Although Blue October fans got a small taste of the band over the summer when they opened for The Goo Goo Dolls at St. Louis Music Park, this was the show that die-hards have been waiting for since COVID postponed their last scheduled show. The band brought it hard and made up for the long-awaited anticipation.
Austin, Texas band, Beatnik Bandits, opened the show with a highly energetic set which pumped up the crowd as they lie in wait for Blue October to hit the stage. There are a handful of bands of which I’ve become a fan after seeing them for the first time as an opening act and this is without a doubt one of those bands.
At approximately 9:00 P.M., 105.7 The Point’s newest on air personality, Liv Maddix, appeared on stage to introduce the band while recognizing the vibe and spirit in the room brought by radio legend and Blue October superfan, Jeff Burton. The crowd erupted, showing their love for Jeff as Liv shouted “Jeff Burton” and the crowd responded “Forever!” It was a very touching moment and the night just didn’t seem the same without him there.
Justin, Matt, Jeremy, Will, and Ryan entered stage left to a roaring crowd, backlit by darkness with hues of blue. They began the show with an ominous prelude to The Kitchen Drawer. Justin burst into his explosive performance without wasting any time and it carried throughout the show as it always does.
Justin, too, paid homage to Jeff and his family by sharing a memory of his and Jeff’s late night phone calls while Jeff does what he always did; sat on his deck, cigar in hand. Justin asked the crowd to fill the venue with “fireflies” (flashlights from cell phones) which lit the room like a big, warm hug from Jeff before they broke into the song dedicated to Jeff’s family, “Home”. Justin also announced that they will be back in town on December 6th performing for a show dedicated to Jeff’s legacy.
Many fans of Blue October have heard of Justin’s recent separation from his wife. He addressed the situation by acknowledging that he loved someone enough to let them go before going into Spinning The Truth Around.
The crowd was on their feet throughout the set with a mixture of smiles and tears all around. It was a very emotional night as usual, with the sentiment and raw depth that comprises the music of Blue October.
Setlist:
- The Kitchen Drawer
- The Way I Used to Love You
- This is What I Live For
- Oh My My
- Say It
- Fight For Love
- Into the Ocean
- All That We Are
- 18th Floor Balcony
- Home
- Hate Me
- Spinning The Truth Around
- Sway
- Shut Up I Want You to Love Me Back
- James
- Colors Collide
- Italian Radio
- Fear
Encore
- Congratulations (Acoustic performance with Justin and Ryan)
- Where Did You Go I’m Less of a Mess These Days
- Moving On (So Long)
- I Hope You’re Happy
