Texas alternative rock band Blue October, who are currently in the midst of The King Tour, made a stop in Louisville, KY recently and performed to a nearly sold-out crowd of diehard fans! The band has been working hard to promote their latest album I Hope You’re Happy, an album which was produced solely by singer Justin Furstenfeld and that saw the band host their crowdsourcing campaign independently. With a career that has spanned over two decades, the band has grown a large and passionate fan base over the years. With a deafening wave of cheers, screams and applause, the band walked out onto the stage to start the show. Bathed in beautiful lighting in an array of colors, they proceeded to perform a wide variety of songs that had their fans singing along and dancing to everyone. With a visible camaraderie on stage, the band had fun with each other on stage, as well as with the crowd. Starting their set off with “I Want It” followed by “Amnesia”, the crowd was buzzing with energy and ready for a fun evening. Furstenfeld loves his fans, many of whom have stuck with him over the years as he battled his demons and re-emerged with a sense of peace and love of life, humble and grateful for the second chance he’s been given. Many of the band’s newer songs reflect his faith and gratefulness for second chances. It was apparent by watching the crowd throughout the evening just how much the band and their music mean to so many people and how deeply the fans connect with the lyrics. There were several times that I noticed fans who were so moved by the powerful message of certain songs that they were crying.
Chatting with the crowd often throughout the set with funny stories and talk of the new album, Furstenfeld kept the crowd engaged throughout the evening. Near the middle of the set, he told the crowd how the band wanted to come out and play a lot of songs for them, many of which they hadn’t played live for a while, thanking them all for their support. The band then performed their hit song “Into The Ocean” which saw the crowd sing along at full volume. At one point Furstenfeld stopped singing, letting the crowd takeover and it was an an amazing moment to witness. Telling them “You all are so beautiful! I love you so much!”, he then finished the song. He then told a funny story about being in bed with his wife one morning, feeling frisky but confident in his Superman boxers, when his kids chose that moment to barge into the room causing him to quietly get out of bed to make them breakfast. He then told his fans how his great home and family made him feel like the most successful man in the world and that when he leaves his home to tour, he gets to see and perform for his fans, who he considers his second family. Telling the crowd that the band recently released I Hope You’re Happy, he said “If it’s alright with you, I’d like to play my favorite song from the album”, performing “All That We Are”. He then said “Today I woke up grateful. No matter how bad my day gets, I can always start over. I’m going to fuck up this depression. Today I rely on my friends. The moment I found that peace was the most beautiful thing I have ever felt”. Ending their set with “Coal Makes Diamonds”, “Leave It In The Dressing Room (Shake It Up)” and “Things We Do At Night”, the band left the stage briefly before coming back out for an encore. The encore started with Furstenfeld coming back out alone with an acoustic guitar to sing “Further Dive (The House That Dylan Built)”. The rest of the band then came out to perform their hit song “Hate Me”. Furstenfeld then told the crowd that the band had 2 more songs and that if they bought the new album this evening, that the band would be back at the merch table after the show to sign the albums in order to thank each of them in person. The band then performed “How To Dance In Time” and “King”. They ended their set on a high-energy and upbeat note, with Furstenfeld telling the crowd “I have one thing left to say to you guys. I hope you’re happy” before launching into the title track from their new album. Blue October is a fun and dynamic live band and gave their fans an incredible evening of music! Nashville alternative rock band Mona opened the show.
Photographs by Emily May – Blue October and Mona in Louisville, KY
