Tindersticks @ Sony Hall, New York, NY 3/27/25

 

Bill: Tindersticks

Venue: Sony Hall, New York, NY

Date: 3/27/25

Door: $57.50 advance (paid $43 via Stubhub)

8:30pm Tindersticks

Active: 1993 (Nottingham, UK)

Latest Release: Soft Tissue (City Slang/Lucky Dog, 2024), Mayday '22 (Lucky Dog, 2024)

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UK long-running atmospheric band Tindersticks, led by vocalist Stuart A. Staples have a few decades plus under their belt.  When I first heard them, it was back when their first album came out and I had a friend that was into it at that time.  Tindersticks have created an extensive body of work since then.  They've played NYC over the years, but I never got to see them in the 90's and aughts.  They were last here in 2009, so this 2-night stand was a bit of a big deal.

Soft Tissues was a well-received album they released last year, and it was featured prominently in the 2 hour plus show.  I'm trying to place who might be a direct antecedent of this band.  At first I was thinking Leonard Cohen, but I would say John Cale and perhaps Nick Cave are more in their plane.   I was able to listen to Soft Tissue in the morning, then listened to the 120 or so tracks I had on my hard drive from the band on random throughout the day.  I realized looking at their catalog, they have a ton of releases that I'm totally unfamiliar with including a new live record called Mayday '22.  I'm assuming that is from 2022 unless the title is historically conceptual and nothing to do with 5/1/22.  This is a band that generally requires multiple listens to wrap your head around the material.  Hearing passively and knowing are two different things.   Where does one start in 2025?   I do feel I'm starting to get a handle on Soft Tissue anyway.  

Visually, the band has the look of a alt-rock lounge band and I mean that in a good way.  They don't seem like they are putting across bullshit at any time.  They do what they do and it's up to you the listener to put in the work.

Tindersticks are back at it for a second and final NYC night at Sony Hall tonight.  They play the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville on the 30th then do a San Francisco and LA date in April.