The Brook & The Bluff enlivens the audience at the Columbia stop for its ‘Bluebeard’ spring tour.
Following the release of The Brook & The Bluff’s third studio album, “Bluebeard,” the group set out on their North American tour, resulting in over 20 sold-out shows. They performed at the Blue Note on March 19.
The MOVE section had the opportunity to sit down with the band’s members and discuss how their touring experiences have evolved prior to the show, which can be read here.
The Brook & The Bluff brought a rotation of three supporting acts for the “Bluebeard” spring tour, with Australian indie rock band Teenage Dads opening several of their March shows, including Columbia’s.
Posing as a delightfully surprising addition to the lineup, Elephant Foot, an indie band native to Columbia, had the opportunity to play prior to Teenage Dads’ set and gave their debut performance at The Blue Note.
Those who arrived at the venue before or shortly after the doors opened at 7 p.m. had the chance to hear the group’s then-unreleased single, “Dubious,” as well as a handful of more circulated tracks like “Getting On.”
The Brook and The Bluff lead vocalist Joseph Settine sings into the mic on March 19, 2024 at the Blue Note in Columbia, Mo. This was The Brook and The Bluff’s second time performing in Columbia, their first being at Rose Music Hall in 2022.
Following a brief intermission, Teenage Dads took to the stage and roused the crowd with intricate synths and eccentric moves for the better part of a half hour.
Whether belting out a selection of their most popular songs, like “Speedracer,” or hoisting their legs onto the barricade in unison and rocking out to their latest single “Weaponz,” the four-piece band transfixed the audience for the totality of their set.
The crowd fell silent for a fleeting moment, as the lights dimmed, before flourishing into an incandescent cascade of flashing bulbs, signifying The Brook & The Bluff’s arrival on stage.
The ethereal display, coupled with pre-recorded, orchestral instrumentals and accompanying soft, contemporary pop beats derived from the title track of their latest record, “Bluebeard,” made for a captivating prelude.
From there, the group opened with the melodically buoyant yet lyrically poignant “Tangerine” — one of the featured tracks on the album — as hues of blue, violet and orange flooded the venue.
While the staging may have been simplistic, the overall production and the band’s delivery were anything but.
When touring in live settings, bands run the risk of relying too heavily on overwhelming visuals at the cost of losing genuine musicality.
In terms of production, The Brook & The Bluff is streets ahead of other indie groups.
The show delivered inexplicably outstanding displays paired with immersive sound engineering in a way that didn’t overshadow the group’s talent but rather elevated their stage presence and amplified their sound.
The band’s music surpassed the high expectations that the visuals set. In pivoting from high energy to a more laid-back address through clean transitions, the group illustrated an ability to reset the entire atmosphere of the space within seconds.
Such is the case for lead guitarist Alec Bolton, who delivered stellar performances full of verve and originality. Bolton’s featured moments were often reminiscent of classic rock guitarists, while others were tempered-down on an acoustic.
Bolton swept the crowd away with masterful solos in several songs, most prominently in, but certainly not limited to, “Tell Me,” lasting just shy of two minutes, and “Doobie Bronson,” which was by far the most energetic section of the show, a testament to the inventiveness of live performances compared to studio recordings.
Teenage Dads lead guitarist Connor McLaughlin sings into the mic on March 19, 2024 at the Blue Note in Columbia, Mo. Teenage Dads opened for The Brook and The Bluff following Elephant Foot.
“Doobie Bronson” showcased the group’s versatility, with its bluesy tones and heavy basslines culminating in lead vocalist Joseph Settine and bassist Fred Lankford — alongside Bolton — ripping it out on their guitars, as they kicked their legs up in uniform, punching strikes in time with the clashing beat.
While the recorded tracks hold their own, as evidenced by over 600,000 monthly listeners, experiencing The Brook & The Bluff live is inherently unique in a way that transcends the limitations of studio recordings.
The same can be said for the band’s members. The band works beyond its identity as an attuned unit, making it apparent that live performances are where their individual talents shine the brightest.
Lead vocalist Joseph Settine proves to be a natural frontman, authentically exuding unconventional charisma. With a penchant for expressive gestures, his movements on stage are that of choreographed spontaneity. His limbs become extensions of the rhythm and almost seem to sculpt sound into tangible shapes, translating the music into a language that can be seen as much as it is heard.
As Settine raises his arms, his fingers flutter, tracing invisible patterns in the air and his wrists twist and curl before coming to a standstill mid-air. It’s as if the music itself flows through him, manifested in each gesture and step he takes.
After giving a powerfully energetic performance for “Don’t Go Slippin’ Away,” from their second album, “Yard Sale,” the group slowed down for an acoustic set.
The members gathered toward the front of the stage and effortlessly harmonized during “Knock,” potentially the most vocally diverse song on “Bluebeard.” Drummer John Canada, Bolton and Lankford delivered devastatingly delicate backing vocals, complementing Settine’s lead.
From there, Canada traded his drumsticks for an acoustic guitar to perform “Prove You Wrong.” After Canada handed the guitar off to Bolton and strode back to his kit, surprised expressions surfaced on the faces of some attendees, revealing those who were less familiar with the band’s discography.
For longtime fans, this seamless transition came as no surprise given that most of the songs the group creates are written with the potential for multiple vocalists kept at the forefront, with each member possessing the ability to sing but not always opting to.
The Brook and The Bluff lead guitarist Alec Bolton kneels while playing his guitar on March 19, 2024 at the Blue Note in Columbia, Mo. Bolton was one of the founding members of The Brook and The Bluff, along with lead vocalist Joseph Settine.
The latter half of the performance consisted solely of The Brook & The Bluff’s back catalog, featuring songs off their self-titled EP and first and second studio albums.
While performing “Off The Lawn,” both a staple from their debut full-length album, “First Place” and as an interactive number on tour, the band guided the audience through the line dancing move referred to as “step touch,” swaying and stepping side-to-side in synchrony.
Around the halfway point in the song, both the band and the audience naturally stopped step-touching, but the engagement remained very much alive. Following yet another lively guitar solo, Settine sustains an inconceivably angelic note that lasts nearly 15 seconds, before wordlessly easing the crowd back into the step-touch for the remainder of the song.
The group’s most streamed song to date, “Halfway Up,” was placed on the setlist as the third-to-last song of the evening. At the peak of the key change the disco ball, suspended high above the standing area closest to the stage, cast shimmering reflections on both fans and artists.
The emotional tone continued when the encore closed with “Are You Lonesome?” a soulful, six-minute throwback to their earliest works.
The song featured yet another instrumental break with an electric guitar outro and bursts of a recorded trumpet and saxophone.
The show clocked in at 90 minutes, with a moderately wealthy setlist consisting of 21 songs, with seven from “Bluebeard.”
After the house lights came on at the end of the night, Settine and Bolton remained on stage, taking the time to sign merchandise, hand off setlists, give guitar picks and pose for pictures with lingering fans.
Edited by Alyssa Royston | aroyston@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com
Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com