Monday night (3 feb 2014), I saw the Hold Steady play a show at A&R Music Bar. It was a very wild, loud, energetic show—just exactly what I expected. Craig Finn went guitar-less most of the evening (“I made a new year’s resolution to stop fake-playing-guitar so much”) and repeatedly attempted to imitate Paul Stanley’s stage banter. There were many good songs. I was particularly happy to hear Rock Problems and Stuck Between Stations. Besides the great music, I had a chance to meet up with Blair, the dude who ridiculed me online a few years ago and since then has become a good internet friend, as well as a bunch of other random Columbus music-scene folks. Tons of fun.