During the course of my life, I’ve grown to love many forms of music in every aspect of different genres. But one thing that I’ve known to be true was how in every era I’ve lived, I’ve always had a few artists that dominated not only my playlists but the course of my beliefs in life. This can be led by their beauty of sound, the hush of their lyrics, or the sense of nostalgia that’s always captured in a timelapse of a memory. 

 

For the era of my adulthood, Bleachers had erupted my brain chemistry in many ways than just one. A lot was because of sound, but the main concept was the beauty of sitting on emotions that only had a voice when you press play. You get devoured in their words just as Bleachers devoured the stage, leading the debut new venue The Truth to a fantastic start in Nashville, Tennessee. 

 

The night started off with “Sideways,” the simple touch that allowed you to start ascending to your cloud nine, the cue to kiss your loved one, or to close your eyes and soak it all in that this was happening. At least for me when I held up my camera in the pit, I remembered why I love life again. 

 

Throughout the course of this monumental night, there was dancing, hollering, singing, celebration even for not only the final night of the U.S. Headline Tour but to also recognize the birthday of Evan Smith, the band’s very own multi-instrumentalist. For the first-timers and devoted regular concert attendees, they were given the universe with all six members in every element of sound possible throughout “Wild Heart,” “Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call,” “Chinatown,” and many more.

 

Best of all, we were gifted with the story arcs that Jack Antonoff, the lead singer of the Bleachers, shared that he had longed for in the form of the bass when crafting “Rollercoaster.” But the thing most fans may cherish most was when “I Wanna Get Better” was played in both a full ensemble band as well as a stripped-down, guitar-only sound that was sung midway through the setlist. Antonoff offered us that in all originality, the song was made with just a guitar. But due to the nature of life reflecting thoughts and sadness in the lyrics, it had to be given a Trojan Horse effect for the audience to be accepted into society more easily. Regardless of what version we cherished the most, it still resonated with the fans in that venue on that wistful night.

 

Bleachers, in all its members, in all its words, in all its meanings, said farewell to us one final time on this leg of the tour. Yet, I know deep down in my soul that this night, the crowd — whether their first time experiencing them or their fifth time — will grip onto this memory the next time a song of theirs plays again in their lifetime. They will embrace it all and feel every note, just as it will for me.