The first time you heard “Young Folks” and then listened to the lyrics and then went home and listened to it over and over because that song to you was cathartic and fit whatever your present romantic situation was. That is the energy that Peter, Bjorn and John continue to share. And that’s the reason why the crowd was packed with new and old fans alike this past Saturday night.
To say that their set was well received would be a gross understatement. Whether it was their first time or fifth time, each person in the audience was enchanted with anticipation for what they were about to see.
They opened with “May be Macabre” off their latest album Gimme Some. (I fully anticipate “macabre” to fall into common use by this summer.) It was a beautiful introduction the high energy set. Followed by “It Don’t Move Me” off 2009’s Living Thing, the crowd began moving.
I watched from the balcony, but looking down, the dancing on the main floor was constant. Whether they were bobbing their heads, or jumping up and down, fans were fully participating in the energy emanating from the stage. The set was heavy on Gimme Some’s melancholy dance numbers, including “Second Chance,” “Little Deeper,” and closer “I Know You Don’t Love Me.” The ten song set left everyone wanting more.
After a couple minutes the band came out to chants of “P B J, P B J…” They began their first of two encores with “Paris 2004.” It was “Tomorrow Has To Wait” that allowed the audience to breath before rushing into the short but fast “Breaker Breaker” before closing the encore with the ever relatable “Down Like Me.”
At this point we knew they had to come back out, they couldn’t leave us without playing the entirety of Gimme Some, or the reason why many of us, as mentioned before, fell in love with them in the first place; “Young Folks.” Their ability to keep the crowd waiting just the right amount of time is something other bands could take note of. PB&J fans are always ready for more. The second encore opened with “Stay This Way” but swung right into the sing-along “Young Folks.” To end the evening they closed with a mashup of “Lies” and “Up Against the Wall.”
But again, even playing such an extended set, it wasn’t enough. The energy shared between us, the fans, and the band lingered as we left still wanting more.
