1000 Tiny Birds

Hotline TNT

The Lanes, 2023-11-05

If yesterday’s Fall Out Boy gig was the type you anticipate, this was the gig that is basically just for the sake of seeing live music. I noticed Pitchfork giving Best New Music to Hotline TNT’s sophomore album, thought the name rang a bell from my listings browsing, and lo here they are playing for free at a bowling alley on a Sunday night. The exact kind of disparity I love to see. They are loud power poppy shoegaze, and oh are they loud. Poor Alasdair had not had time to return home to get his earplugs so he suffered through unprotected, still enjoying it though. It was a brief set, but concentrated - the dream when you’re not particularly hoping to hear specific songs, or even know the songs you might hope to hear. At the end, having enjoyed myself and wanting to support them, I pick up a record I’m unlikely to spin that often and a car bumper sticker that I may one day find a place for (I admired the specificity of the reference, if not the price tag, but support touring musicians for god’s sake), but I leave with a reminder of the joy of just being in a room with live music and without preconceptions.