With a crowd ranging from young gen z’s trying to get the best shot on snapchat, to grayed-hair old timers nodding their heads in the back, Lincoln Hall was filled with a myriad of individuals from different pasts, all coming together for one reason, good old fashion rock and roll, and they sure as hell were not disappointed.

The Strypes, originating from Ireland, made a memorable appearance on what was a mundane Monday night in Chicago. The band consists of four member, Ross Farrelly on lead vocals and harmonica, Josh McClorey on lead guitar, Pete O’Hanlon on bass, and Evan Walsh on drums. From the moment they all walked on stage in their plaid suits and American retro t-shirts, each member brought their own edge, their own attitude, that captivated each member of the audience, myself included. When I would look around, there was not one person who was standing still. The air was foggy, smelled of beer, and every person had a smile plastered on their face. The band did a great job at engaging with the audience, not hesitating to high five an excited fan, or reply to a random scream between songs. They truly seem to care about what their fans think and want their fans to have a great time, and people were not disappointed, with screams of excitement pouring out between every song as they would announce their next tune. For a smaller crowd, they truly brought the place to life and created a positive and infectious atmosphere that kept us dancing all night long.

Having only listened to their music on Spotify, I went into this concert with lower expectations. They seemed to just be a typical rock band with young, attractive, foreign guys. While their songs are enjoyable to listen to, nothing really seemed to make them stand apart from the masses of rock music out right now. However, when I saw them live, my entire perception of them was shifted. They brought life to their songs that was lost in the recordings, between Farrelly’s riffs on harmonica, or McClorey strumming away on multiple epic guitar solos, the energy they put behind each of their songs truly set them apart and made them very enjoyable to watch. It is interesting to see the dynamic between each of the members, with Farrelly and O’Hanlon coming together on multiple parts in the songs to do synchronized, comedic moments that kept the audience guessing and smiling. While the bass player, O’Hanlon, took on the typical persona of a rocker, jumping around on stage and moving closer to the audience, McClorey seemed to be more reserved, focusing on each riff and progression on main guitar, but when his moment came to solo, he moved forward slowly and fully immersed himself in the music and the audience took notice, reaching out and cheering him along. Farrelly and Walsh retained an essence of mystery as they kept their sunglasses on the entire performance. Usually when I see a performer wearing sunglasses during a performance, I am a little dismayed, as I believe it creates a barrier between the performer and the audience. However, for this performance, I do not believe it was that much of an issue, but simply a style choice to match their “mad in plaid” aesthetic.

One moment that was unique was when someone yelled out the word “repeal” between songs while McClorey was speaking. This was because on his guitar written in white tape was that very word. He then quickly went into a short speech about the anti-abortion laws in Ireland and how a woman should have the right to chose, followed by him saying along the lines of, “I can’t believe I’m saying this on stage, it seems like it should be something that is just presumed, a woman should be able to chose what she wants to do with her body.” While I do not have his exact quote, that quick political statement was not polished or pristine, but it was sincere and even though it was short, left an impact on the audience.

After seeing them live, I have to admit, I am now much more of a fan than I was before. Their energy was truly infectious and engaging. It was what rock should be, loud, proud, and most importantly fun. In the Uber drive on the way back, the driver asked me, “what was the music like?” My friend and I had to stop for a moment, and we both said back to him, “It was good old fashion pub rock, and it was fantastic.” This just goes to show, that live music continues to be, and will always be, the best way to listen to rock bands.

*Photos from the concert will be available in our photo gallery soon!*