WORDS: Bri Ng Schwartz PHOTOS: Valerie Terranova
The Bleachers Forever North American tour concluded this past Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, where New Yorkers and New Jerseyans united for an evening of the group’s greatest hits and celebration of their latest album everyone for ten minutes. The album is an ode to frontman Jack Antonoff’s coming of age as a musician, his New Jersey Roots, and grappling with loving and creating in the public eye.
Over the years, Bleachers have been advocates for equity in the concert and live event space. At the top of my mind as I enter the Garden is a quote from Antonoff from his Rolling Stone Musicians on Musicians interview with Hayley Williams from the fall: “I want everyone in that room to feel like a human being from beginning to end.” Sprinkles of these efforts are felt, from a $1 Bleachers Forever World Tour Zine at the merch stand that lets everyone go home with something, to the presence of both The Center NYC and Ally Coalition, LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations that Bleachers take every chance they get to spotlight at their shows.
Around me are fans and families spanning generations. I overhear someone telling their daughter “The last time I came to Madison Square Garden was for Springsteen.” As the final pre-show song, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” blasts through the speakers, the everyone for ten minutes album opener “sideways” begins to fuse with the Sinatra classic, marking the entrance for our favorite six-piece band. The stage set is marked by checkered floors, rolled cables, portraits hung on the wall, and a “recording booth.” With the majority of songs from the new album recorded at West Village’s own Electric Lady Studios, we are immersed into a small piece of that generative world that these songs speak so highly of.
The improvisational moments between Antonoff and band mates Mikey Freedom Heart, Sean Hutchinson, Evan Smith, Zem Audu, and Mike Riddleberger throughout the show create a sense of heart and community that you can’t get from the recordings alone. Jack’s father, Rick, joins the band on acoustic guitar mid-set. “We Should Talk” is a standout moment, where Smith and Audu put their saxophones down and trade them for guitars and join the rest of the group for synchronized choreography.
After a more relaxed acoustic moment with “91” and “Isimo” we all rose from our seats to belt their holiday hit “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call.” Hearing the album closer “upstairs at els” was a full circle, upbeat moment as we approached the end of the show-stopping set. With how loud the audience screamed along to Bleachers’ classics “Rollercoaster” and “I Wanna Get Better,” I wouldn’t be surprised if tourists outside on 34th Street could hear us.
I salute the New Jersey Transit flag, stage right of the set, on my way out of the arena. Someone’s dad stops me in the line out, noticing my Bleachers Asbury Park, New Jersey themed t-shirt screaming “that was the merch to get tonight!” I wish him a good night and pass a woman in a Wawa t-shirt. The NJ Transit terminal at Penn Station is packed to the brim as people begin their post-concert commute. I am among my people.
Bleachers will perform one last show this summer at Asbury Park’s historic Stone Pony, marking the 8th iteration of their Shadow Of The City music festival. I can’t imagine a better backdrop for this record than the sandy sidewalks and ocean breeze of the shore. Tickets are available now.
Stream everyone for ten minutes Spotify // Apple Music