fella with the entirety of “I’ll Catch You,” lyrics and notes, tattooed up his right arm and onto his chest. That’s dedication!
Soon enough TGUK took the stage, the crowd went wild, and they did one of my favorite things that a band can do when they say that they’re playing an album in it’s entirety: They play it front to back. Not that I’m complaining about bands that just like to include all of the tracks in the set, out of order or even (gasp) mixed in with other material, but I feel if you’re going to feed the nostalgia monster and celebrate an album’s milestone, you really should present it just as the fans heard it all those years ago. Thankfully The Get Up Kids didn’t disappoint.
Like the Popes before them, the band performed with energy that would put musicians half their age to shame. They never missed a beat, Matt Pryor could barely spend a millisecond tied to his microphone when not singing, and keyboardist Dustin Kinsey was out of the seat every chance that was given.
Often enough, despite the loudest moments the crowd could still be heard singing along over the PA system. Of course when mostly-acoustic number “Out of Reach” came up, the audience drowned out the vocals, singing along with every verse.
Once the album was through, they energetically continued the show with earlier tracks such as “One Year Later” and “Better Half,” later tracks like “Walking On a Wire” and more. Throughout the show the band didn’t let up, and neither did the crowd.
It was a night of memories and good times. The tour continues 06 Sep in Spokane, WA with the first leg finishing up in Kansas on the 14th. A brief restorative break and then it fires up again east of the Mississippi River, ending in October. Tickets for many dates are still available at this link, but act quick as many gigs have been selling out closer to the date.
*full disclosure: I’ve known the Smoking Popes since their formation, and am also the artist of the Smoking Pope character.
the white drew carey (aka – Jeff Sorley) is the founder and head editor of TGEFM. He’s lived (outside of) Chicago, Madison WI, (ugh) Penn State, Lyon FR, Oxford UK, central New Jersey, and now within earshot of SFO in the Bay Area. When not scouring the web for more great bands and labels to post about, he also spends time drawing (mostly) silly sci-fi and anime stuff under the name Asplenia Studios.
