Posted: by The Alt Editing Staff
On a crisp Friday night, Greenpoint’s Brooklyn Steel was littered with the glown-uped hipsters of a past era. At the time where Owls, infinity scarfs, ironic mustaches, and a borderline obsession with bacon was all the rage, Grizzly Bear was anchoring the soundtrack. Their atmospheric, melodic, indie-rock penetrated the scene with brute force. 2007’s track “Knife” would be found at most coffee shops and playlists, establishing Grizzly Bear’s signature vocal harmonies, carefully orchestrated rhythm section, and dreamy guitars. Only two years later, their breakout record Veckatimest was widely celebrated amongst those entrenched in the scene. This is where Grizzly Bear truly pushed the envelope of their sound and took more sonic risks. Tracks such as “Two Weeks” and “Ready, Able” were some of the more popular standouts, where some “deep-cuts” such as “Cheerleader” and “Fine for Now” perfumed the record with variety. Their next two records Shields and Painted Ruins marked shifts in the band’s songwriting and tone. Ultimately, the band died down and went on hiatus after their last tour in 2019. The band was pretty dormant until an announcement was made earlier in 2025 that the band was ready to return.
Their reunion feels timely in a way. There seems to be a yearning for nostalgia at the moment. A sea of mostly fans from the past, and some newcomers filled the venue. Openers, Chanel Beads, a refreshing shoegaze-y and D.I.Y.-like bedroom indie-rock barely took up room on the stage. A band like theirs opening for Grizzly Bear felt like a nod to the new-age of the indie-rock sound while also celebrating the roots of the older sound. Grizzly Bear’s stage was adorned with a mesh-like fabric draped over these poles. From a far, they reminded me of the claymation creatures in their “Ready, Able” music video. Opening with “Sleeping Ute” off of Shields, the crowd was ready for the band to give it their all. Lead singers Daniel Rossen and Ed Droste sounded nearly identical to their recorded vocals on their records. A true testament to their musicianship and honing of their craft. Their guitar tone, omnichord twinkles, bass riffs, and anchoring drums all felt like one cohesive sound. Not one instrument overpowered the other and all of the band members just seemed like they were happy to be playing these songs again after years of being on hiatus. Later in the set, Beach House’s Victoria Legrand joined the band on vocals for “Two Weeks” and other tracks such as “Slow Life”. The whole set felt like a sigh of relief and a warm hug from an old friend. In times like these, it’s so nice to let go and revisit.
Photos by Sarah Knoll
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