Bleachers

Photos & Words: Kenneth Coles

This may go down as the Thompson’s Point show of the summer. Bleacher’s elevated shows at the outdoor venue here in Portland, ME to a whole other level. The energy they brought was beyond belief. To add to it was the personal, local connection. 

The stage was set by return opener Claud, an indy artist with a heart of gold and a song catalogue of incredible substance from such a young artist. With roots in punk and pop, a style of grunge with modern flare and face melting glare, they are am authentic and original performer. 

I knew Bleachers was going to be something special when I saw the stage being unveiled. With multiple levels, colors and lighting setups which included a street light, it was a feast for the eyes. You had a feeling the whole thing was going to be big, and big it was. Lead singer Jack Antonoff came out in a leather jacket and after starting under the streetlight, threw himself at the crowd. That energy never subsided. He kept dropping layers but never dropped the intensity. 

But every great frontman knows when to let others shine, and Jack did that often through out the night. Along with giving various bandmates center stage to shine he also gave Portland local Evan Smith ample moments in the spotlight to show what her could do on saxophone. That brought such a cool and unique vibe to what felt like the kind of performance you’d expect to see at a festival. 

Anyone who went into this show that wasn’t a huge Bleachers fan, left as their biggest.