The Gaslight Anthem – Chamberlain – Tim Barry – at The Wiltern – Los Angeles, CA

Wednesday night The Gaslight Anthem headlined at The Wiltern for the fourth Los Angeles performance of their career. They managed to pull a huge enthusiastic crowd, especially for a mid-week show. The opening act was a solo acoustic performance by Avail front-man, Tim Barry. It was apparent when he took the stage that not many of the people in attendance knew who he was. Tim usually tours now a days with other solo acoustic artists and has been seen on "The Revival Tour". Most of his shows are smaller, intimate, and non-corporate events. He may have been a little bit out of his natural element, but as his set rolled on Tim managed to pull everyone in with his songs and his spoken word. Mid-way through his set he played the song "Wait at Milano" of which he had written about his best-friend who passed away some years ago. It was his birthday and he dedicated the song to him.

All around you could hear people saying things like, "Actually, he's really good!" and "What was the name of that song?" By the second verse of one of his catchier songs "Dog Bumped", the entire house was singing the hook as if they had heard it a hundred times. Tim Barry won over the large unfamiliar audience and ended his set with many more fans than he had started out with that evening. www.myspace.com/timbarryrva

After a short intermission it was time for Indiana natives, Chamberlain, to get the crowd revved up for Gaslight. They started out by professing their respect for Tim Barry and extending their gratitude toward The Gaslight Anthem for the opportunity to be on tour with them. While their music was original, it also had a sound very similar to the genre of music that The Gaslight Anthem plays. The crowd seemed really receptive to Chamberlain's sound. They played an upbeat heart-filled set, and their performance further intensified the audience's anticipation for the headlining act. www.myspace.com/chamberlainandsplitlip

Finally the moment that everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived! Some pop song came on over the PA and the lights went out as The Gaslight Anthem made their way onto the stage. The crowd started cheering and the band broke out into "American Slang". A small attempt at a circle pit started in front of the stage, but for the most part people were just dancing and singing. It is really amazing how The Gaslight Anthem has gathered so many fans in their short time together, without selling out. In only 3 years this band has gone from playing small clubs to playing large venues such as The Wiltern, and have been nationally recognized as an influential figure in American music by magazines such as Rolling Stone and Spin.

It is obvious by their stage performance, lyrical content, and clean sound, why The Gaslight Anthem has grown so much in popularity. They played a variety of nearly 20 songs, mostly from their newest album "American Slang" and and their previous album "The 59' Sound". As they exited the stage, the fans chanted for an encore. After a minute or so The Gaslight Anthem graciously obliged by coming back on stage to play their heart out for four more songs. They wrapped up their amazing encore with their hit "Great Expectations". The night ended on a high note and The Gaslight Anthem proved that any day of the week, they could rock for a crowd of thousands!  www.myspace.com/thegaslightanthem

-J. Moncrief-
Big Wheel Staff Photographer



More photos of the show can be seen HERE

 

 

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