The band was back on stage basking in the afterglow of their arena run
Last night, Greta Van Fleet stepped back onto the concert stage for the first time in two years. While it may not seem like that much time has passed since their Starcatcher Tour wrapped up back in 2024, it has seemingly been an eternity for the thousands of fans that waited in line like it was 1999 to grab tickets for the band’s return to the storied Bowery Ballroom in New York City. The band last played the Bowery way back in December of 2017, about a month after the release of their eponymous Grammy-winning debut album From the Fires. Choosing this club for their return was a full circle moment, certainly, but also the launch of a new chapter after spending the last four years amongst the music stars.
The concept of the underplay is a cool one, and Greta Van Fleet aren’t the only big time rock band to do it lately. Over the last few months, Foo Fighters have launched several surprise club gigs. Following a very similar format, they announced the gigs with just a day’s notice (give or take) and reasonably priced tickets had to be purchased in person, with cash, just like the good old days. Last summer, Metallica (who Greta Van Fleet have opened for a few times) packed just 500 people into Stephen Talkhouse in The Hamptons to celebrate the launch of their very own SiriusXM channel.
Now, GVF are following the mold – and it was a great success. Hours before tickets went on sale, fans were lined up for blocks for the chance to grab a ticket at the legendary venue that recently played host to none other than Paul McCartney for another massive underplay. Just 24 hours later, a much smaller line would form and once again wrap around the block comprised of a few lucky fans that scored tickets and were now trying to get as close to this arena headliner as possible.
It’s a very cool concept, especially considering the state of the music industry. Ticket prices for arena shows are astronomically high, with bots and scalpers making the re-sale market even worse. Underplays like this not only create a unique experience for the fans, they allow the bands to be in control. Perhaps these one-off deals could spark a larger trend. Might we see acts like Greta Van Fleet trade arenas and stadiums for mini-residencies at smaller venues? If the math is mathin’, then why not?
As 8:30pm approached, the energy in the room became even more palpable. The capacity crowd was practically buzzing, and chants of the band’s name grew louder and louder. Greta Van Fleet strolled onto the stage as the audience erupted. The boys were finally back in town. They came out swinging, kicking off the evening’s festivities with the track that started it all – “Highway Tune.” The song has become an unmistakable anthem for this generation of young rock fans. Guitarist Jake Kiszka barely hit the first three notes before the capacity crowed whipped into a frenzy.
The band’s return to their roots didn’t end with the size of venue they chose to perform at. While it may seem strange to use the phrase “early material” when talking about a band comprised of four members who are all barely 30-years old. So, let’s say the band took fans on a stroll down memory lane, focusing on the songs that put them on the map. After they tore through “Highway Tune,” they immediately launched into “Safari Song” with the audience singing every word.
From there, it was one hit after the other, with highlights including “Flower Power,” “When the Curtain Falls,” “Age of Man,” and “Light My Love.”
Throughout the night, singer Josh Kiszka showered the crowd with praise, thanking them on behalf of his bandmates for their unwavering support not just in the last 24 hours, but throughout their entire career.
Towards the very end of the set, the band performed one lone track from their previous Top 10 album Starcatcher, and it is the album’s best cut – “Meeting the Master.” With sold out arena shows around the gl0be, the album created a larger-than-life experience for the band. Maybe they just wanted to stick to their old stuff, or maybe Starcatcher just has its place in time. They did, of course, play every song accept one from the record on the Starcatcher Tour. Either way, no one seemed to be complaining about the trip down memory lane.
After the parade of greatest hits, the band decided to give the fans a taste of new music. They served up two helpings of their forthcoming album – “Tear It Down” and “Play Your Games.” The latter track official arrives this Friday, May 29, thus sending Starcatcher to the vault as the band starts their next era.
Greta Van Fleet’s Starcatcher Tour was a massive rockstar moment for the band. It transformed them into larger-than-life entities. Everything from the music on the album, to the production, to their wardrobe, was an absolute rock ‘n’ roll spectacle. While they handled it all with grace, the behemoth album cycle may have just been a bit too much of an undertaking for the boys this early in their already decorated career; as if they were just actors in their own musical. Last night, Greta Van Fleet re-emerged with a newfound swagger that we haven’t seen yet. All the trappings of the Starcatcher Tour were stripped away, and they seemed more confident, raucous, and raw. Those four kids from Nashville are growing up. Despite already being one of the biggest rock bands on the planet, we might actually see them fully come into their own as they head down this next stretch of their existence.
Since emerging from Michigan and exploding onto the global stage, Greta Van Fleet have become one of the defining rock bands of their generation: a group equally embraced by lifelong rock purists and a younger audience rediscovering the power, freedom, and spectacle of the genre. Their ascent has been marked by platinum-selling records, GRAMMY® wins, huge international arena and stadium tours, and a reputation for delivering live performances with the kind of musicianship and emotional release that plays into the history books and cultural mythology of the legendary bands before them.
