I couldn’t even begin to tell you the last time I saw Bad Suns live. For a short while, they were leading the pack, but then there were a few albums that weren’t necessarily my favorite, and then the pandemic…but a short tour was announced and Cleveland was on the list, so I jumped at the chance to get a ticket!
I will say, the last time I “saw” them in concert, was a show that they live-streamed during the pandemic. It was awesome because it was Language & Perspective in its entirety, but it was also sad because it was the last time I was going to see Ray with them. I had more hope for the band again with their last full-length album, Apocalypse Whenever, so I was excited to hear what a set would sound like in 2025. They also have their fifth album on the way come August, so we were treated to their lead single, as well as an upcoming single.
What was really cool was getting to see them at such a small venue again. They were on a hot streak for a long while, opening at larger venues, making them less accessible. That problem is cool when I want to see them succeed, but it also really bruises my hipster ego. Learning that they sold out this small venue didn’t come as much of a surprise, I suppose, but again, I was just glad to get the chance to see them in a much more intimate space again. In fact, Facebook reminded me that my friend and I first saw them back in January exactly eleven years ago. That’s kind of insane!
As I said before, it was strange and weird to see them without Ray, but they still sounded just as awesome as all of the other times I’ve got to see them live. I felt lucky to get to hear “Heartbreaker,” “This Was a Home Once,” and “We Move Like the Ocean” in a pretty robust setlist. They added some pizzazz to the setlist by cropping in a few short cover bits, appealing to the gen Z and millennials in the crowd alike. I did appreciate, while they didn’t play “Sleep Paralysis” with any vocals, that they did include it, because it’s still the perfect intro to “Rearview.” Similar to other times I’ve seen Bad Suns, Christo chooses this particular song to get into the crowd, and I only wish my viewing spot could have been closer.
As an elder millennial with manners, I felt weird hanging out too long after the show, so I have no clue if the guys ever emerged from their dressing room to engage with the fans who stayed behind. I know if Ray was still there I would have found him, but at least I have the satisfaction of knowing that I was probably one of the only people there to have seen them live for the first time so long ago. I’m excited for the new record, and I hope I don’t go that long without seeing them again.