Terminal 5 (New York, NY)
09/07/23
Punk and ska musician Jeff Rosenstock performed at New York City’s iconic Terminal 5 on September 7th to a tightly packed crowd of sweaty and excited fans. Kicking off the show were openers Gladie, a Philadelphia-based alternative band, and Sidney Gish, a small but beloved singer songwriter known for her viral song, “Presumably Dead Arm,” and acclaimed 2017 album, No Dogs Allowed. Gish performed an impactful solo set with just a guitar, laptop, and live looping via pedals to accompany her stunning voice. Following her set, Jeff and the band took to the stage, each donning small party hats – or for Rosenstock specifically, a tiara and a DIY cape made of streamers. A packed punk concert in NYC is elevated by few things, but a birthday show, especially for the lead singer, is definitely one that stands out among the rest, and that energy could be felt throughout the night, the crowd singing an uncoordinated but passionate “Happy Birthday” every time there was even a bit of quiet.
Jeff Rosenstock kicked his set off with “WILL U STILL U,” the opening song on his new album, HELLMODE, and continued it right into the album’s second track, the much more intense “HEAD,” which features incredibly fast paced and blunt lyrics against an aggressive instrumental. The crowd immediately broke into several large mosh pits, with crowd surfers also going at it only 2 songs in. Following “HEAD,” Jeff continued with “Scram!” off of 2020 album, No Dream. Some particularly standout moments in the evening include the absolutely stunning performance of hit song “Nausea,” which features an incredible display of vocals, instrumentals, stage presence, and a notable shoutout to the saxophone. The crowd, loudly singing along, was bathed in the glittery light of Terminal 5’s gigantic disco ball, an unexpectedly emotional moment overtaking the crowd during a cathartic but otherwise upbeat song. Additionally, a touching performance of the stripped back “HEALMODE” offered a lovely contrast against some of the more intense songs of the evening and really highlighted the depth and complexity of Rosenstock’s music. Finally, Rosenstock closed out his set with an incredible performance of “3 SUMMERS,” the closer on HELLMODE, and ending on 2016’s fan favorite “We Begged 2 Explode.”
Jeff Rosenstock is a punk artist from Long Island, New York and has been putting out music together for over a decade. Rosenstock is also well known for his other projects, including Bomb The Music Industry and Antarctigo Vespucci, and has made a profound impact on the punk and ska scenes. Recently, his Labor Day posts calling for an end to venue cuts on artist merchandise at shows have gone viral and opened up important discussions on artist rights within the industry.
Unfortunately, the rest of the September leg of tour had to be cut short due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the crew, but they are scheduled to pick back up along the west coast starting in November with GEL and Small Crush, and are definitely not a show to miss.
