Concert Review: E.R.I.E. @ Park Theater, 4/27/2023

GLENS FALLS – Taking the stage this past Thursday at Park Theater in Glens Falls was the indie-rock outfit E.R.I.E. With their performance clocking in at slightly over ninety minutes, the band displayed with such fervor just how compelling they are. You don’t need to be great performers if you have great songs, but luckily for the band, they’re in surplus in both categories. From song to song, vocal melody to guitar riff, and more, E.R.I.E. graced its audience with a performance that is sure to be remembered fondly for a long time.

Quickly remarking on how great it was they had a chance to play at such a venue, it wasn’t long before E.R.I.E. jumped face-first into the night with “The Dirt Inside Your Soul.” A tune from their debut LP, the band moved through the sections as if it were being played on the record, a pristine and solid performance. Following it up with “My Rusted Armor,” off their latest release, Suburban Mayhem, it became clear for anyone unfamiliar with the band’s live act – these dudes can play their asses off. Displaying such finesse with dynamics, arrangement, and tone, the band was off to a terrific start.

Though there are a ton of great tracks from their latest record, it was a treat to see the band dip into their past catalog. Until now, I’ve only seen the band perform shorter sets; it was a welcome change to see how they fared for an entire night of music. As the audience heard the band oscillate between older songs, such as “With The Dogs,” to their newer ones, like “Don’t Wait For the Sun,” it became clear that performing longer was no problem. The audience was just as ecstatic as the band, and they fed each other’s energy quite well the whole night.

Sometimes when recording an album, guitar solos are crafted and recorded in such a way that makes it hard to get the same point across in a live setting, but lead guitarist Matt Delgado definitely came ready for the challenge. Nailing the solo to “Can’t Stop Runnin’” was a moment in a long line of examples that evening, which displayed the sheer level of camaraderie and fun the band was having. I don’t think E.R.I.E. could’ve smiled any harder than they were that night.

Whether it was Chad Flewwelling’s drums blasting you right in the teeth on songs such as “The Motions,” TJ Foster’s melodic vocals that soared in some areas (“Picture of You”) and whispered in others (“Oh Well”), or the myriad of tones and notes that poured from Matt Delgado’s amplifier, there was more than enough music to go around. And, if that wasn’t enough, all of this was greatly supported by the never-flashy-but-always-solid bass guitar parts performed by Levi Jennes. Perhaps my favorite bass line from the band that night was on “Long Way Around.” Simply put, that song grooves!

Seemingly before long, the band announced they had three songs left for the night. How did that happen so fast? To conclude their night, they ended with the bookends of their latest record, “Oh Well,” and “Suburban Mayhem,” sandwiching the rollicking, tongue-in-cheek rock tune “Bad Man’s World” in the middle. Leave the audience wanting more. This adage is ubiquitous across all art forms and for good reason. E.R.I.E. took that concept to heart and then some!

Would I have done anything differently in a concert explicitly tailored for me? Of course, I would turn the lead guitar up slightly and have the bass be much louder than it was. But overall, to say this night was anything short of being a fantastic rock concert would be incorrect and just downright lame. The band not only did their songs extreme justice but the genre as a whole. The banter included between some of the tunes was just another added bonus. If these guys end up playing near you, and you’re in the mood for a great night out dancing and grooving to songs that instantly feel familiar, go see them. You won’t regret it.

Set list:

• The Dirt Inside Your Soul
• My Rusted Armor
• With the Dogs
• Don’t Wait For the Sun
• Gentleman Callers
• Fire Away
• Fears Come Runnin’
• Fireworks
• The Motions
• Spectrums
• Little Heartbreak
• Can’t Stop Runnin’
• Long Way Around
• After All (Age of Apathy)
• World is on Fire
• Picture of You
• Oh Well
• Bad Man’s World
• Suburban Mayhem