tran·scend·ent
Last night we ventured to San Francisco for the return of Blue October. They are currently out on tour as they prepare to release their ninth studio album, I Hope You’re Happy on August 17th via Up/Down-Brando Records. We have been anticipating this show as the music of Blue October has been the soundtrack of our lives for nearly the past 20 years. It was there for the good times, the bad times, the laughs, the tears, the triumphs, the losses and everything in between. We all have music that gets us through those times, but not often is it by the same artist/band.
Most recently through our loss of the business and our home in the Santa Rosa fires, the music of Blue October was there as our staunch friend. Amid all the loss and struggle, we couldn’t help but lift our heads high and continue on. That is what the music of Blue October does. It helps, it heals, it inspires, it moves you. So we couldn’t wait to see them out on this tour. They performed at the beautiful new venue August Hall and if I had to sum the show up with one word…. it would be… Transcendent.
Every time we have seen Blue October live, a new bar is set. They blow us away with their awe-inspiring performances and we can’t fathom them taking it to a new level. But low and behold, last night proved they can take it to levels not even possible. The cohesion of the band was superb as the music was spot on and we couldn’t help but relish in the glow that the band was radiating through the crowd. The eclectic mix of new and old songs kept the crowd heightened with anticipation of what would come next.
Highlights
If I had to pick a couple highlights of the night, they would be:
- The entire crowd singing along to The Chills, everyone had their hands in the air, singing along and dancing with abandon, raising the energy of the venue to new heights
- Justin’s intro to Into The Ocean which included a heartfelt honest, emotionally stirring speech about how he deals with his ongoing depression. Once again, you are inviting into his world as he exposes his vulnerability and raw emotion, with the hopes that his words can help others deal and cope. You could look across the room and see the emotion across the faces of the fans.
- Hearing all the new songs off the upcoming album performed live. They were uplifting, invigorating and just pure blissful feel-good songs that had the crowd ecstatic and dancing. I Want To Come Home is a personal favorite of mine.
- The natural high that comes from a live Blue October performance. It is so hard to explain but when you leave a Blue October show you are truly in a heightened sense of bliss. Whether you could be experiencing hard times or challenges in your life, the music is an instant mood elevator of positivity. You just have to breathe it in and let it take you to new heights! It is like putting on a pair of rose colored glasses and looking out into what can be your dark world, giving you the insight to see the positivity in all things, even chaos.
You can catch Blue October out on their I Hope You’re Happy Tour. Make sure to get their early so you don’t miss the kick ass set by Kitten. Check out our coverage of their set here. In addition, if you haven’t already, make sure to pre-order the new album by heading over to https://ihopeyourehappy.blueoctober.com/. With your pre-order you will receive 3 gratis tracks now: “I’ll Do Me, You Do You,” “Colors Collide,” and the lead hit single “I Hope You’re Happy.”
Check out some of the photos from their San Francisco set by our Rockin Ryan:
Upcoming Tour Dates:
JUN 19: Cargo – Reno, NV
JUN 21: Knitting Factory – Spokane, WA
JUN 22: Roseland Theater – Portland, OR
JUN 23: Showbox SoDo – Seattle, WA
JUN 27: The Wilma – Missoula, MT
JUN 28: Knitting Factory – Boise, ID
JUN 29: The Complex – Salt Lake City, UT
JUN 30: Ogden Theater – Denver, CO
JUL 01: Ogden Theater – Denver, CO
JUL 12 – AUG 9 Thursday Residency: Hotel Cafe [An Open Book] – Los Angeles, CA
JUL 21: 94.5 The Roast – The Woodlands, TX
JUL 27: 96.5 Beach Ball – Bonner Springs, KS
SEPT 29: The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI
OCT 6: Brenton Skating Plaza – Des Moines, IA
OCT 12: The Pageant – St. Louis – MO
OCT 14: Egyptian Room – Indianapolis, IN
OCT 19: Brady Theater – Tulsa, OK
OCT 20: Toyota Music Factory – Irving, TX
OCT 21: The Aztec Theater – San Antonio, TX
Make sure to visit their social media sites and stay up to date on their latest news.
Information & Links:
- Website: www.blueoctober.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/blueoctober
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/blueoctober
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/blueoctoberofficial
It was nice to meet you after the show. Your work is fantastic!