burn the house tour — Might Be Off the Record

I arrived at the Songbyrd Music House at 5 p.m., two hours before the show that rainy night. No one else had arrived for the show yet, other than the bands playing. I was first in what became a line of thirty or so people, where fans shared concert memories and talked about upcoming shows. It was rewarding to recognize people from previous shows and learn that I would see them again in a few weeks.

As we entered the venue, I thought back to seeing Racing Mount Pleasant at Songbyrd. It had been such a great night: Racing Mount Pleasant played well, and opener Charlie Martin impressed me. This past experience gave me high hopes for the show that night with HoldFast. and Cardinal Bloom from Denver and Utah, respectively. After getting my spot up against the stage, I met with HoldFast.’s bassist, Mikey Maddocks, who is one of the three members in the family trio. I interviewed him about the band before their set (Interview Here). Minutes before he had to head back to the stage, we left the outside seating area, and I went back to my spot in the crowd.

HoldFast. took the stage with all the energy that Mikey had promised, getting the crowd dancing, clapping, and singing along when they knew the lyrics. Their ten-song set included “Unknown,” “Everything Wrong,” “Bet!” and many others from their discography. They expressed gratitude for the chance to play with Cardinal Bloom. Earlier, Mikey had told me that planning issues had left them unsure whether they could tour in support of the album. They also shared that Tommy had undergone multiple wrist surgeries before the tour. Practice and rehabilitation had been strenuous, but they were happy to be performing again.

They closed with “Tom’s Song,” an electric track during which Charlie and Tommy switched positions, giving Tommy time at the front of the stage. Afterward, the people around me seemed impressed. When I spoke to several of them they said that they had not known the band before the set but had become fans. I watched the stage crew set up for Cardinal Bloom. Within twenty minutes, the band was already walking out and greeting the crowd.

Cardinal Bloom sounded great across a set of more than eighteen songs, ranging from the brand-new “burn the house” to older favorites like “Sunday Afternoon” and “Love Will Find a Way.” This selection felt like a tribute to their entire discography. The band kept the energy high, taking requests and laughing with fans that were barking between songs. They thanked HoldFast. for opening the tour and expressed gratitude for their first headlining DC show. Vocal-level issues persisted throughout the set, but the band still delivered an excellent performance. They jumped around the stage as guitar solos filled the room and the crowd swayed along.

I left my spot by the stage. My pants were still soaked from the shins down after the wait outside, though the rain had finally stopped. I sat at a table near the merch stand, waiting to congratulate HoldFast. on their set. It was great to talk with Mikey again. He thanked me for being there to cover the show and thanked the fans for coming out for the opening set, which can sometimes go underappreciated. I also spoke briefly with Tommy and Charlie about the show and tour. Like Mikey, they were delighted by the turnout and happy to be part of the tour.

It was so easy to see how connected they are with the crowd. From the second their set ended to well after the show, they stood near the merch table talking with new fans, signing merch, and taking pictures.

Cardinal Bloom has roughly twenty times as many listeners as HoldFast., but the difference in audience size did not translate to a difference in stage presence. Both bands delivered a night of strong musicianship for an enthusiastic crowd. Whether you are a longtime fan or a new listener, I recommend you see them play during the burn the house tour. HoldFast. will join Cardinal Bloom for six more shows, so try to catch one of those dates or another stop on the tour.