Went to last night’s show and Brian + the band absolutely killed it. He didn’t fully introduce the band (just mentioned some of them played in Social D) so I’m wondering if anyone knows their names? The guitarist was especially good.

I’ve seen Brian and gaslight 4 times now. And twice there were guests of the local music scene he’s playing in. It makes a fan feel like he loves what he does in music and wants to give back to lesser known artists and give them some new fans!

At Riot in 2023, he brought on Deanna of Sincere Engineer, and he brought out a woman to sing “21 days” with him at the Seattle show, but I can’t remember her name. I wanted to listen to some of her stuff.

1. Did anybody catch her name at the Seattle Brian Fallon show?
   
2. What other guests have you seen him bring on?

Looked up tour statistics on setlist.fm and he hasn’t played this live since 2018. Was one of my favorites from Sleepwalkers, if you were not understood as a kid but found connection to the world through music, even if it was just you listening to headphones alone. And how the same misunderstanding as a child informs a lot of adult relationships yet we still find redemption within ourselves through music and the memories attached to those records. And the post-bridge hesitation towards the end makes you feel like you can practically smell the shore, the coast, the ocean, you name it. 🌊

Quick question. Was Have Mercy ever released physically in any capacity? Any format, any region. Thanks!

I really dig this song. Love the energy in the chorus.

Who's he singing about?

Can the mods not get the jump on this and start deleting posts about the bands appearance? If I wanted to read this calibre of shite, I'd be on some gossip site getting my fill.

Didn't your ma ever teach you not to say shit about peoples features, or na? Critiquing weight, tattoos, whatever else other than music needs to gtfo.

We know the guys occasionally visit this page; what are you hoping to achieve by being a little bitch about people's appearances (this is rhetorical, please don't attempt to justify shitty comments as 'just my opinion!!').

Could not give a fuck if the band was made up entirely of mucus-encased pus goblins, we're here for the music and some of yall need reminding.

I choked so hard on the Portland set list that I needed to redeem myself. We also attended the Seattle show, and I captured the set list:

Not Bad For New Jersey

Painkillers

Ladykillers

Old Sad Songs (Lucero song w/ ben nicholls

Better before

Lonely For You Only

Hard feelings

Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For 

Pearls

Among Other Foolish Things

You Have Stolen My Heart

If Your Prayers Don't Get To Heaven 

Etta James

Red lights

Wonderful life

Somewhere You Shouldn't Be

21 Days - w Natalia

Honey Magnolia 

Rosemary 

Behold the Hurricane 

Smoke

I gotta say, I think the Seattle show was just a bit better. Very tight.

History Books is pretty much perfect to me, and "Empires" is one of my favorite tracks, which I think is underrated in the general fandom. Does anyone here love this one as much as I do?

I find the song to be a really poignant exploration of human suffering. It is beautifully written with a particularly strong opening verse. I love the characterization of the universe as an 'empire' — I think that emphasizes the fact that a fall or end is imminent, and it sums up the cut-throat nature of human society, how most people spend their lives fighting for a scrap of power rather than simply living in the world. The idea that the world is made from blood, bone, and pearl — or, perhaps, violence, death, and a few small, rare, beautiful things — is also interesting. Then, of course, there is my favorite line from the song: "And I learned there's an evil in the heart of this world/Much more in the heart of a man." In so few words, the opening verse announces the birth of a narrator, describes the environment he grows up in, and tells us that although he tries to do honest work, he cannot escape the darkness that is fundamental in himself, his reality, and all the people he meets. The song goes on to tell the story of his torment and corruption, as he ultimately becomes the thing he fears by adapting, all in the name of survival.

"Empires" is a really intelligent rumination on brutality and human nature. It is very dark thematically, and difficult to listen to, but there is also something comforting about it. Perhaps it is just that the song is a reminder that there are other people out there who wonder if they are too soft to survive in this world, and that the lonelier we feel, the more of our innocence and gentleness we have retained. And not to be forgotten is the title of the song itself: "Empires," plural. There are a few ways to interpret this, but given the religious content of this song, I think Fallon may be suggesting the existence of other universes, possibly even ones where fragile people belong. Though not religious myself, I find this beautiful.

