Gramercy Theater (New York, NY)
07/30/23
Alternative-rock band Finish Ticket performed in New York City supporting Arrows in Action on their “Built To Last” tour across the United States. Finish Ticket was up first, opening the night with an infectiously energetic performance that set the tone for the rest of the evening. The band started off their set with “Rivers” off their 2010 E.P., Shake A Symphony, followed by an exuberant performance of “Wrong” off their E.P., When Night Becomes Day, that got the crowd headbanging and dancing excitedly. The band continued with “Color,” an upbeat rock song about growth and struggling to remain optimistic while pushing past difficulties. It was clear that the band considered their stage presence for this performance – the lighting during “Color” was stunning, perfectly mirroring the theme by having colorful bursts during the chorus. Up next was their newest release, “Changing,” a song about uncertainty and anxiety when facing the future, its nervous message juxtaposed with its steady beat, confident and strong vocals, and bright synths. Finish Ticket rounded out their set with the unreleased “Float Away” and fan favorite “Dream Song” before closing with an absolutely stunning performance of fan-favorite “Bring The Rain,” which featured impressive performances from all members. Lead singer Brendan Hoye’s stunning vocals were isolated for the last chorus, elevating the emotional impact of his belting and creating heightened tension for the intense instrumental breakdown that follows, during which guitarist Alex DiDonato and drummer Gabe Stein both took opportunities to shine and let it all out.
Finish Ticket is an alternative-rock band from California whose return has been long anticipated. They put out a full-length debut album, Tears You Apart, in 2014, followed with their E.P., When Night Becomes Day, in 2015. But other than a few singles over the years, the band had been relatively quiet since. In 2019, they seemed on the verge of making a return to music, even touring for the first time in 3 years, but this was put on pause – likely due in part to the pandemic. In May of 2022, they announced that they were signed to Better Noise Records and working on their long-awaited sophomore full-length album. The first single, “Changing,” was released in July and is available now on all streaming platforms with more to come soon. Whether you’ve been a fan for a decade or are just hearing of them for the first time – the chance to see this band live is absolutely not one that should be passed up, and it seems likely that their upcoming album could be their best work yet.
