SILVERSUN PICKUPS SETLIST

Well Thought Out Twinkles
It Doesn’t Matter Why
Panic Switch
Scared Together
The Pit
The Royal We
Freakazoid
Kissing Families
Don’t Know Yet
Substitution
Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)
Latchkey Kids
Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)
Nightlight

Encore:

Alone on a Hill
Little Lover’s So Polite
Lazy Eye

SILVERSUN PICKUPS TOUR DATES

18 AUGUST Aspen, CO BELLY UP
19 AUGUST Denver, CO CHANNEL 93.3’S BIG GIG
28 SEPTEMBER San Diego, CA THE OBSERVATORY NORTH PARK
29 SEPTEMBER Anaheim, CA HOUSE OF BLUES
1 OCTOBER Rancho Mirage, CA AGUA CALIENTE CASINO
2 OCTOBER Ventura, CA THE MAJESTIC VENTURA THEATER
3 OCTOBER Los Angeles, CA THE ORPHEUM THEATRE
6 OCTOBER Oakland, CA FOX THEATER
7 OCTOBER Monterey, CA GOLDEN STATE THEATRE
8 OCTOBER Stateline, NV HARRAH’S LAKE TAHOE
9 OCTOBER Sacramento, CA ACE OF SPADES
15 OCTOBER Fresno, CA NEW ROCK 104.1’S BREW ROCK
2 NOVEMBER Boston, MA HOUSE OF BLUES
4 NOVEMBER New Haven, CT COLLEGE STREET MUSIC HALL
5 NOVEMBER Montclair, NJ THE WELLMONT THEATER
6 NOVEMBER New York, NY WEBSTER HALL
8 NOVEMBER Baltimore, MD RAMS HEAD LIVE!
9 NOVEMBER Philadelphia, PA THE FILLMORE
11 NOVEMBER Raleigh, NC THE RITZ
12 NOVEMBER Charlotte, NC THE FILLMORE
14 NOVEMBER Orlando, FL HOUSE OF BLUES
15 NOVEMBER St. Petersburg, FL JANNUS LIVE
17 NOVEMBER Atlanta, GA BUCKHEAD THEATRE
18 NOVEMBER Nashville, TN MARATHON MUSIC WORK

“I’ve been waiting, I’ve been waiting for this moment” —Silversun Pickups, “Lazy Eye”

As it had been a decade-and-a-half since Silversun Pickups had last played Lawrence, Kansas; for their longtime local fans, the anticipation of this show at Liberty Hall was years in the making.

The evening would begin with a forty-minute set courtesy of Kansas City, MO-based Kid Computer (George McMillian; Matt Gore; Dalton Grenier; Andy Wooden), in support of brand-new full-length, Cafe Vertical Garden (on Super Sonic Records).

In addition to celebrating five years together as a band, they also announced the return of drummer Grenier- the band formed in 2017, self-released a series of singles, followed by an EP in 2019 and now an LP in 2022, playing their self-described “super-sonic pudding-pop”.

Anyone in the immediate area can catch them outdoors at Evergy Plaza in downtown Topeka on August 27 as they play the free ForgeFest 2022, promoting young talent and the city and county as a destination for economic development, that leads to successes for all.

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The ninety-five-minute headlining set from Silversun Pickups, started like a time machine- a spooky ebbing hum and dry ice smoke prefaced the band taking the stage which began with “Well Thought Out Twinkles”, from their 2006 debut album, the song also remembered for being featured on Tony Hawk and Rock Band video games.

The band’s core foursome (Brian Aubert– vocals, guitar; Nikki Monninger– bass; Chris Guanlao– drums; Joe Lester– keyboards) has been basically intact for its two decades and have further honed their signature sound on new album, Physical Thrills (out this Friday on New Machine Recordings), again produced by Butch (Nirvana, Garbage) Vig.

An early-set extra gear of adrenaline was supplied by 2009’s “Panic Switch” with its unmissable Monniger bassline and chaotically beautiful guitar work, which here, was extended, de-constructed, then re-constructed. Aubert tried with difficulty to recall his last time in town (2006 at The Jackpot [r.i.p.] according to their site) but he also mentioned his love of older restored movie theaters as venues, and teased people to stay for a film following.

First single from the new album, “Scared Together” could certainly be looked at as an analogy for the pandemic, as Aubert sang, “We’re so much better when we’re scared together” then he prepared us all for battle on 2009’s “The Royal We” singing, “How many times do you wanna die? How many ways do you wanna die?” (coincidentally as a fight almost broke out on the floor).

2019’s “Freakazoid” still seems like a new song as the band didn’t have much chance to play it live before things shut down, and Aubert brought up that bassist Monniger may have had a ghost in her hotel room. “Don’t Know Yet” found the crowd snapping along in unison, followed by the dizzying “Substitution” (flipped from the setlist order), and Aubert confessed to being “chicken-skinned” while in town, sensing some “strange juju” of sorts, though laughed it off and thanked the crowd for coming. The main set ended on energetic chants of “We want it”” on 2015’s “Nightlight”.

The encore began with the new record’s “Alone on a Hill” and a chance for Monninger to channel her inner Kate Bush as she took over lead vocals for the song, then amped into a wall of sound on 2006’s “Little Lover’s So Polite” before things ended with the LA band’s best-known song, “Lazy Eye” and each band member would leave the stage one-by-one to applause, while Aubert’s guitar’s still hummed from some backstage corner, even long after he was off-stage.

The return of in-person live music means Physical Thrills (as opposed to virtual livestreams and teleconferences) and the return of Silversun Pickups to Lawrence after a fifteen-year absence, was just what local fans had waited so long for.

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)