Images: Streetlight Manifesto, Dan Potthast, Sycamore Smith May 21, 2015 at Fremont Country Club

Being a young music fan, I stumbled upon ska punk around two years ago, and with it, Streetlight Manifesto. Their lyrics were relatable, and their music was energizing. I couldn’t wait to see them live. So I was heartbroken when I found out they were going to “no longer be touring year round, nor will we be touring much at all anymore” (said by the band in March 2013). I thought that I would never get to see them live.

Still, I followed the band’s touring announcements, until finally, a few months ago, they announced that they would be playing in Las Vegas. Of course, I bought a ticket immediately.

I’m glad that I did, because I can honestly say that the concert I went to on May 21st was one of the best that I’ve ever been to. Granted, it was Streetlight Manifesto, so I expected no less. But I was still completely blown away, and the excitement didn’t fade until long after the concert ended.

This was my first show at the Fremont Country Club. For those who haven’t been there: it’s a medium-sized venue that somehow manages to be intimate. I was impressed with the line of people that went all the way around the corner of FCC. Many of the other show goers wore Streetlight shirts or had tattoos referencing the band. It was awesome to see so many other huge fans.

I must say I wasn’t impressed with the management, though. The doors opened late with no explanation from staff, and to add insult to injury, a small section of the floor was roped off for the 18-20 year old crowd (myself included), leaving the rest of the floor for those 21 and up. This meant that there was a lot more space for the older attendees.

This was kind of ridiculous to me, considering that the tickets for 18-20 year olds were actually more expensive. Poor youngsters (like myself) were corralled into a tiny portion of the floor, despite having paid more. While I still had a great time, I don’t think I’ll be returning to FCC until I’m 21—and even then, I’m not so sure.

Enough ranting about the venue, though; after all, this review is for the show, not FCC. First up was Sycamore Smith, a quirky folk musician from Michigan. Sycamore Smith plays old-fashioned folk songs using his voice, a guitar, and a kazoo. I liked his set, but the music had a rural country feel, so I felt it didn’t really work well as an opener for Streetlight Manifesto.

I felt the same way about Dan Potthast, to be honest. I was still excited to see him, though, since he was the vocalist and guitarist for MU330. Dan P’s music isn’t as… hillbilly-ish as Sycamore Smith’s, but by this time the crowd was restless waiting for Streetlight to come on. If Sycamore Smith and Dan P had their own separate show, I think the crowd would have been more appreciative.

Now, I always take notes during shows. So I was surprised (and a little worried, since those notes become reviews such as this one) to realize that at the end of Streetlight Manifesto’s set, I hadn’t actually taken any notes. I was so completely enthralled and mesmerized by the band that it didn’t even occur to me to look at my phone, except to check the time.

Lead singer and guitarist Tomas Kalnoky was set off to the lefthand side of the stage, placing the horn section right up front and center, just as they should be. It allowed the trombonist, trumpeter, and two saxophonists to be heard loud and clear. Instrumentally, the horn section is vital to Streetlight’s unique sound.

The crowd went wild that night. Quite a few people got into trouble with security, be it for crowd surfing, sneaking into the wrong section, or starting fights. The majority of us were fairly well behaved, though. Everyone was singing along and dancing, and we fed off of not only the band’s energy, but each other’s as well.

Personally, I would have liked more songs off of my favorite Streetlight album, which was their first one, Everything Goes Numb. Nevertheless, I was so incredibly happy that they played my favorite song not just from that album, but also from the band’s entire discography: “A Better Place, A Better Time.”

If I wasn’t so partial to Everything Goes Numb, I would say that the setlist was perfect. That said, it was pretty damn near perfect, as was the entire night.

-Julien Boulton

Photos by Aaron Mattern | https://www.flickr.com/photos/akmofoto/

Streetlight Manifesto setlist:

Watch It Crash
The Three of Us
We Will Fall Together
Down, Down, Down to Mephisto’s Cafe
Point / Keasbey Nights / Counterpoint
With Any Sort of Certainty
It’s a Wonderful Life (Acoustic)
Toe to Toe (Acoustic)
The Hands That Thieve (Acoustic)
A Moment of Silence
A Moment of Violence
A Better Place, A Better Time
Somewhere in the Between

Encore:
A Call to Arms
Here’s to Life
The Big Sleep