The Early November kicked off a headlining tour in support of their frankly incredible new self-titled album at Le Poisson Rouge on Saturday night. Longtime band leader Ace Enders came out on stage full of piss and vinegar, starting the set off with the heavy, angst-filled single “What We Earn” and never letting his energy dip across the entire 17-song, career-spanning set that followed. Leading right into “We Hang On,” another s/t cut that leans into a darker, more aggressive territory than we might typically be used to with this band and had the crowd screaming every word alongside both.
From there, the band shied away from the new record in favor of deeper cuts and crowd-pleasing favorites, returning to it only once, two tracks later with another instantly-classic pre-release single, “The Empress.” That song stands certainly tall alongside other catchy hits like “The Mountain Range in My Living Room” or “Sunday Drive,” but I couldn’t help but wish that we got a few more songs from the record. Even still, what was clear throughout the whole night was that the room was full of TEN diehards who’d been following along with this band from the very beginning, with earth-shattering call-and-responses for even the deepest of cuts from mid-career releases like In Currents and Imbue.
There was no moment so singular, though, as early-career single “Ever So Sweet,” a song that Enders’ bandmates left the stage for, in favor of a crowd-led chant through most of its biggest moments. And you could really feel the appreciation that radiated through his performance, for every single person there, especially as an elder-statesman of emo that sometimes gets left behind during the genre’s current nostalgia boom.
As incredible as it was to see them in an intimate venue like LPR, I couldn’t help but wonder why The Early November aren’t playing bigger rooms or showing up on the bigger emo nostalgia fests like When We Were Young. They definitely deserve it, but at the same time, TEN have more than proven that they don’t need to rely on the kind of throw-back antics to fill a room with a bunch of people who love them for doing exactly what they’re doing. Which is still making the kind of urgent, passionate songs that drew us all in when we were teenagers.
Providing direct support at the show were another deep-cut emo act, Spitalfield, who recently reunited and celebrated the 20-year anniversary of their breakthrough 2003 album Remember Right Now. They played a tight set during the early evening show, pulling from all three of their Victory Records albums, and seemed clearly thrilled to be living through this second stage of their career. The other opener, Flycatcher, fresh off a run supporting All Get Out, played a brief but powerful collection of songs for everyone smart enough to get there early to catch them.
Check out the setlist, remaining tour dates, and a video from Sunday’s Philly show below. The Early November will be back in the area to play NJ’s Asbury Lanes on July 18 with Hit the Lights.
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The Early November @ LPR – 6/22/24 Setlist (via)
What We Earn
We Hang On
Decoration
The Empress
Boxing Timelines
Make It Happen
The Mountain Range in My Living Room
Sunday Drive
Tell Me Why
Ever So Sweet
Sesame, Smeshame
Call Off the Bells
Narrow Mouth
I Want to Hear You Sad
A Stain on the Carpet
Baby Blue
Encore:
Every Night’s Another Story
The Early November — 2024 Tour Dates
6/25 – Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room
6/27 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Crafthouse
6/28 – Detroit, MI @ The Shelter
6/29 – Lakewood, OH @ The Roxy
6/30 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
7/2 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theater
7/3 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
7/5 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
7/6 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
7/7 – Mesa, AZ @ Nile Theatre
7/9 – Austin, TX @ Come and Take It
7/10 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
7/12 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
7/13 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
7/14 – Nashville, TN @ Eastside Bowl
7/16 – Richmond, VA @ Canal Club
7/17 – Washington, DC @ Union Stag
7/18 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
7/19 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair