The Hold Steady [Lee Allen]

AT least, Craig and Franz of the American rock and roll band The Hold Steady say, we knew what waking up to a Donald Trump presidency was going to feel like.

Craig Finn – vocals and guitar – and Franz Nicolay – keyboard – are readying themselves for their annual pilgrimage to Camden Town. The band present The Weekender – a set of gigs and associated events that has become a must-do in rock and roll fans’ calendar every March.

In 2016, after Donald Trump’s first election victory, the band and their followers woke up to see the disastrous choice half their fellow Americans had plumped for.

He was elected just as The Hold Steady were embarking on a new way to engage with their supporters.

The Hold Steady don’t just do a gig and move on – they have established a theme called The Weekender, where the band play shows and couple it with extra elements: they include a rock and roll walking tour, a pub quiz where each band member captains a team, and even hosted Sunday roasts for fans.

They are bringing their weekender concept to Camden Town at the start of March – an event now into its eighth year.

“We started doing these residences in 2016, just after the election,” recalls Craig.

For their fanbase and the band, the chance to come together to process the shock many felt, was cathartic.

“Something people kept saying to us was they needed this weekend – we needed to be around nice people, people who cared. And the answer, the antidote to the hate, was to be part of a community, to come together and be good to each other, even when times are dark.”

Franz agrees. With the Trump Mark II in power with an even more reactionary political project, the band feel they have a greater responsibility towards each other and those who come to their events.

“You need to be able to offer an alternative vision,” says Franz. “You cannot abandon the stage because of the politics surrounding you.”

The band were formed 2003 and quickly established a US-wide fan base. America, however, wasn’t big enough and European tours quickly followed.

“We first started the Weekender in 2016,” says lead singer Craig. “We hadn’t played for about a year. We’d had a break and we did three nights in the Brooklyn Bowl.”

These shows led to the band having a penny-drop moment over how those who came to see them made it a full weekend based around a gig. “People had their own excitement about the weekends we were playing, their own plans. They were going to multiple shows. We had 130 songs we could play from our catalogue and so each show was different. People knew that and came to more than one night.”

“A community grew, so we did a weekend of events in Brooklyn and then we started them in other places”, adds Franz.

“We have always had a great UK fanbase and we found ourselves a great partner in the Electric Ballroom.”

This year the Weekender includes a stripped down storytelling event at The Dome – above the Boston Arms in Tufnell Park – before moving to the Electric Ballroom and the 100 Club. Thrown in alongside these live gigs are a guitar workshop, access to sound checks including a happy hour, a rock and roll walking tour of Camden’s music history, and their hotly contested Sunday afternoon pub quiz. Previously, they had included a sit-down meal on a Sunday – something that the band decided perhaps was not quite the level of rock and roll to match The Hold Steady sound.

“The Sunday roast idea we did once,” says Craig. “But someone said to me best not to involve food and rock and roll, and I thought that was decent advice. Eating and rock and roll aren’t easy to go together – rock and roll should be a bit dirty.”

The band have found a little bit of competitiveness among their naturally cooperative characters – fostered by the pub quiz.

“The quiz is really successful,” says Craig. “Each of us captains a team and each of us has won once.”

The set-up allows the musicians to get a feel for the places they play. The band loves the sense of history they get when they make their annual pilgrimage to Camden Town, and recognise the special – and often transient and fragile – ecosystem venues create.

“We absolutely love playing the Ballroom,” says Craig. “It has a brilliant reputation. It is a classic place to play.

“When you learn about all the amazing people who have played there, that can’t not be inspiring.

“It is the right size, and if you are into rock history it is quite something – so many household names. I often ask London venues: have The Clash played here? And the answer is often yes – that’s good enough for me.”

As well as the Electric, they play the 100 Club this year.

“The 100 Club was an inspired choice – talk about a classic venue,” adds Franz. “The list of people who have stood on that stage is endless.”

Back in Brooklyn, Craig says rock and roll venues are alive and kicking.

“Brooklyn is thriving – every time I turn around there is a new venue,” he says. “But one of the consequences of the pandemic was many independent venues were taken over by conglomerates.”

They recognise the cost has changed the ability for music lovers to show up to gigs on the off chance they might find a new act they like.

“Now the beer is the same as going to a baseball game – that is definitely an issue,” says Craig. “Where they charged $8, they now charge $14.”

The band is always composing, so fans can expect classics and new tunes side by side.

“Writing comes in many different ways,” says Craig. “Franz or Tad [Kubler, guitarist] will come to me with music. I start to figure out what works.”

His lyrics are formed by what the music offers.

“Sometimes a song will have a big guitar riff and you think: Okay, that can’t be about going to the post office.”

And 20 years after forming, they have the same enthusiasm.

“One thing that is constant is the feeling when we put our instruments on and we start playing the music,” says Craig. “It brings you to the same place we were at when we first played together.

“And then there is the communal aspect of live shows. Whether it was for 50 people in 2004 or in 2024 and appearing for many more, it means you really feel we are all in it together.

“Rock and roll can bring people an incredible sense of joy – and it can help acknowledge tragedy.”

• The Hold Steady are in Camden from Thursday March 6 until Sunday March 9, playing The Dome, The Electric Ballroom and the 100 Club. For details visit https://theholdsteady.net/