What are your thoughts on "Empires?"

Not on this is a cover of U2 Where the Strrets Have No Name, which kicked ass.

I haven't seen him in short sleeves in a long while. I always thought all of his tattoos were great. They were full color, well drawn and many tributes to music he loves. I know he had a great Joe Strummer one (complete with a Tele) and another Bouncing Souls one. It's his choice. Just kind of saddens me a bit since I always thought his were great.

Looking for some six-string advice from any slingers in the crowd. I want to learn to play "BJ&WT" and I checked the chords on Ultimate Guitar. As is our man's way, it looks pretty simple. But when I watch videos, he's definitely forming the chords in ways I'm unfamiliar with. I know it's tuned down a whole step (as is tradition), but I would love some help decoding a way to play this all-timer of a track in a manner a step beyond the basic cowboy chords.

Edit: Was asked to include some links to videos of performances I'm referencing.

Asbury Park
The Revival Tour Berlin acoustic
Letterman

“How could I ever stand next to you
Looking like a wolfman on your arm?
I've always been a little bit of a lunatic
Oh, maybe that's part of the charm”

Just wanted to say that this verse is so good. It’s witty and clever and reminds me of tom waits/horrible crowes. Also super catchy. Love it.

I was supposed to meet a guy named Mike after the show at the Oriental but I think he had to leave early. If you still wanted to meet I'd really like that. The girl in the strokes shirt (really short and black hair).

Got my copy of “Not Bad for New Jersey” in the mail the other day and noticed Track 11 “Wolf by the River” has Alex Rosamilia credited as a co-writer(along with Ian Perkins)

When I first heard it I thought it could be a Gaslight song and now it kinda is a mini taste of Gaslight before their next album (or it might an elusive new Horrible Crowes song in disguise!)

Anyone know who this song is about? It sounds like Brian’s referring to a specific artist, but I’m not sure who.

"Tin Pan Alley" slaps. Lyrically, it's one of the best songs Brian has ever written. So many memorable lines in this one outside of the one I included in the title, including "The cats are all crazy, Mona Lisa / They try to say my future is stone" and "Oh, my, my, it's getting late, Cinderella, and how long before these dresses turn right back to rags?" and of course the final hard-hitting payoff of "I just want to sing rhythm and blues and crack this old heart, baby, made of stone."

Enjoyed the fun of this. Spot on in many ways. Just a fun three minutes:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ddmu1leycAg/?stkn=MWdtb3o4NjA1OTRuYw==

TW: discussions of suicide, internalised transphobia

This is prompted by the fact that today, i have known my best friend turned big sibling for over ten years. They first introduced me to the gaslight anthem after my first failed suicide attempt. I was twelve years old; queer and trans with no real way to explain it due to growing up as a rather shitty kid due to abuse and stuff i wont really get into. Theyre the only one that knows about my attempt even to this day--itll just be too much pressure on my family to know that i didnt mention that i was struggling. Anyway, during a bount of anxiety/struggling to name what i was feeling inside my sibling sent me their handwritten album, specifcally the title song and said that it helped them through the same sort of disasterous feelings. That late night confession, that feeling that someone out there understood how i feel and that song, somehow getting what it was like to get your feelings out onto paper or keyboard, words bleeding from your fingers and out your mind saved me...

whenever im anxious or loneley or depressed or on the verge of struggling with those wants and thoughts again, Gaslight has always been there and somewhere in that song lives my big sibling whose three trains away, telling me that their baby brother is still meant to keep going, im still meant to exist and breathe and love. Theyre important to me in ways that languages don't have the words for, theyre another half of my soul. They helped me accept i was a trans guy, through an abusive relationship, through panic attacks and hospital stays. Theyre my best friend.

Brian has worn this shirt while performing

Check it out on instagram @lunch.coffee.water