Arts Fishing Club’s St. Louis Concert Reels In Fans Hook, Line, and Sinker
— by Carrie Zukoski
If you enjoy The Lumineers, The Head and the Heart, Lord Huron, Bon Iver, and the like, then it’s time to add Arts Fishing Club into your rotation.
Two-thirds of the way through their spring concert tour, the now Nashville-based indie folk/rock band made their way through St. Louis Wednesday night, docking at Old Rock House. Their carefree sound netted mainly Gen Zers, with a few Millennials and Gen Xers tossed in for good measure on this beautiful early summer night.
On their second night opening for Arts Fishing Club on this tour, Cardinal Bloom hit the stage a little after 8 p.m. The Salt Lake City-based, four-piece indie rock band that recently added SXSW to their growing résumé put on an impressive 35-40 minute set. One avid fan drove in from southern Oklahoma on this Wednesday night to joyfully dance throughout their portion of the show. After speaking with said fan, they informed us that the current bassist, Levi, is brand new as of about two weeks ago. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Joey St. John, made note of Levi on stage and joked that, “Now all our hair is the same, except Nate’s [drummer].” St. John also thanked the crowd for coming out to “See these Cardinals tonight instead of the other ones.” [The St. Louis Cardinals had a game just down the street at Busch Stadium.] The band kicked the night off with the jangly “12:30,” which had this concert photographer thinking it resembled some early ’90s tunes but not quite sure which ones. And that’s part of their draw. Mixing different tones, drum rhythms, and a garage/indie style that says nostalgic, but sounds fresh at the same time. They introduced “Melatonin” and performed the song that put them on the map, “She’s Just a Friend,” that starts out bouncy, lilting, and soft while peppering in some angst throughout.
With a simple neon sign bearing their name hung high above their heads, Arts Fishing Club performed an eclectic and memorable 75+ minute set for the 300 or so fans in the crowd [honestly, we lost track of time]. The band that takes the same approach to their music as fishing, “Fishing is about being in the boat with the people we love, exploring nature, and pursuing adventure. Landing a big catch is a consequence of relentless pursuit.
That approach to fishing is how we approach music. It’s our search to make sense of this world. To try to explain the questions we have that we cannot answer with words alone. It’s an adventure, it’s personal, it’s social, it’s frustrating, and it’s joyous, but most of all…it’s about being in the boat.”
However they create their music, it’s working hook, line, and sinker. The band, consisting of lead singer/guitarist Christopher Kessenich, Jody Lee Oliver on drums, Chris Dunkley on guitar, and Nir Horowitz on bass, kicked their set off with the extremely catchy, power-ballad “Devil on My Shoulder.” They then slide into the light, bright, harmonizing “Space Cow,” followed by the harder, angst-tinged indie “Tough Shit.” From the goofy, “Gary Busey” to the brand-new, slightly jangly ballad “Can’t Wait Much Longer” to the bright, simply sweet “Tupelo Honey” to the laid-back, partially funky “Supernatural Groove,” Arts Fishing Club covers a multitude of genres. Add in the energy they toss around on stage, and fans stayed riveted throughout the show.
Each band has the chops to keep growing and filling larger and larger venues. And while we hope that’s in store for them, it was lovely to see them both up close and personal. One thing’s for certain, we’ve jumped into the boat with them and their music and plan on staying for the ride.
See all our exclusive photos from the night here: https://bit.ly/ArtsFishing26cz
