AJJ w/ Gladie at Le Poisson Rouge, in NYC
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States early in 2020, live music as we knew and loved it abruptly came to an end. For many musicians, the show played on in the form of live streams across the internet, whether they were digital events in collaboration with production companies, songs performed over Zoom calls with ticket proceeds going to charity, or simply the artist logging into Facebook or Instagram and pressing the "go live" button. AJJ frontman Sean Bonnette chose the last option, using the band's Instagram account as a way to connect with fans and sing songs from the comfort of his home - 225 times. Bonnette hopped onto the platform to perform not only original AJJ music, but covers of his favorite artists as well, often trolling the virtual crowd with Roger Miller's famed Robin Hood track, Oo-De-Lally. Many friendships were formed through these shows, with regulars attending night after night, chatting with other fans they've come to recognize and bond with. After vaccines had been rolled out for a while and it was deemed safe to tour, the streams ended, and the band hit the road to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their fourth album, Knife Man.
On the East Coast leg of the Knife Man tour, AJJ was joined by Philadelphia indie rock band Gladie, whose frontwoman Augusta Koch was warmly embraced by fans who remembered her from her former band, Cayetana. In New York City, Gladie warmed up the crowd with poppy hooks and relatable lyrics about love, mental health, and the challenges of navigating the industry through newfound sobriety. They quickly had the crowd dancing and hanging on to their every word while they performed, interacted with fans, and excitedly discussed their songs and gear.
AJJ broke into their set with the first two tracks off of the album of the hour, Knife Man, easing fans in with “The Michael Jordan of Drunk Driving” before exploding into “Gift of the Magi 2: Return of the Magi”. The energy was positive, the sold-out crowd singing and dancing its heart out. The excitement that built for this tour over the aforementioned live streams was finally able to be let out, a cathartic feeling to be sure. For some fans, it was their first time attending a concert, and the bar for their future experiences was set sky-high. For others, the bar was pushed up from wherever it may have been before. The band sprinkled a majority of Knife Man throughout the set, and pulled out an assortment of fan favorites from other records as well - and yes - the crowd was Oo-De-Lallied halfway through. Bassist Ben Gallaty checked on the squished fans upfront throughout the show to make sure they were doing okay, receiving thumbs up in confirmation. It may have been quite a while since punk shows started to return to the stage, but pit etiquette has thankfully never faded away. At one point in the set Bonnette casually shared that his birthday was the next day, which was intended to be a quick note to gloss over as he continued to speak to the crowd, but he was promptly cut off by a Happy Birthday singalong. Who could ask for a better party? He also revisited his tumbling skills as the band crashed into Big Bird, the final track on Knife Man, and the closer of the show. For the encore, AJJ launched into a cover of Lou Reed's Waves of Fear and transitioned into the ever-popular Brave as a Noun to round out the night. The band is working on new material and will hit the road once more as pandemic regulations make it possible to visit more cities.
Keep up with the bands on their socials listed below!
Gladie: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify
AJJ: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify
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