‘Great Expectations’ Exceeded: The Gaslight Anthem, Joyce Manor and Pinkshift Rock the Salt Shed

Haunting white spotlights descend onto shouting performers while members of the crowd riot below, cultivating an energy so potent you can almost taste it. 

The Gaslight Anthem, Joyce Manor and Pinkshift — three rock bands who share an audience despite their diverse backgrounds — took the stage at Chicago’s Salt Shed on Thursday, Aug. 29.

The demographic at the cathedral-like venue, dressed almost uniformly in black, was buzzing with life from start to finish. The wide spectrum of present patrons, both young and old, were universally excited and engaged.

The night began with Pinkshift, a rock band with notable punk undertones. They performed several songs from their recent EP “Suraksha” which means “divine protection” in Sanskrit, according to lead vocalist Ashrita Kumar. 

Kumar brought an electric vibrancy to the stage, encouraging the audience to yell with her during the song “i’m gonna tell my therapist on you.” She fell to her knees several times during the set and screamed vehemently into the microphone.

Pinkshift conveyed an impressive duality with Kumar’s vocals alternating from aggressive to ethereally sweet.

“We’re having a good ass time,” Kumar said, to which the audience roaringly agreed. 

Joyce Manor made for a complimentary successor, bringing to the stage an equivalently punk and refreshingly angsty set. Headbanging evolved into a mosh pit during “21st Dead Rats,” named affectionately in honor of guitarist Barry Johnson’s friend. 

During the song “Five Beer Plan,” Johnson led the crowd in crying out in unison, “I fucking told you so!” Another intense mosh pit followed as people collided in sweaty chaos. 

As the band ended with “Catalina Fight Song,” brave audience members crowd surfed their way to the stage under the haze of strobe lights. 

“Back in Chicago — it’s a great thing,” Johnson said between songs. 

According to guitarist Chase Knobbe, Joyce Manor has “roots in Chicago.”

“We’ve been playing Chicago for a very long time, it sometimes feels like we’re from here,” Knobbe said after the show. 

The band, originally from Torrance, California, has played a variety of Chicago venues throughout their tours. Knobbe specifically mentioned Lucky Gator Loft, which they played in 2012. 

Knobbe also revealed current drummer Neil Hennessy was one of the founding members of the Lawrence Arms, a Chicago-based band formed in 1999. 

He also noted Joyce Manor shares a similar sound to many Chicagoan bands, including Rival, which Knobbe expressed appreciation for. 

However, neither opening act took command of the stage as prominently as The Gaslight Anthem, who walked out to Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Originally from New Brunswick, N.J., the headliners were greeted with extreme enthusiasm.

Though they possessed less edge and leaned more into traditional rock than the groups who preceded them, The Gaslight Anthem captivated their listeners. 

The band members were dressed casually, sporting graphic t-shirts similar to that of the crowd, who were packed tightly from stage barrier to exit door. Behind them hung a huge banner proudly brandishing their name. 

The band concluded with a cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” serving as a satisfyingly grungy ending to the night. 

The three performances intertwined seamlessly with one another, producing an ultimately awe-inspiring concert and reminding Chicago its punk rock scene is as alive as ever before.