Bleachers returns to Central New York for a night of high-energy indie pop

While Jack Antonoff may be best known for his music production work with the likes of Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and Lorde, his own musical ability can not be ignored.

Antonoff’s rock band, Bleachers, returned to central New York Saturday in Canandaigua, where they indulged audiences with a hits-filled setlist. Bleachers’ steady rise in popularity is apparent, having graduated from playing two years ago at playing two years ago at Beak & Skiff, less than half the size of CMAC.

Before the headliners took the stage, audiences were treated to a 40-minute set from Wednesday, which oozed southern goth energy, something instantly noticeable by lead singer Karly Hartzman’s combination of overalls and black lipstick.

The North Carolina rockers warmed up the audience with their shoegaze and alt-country sound across tracks such as “Elderberry Wine,” “Townies” and “Pick Up That Knife” that piqued the interest of concertgoers. 

The true shining point of Wednesday’s set came from Hartzman’s raspy vocals that starkly contrast to band’s synth-driven sounds. At one point, Hartzman joked with the audience about her screaming sound, stating that, “I scream ‘cause I love music.”

With the sun beginning to set against the backdrop of CMAC, Bleachers took the stage, jumping right in with “Sideways” and “the van.” It was apparent that the band –  Antonoff (lead vocals), Mikey Freedom Hart (lead guitar), Sean Hutchinson (drums), Mike Riddeleberger (keyboard) and Evan Smith and Zem Audu (saxophones) – enjoyed performing together as their energy bounced off each other throughout the set.

Antonoff encouraged plenty of audience interactions, including multiple times throughout “Modern Girl” and “Don’t Go Dark” where he pointed the microphone at the crowd and encouraged them to sing. One moment that had the crowd going wild was the saxophone solo during “Jesus Is Dead” when Antonoff pointed to a sign hanging near the stage that read “The louder you scream, the harder he blows.”

The evening’s set that included “Wild Heart,” “dirty wedding dress” and “How Dare You Want More,” took a moment to slow down a bit during “Goodmorning.”

While audience members swayed along with their hands in the air, Antonoff changed the song’s lyrics to “I woke up in Upstate New York,” prompting the crowd to cheer even harder.

Bleachers’ fans stayed on their feet throughout the entire set, choosing to sing and dance along throughout the 23-song setlist.

Coupled with perfect summer weather and a beautiful Finger Lakes setting, Antonoff’s impressive array of songs and high-energy stage presence gave fans plenty of reason to dance the night away.