Photos by Abigail McNatt
Review by Chris “Oberrated” Ober
Love was the name of the game on an unusually comfortable and warm February night in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Plain White T’s came to town to bring a plethora of their love ballads and pop-rock vibes to the Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall, nestled in the lovely neighborhood of Lawrenceville. As if the crowd needed to prepare, they were in for a night of nostalgia with a dash of new sound.

However, the Plain White T’s were not the only ones gracing the stage during this celebration of music. They were joined on this tour by Pollyanna, the rock ‘n’ rolling band right out of New Jersey. I have to admit, I have seen a number of opening acts varying from the smallest of local bands to the biggest of musical superstars. Let me tell you that Pollyanna was the perfect opener for the night as they brought such an energetic presence to the stage and had the crowd moving despite some of them being reluctant to break out of their shell. By the set’s end, everyone was moving, grooving and partying with Pollyanna.
It wasn’t only the Pollyanna sound that was inspiring this crowd to flow into the musical rhythm—it was also much to the efforts of Lead Singer and Guitarist Jill Beckett who was on a different level when it came to energy. From the first chord ripped, Jill was singing, yelling, jumping and vibing while getting the Thunderbird crowd into the right headspace that would set the pace for the rest of the night. When it comes to a young band and presence to look out for, I would safely say Pollyanna has the makings to be a set of faces to know in the pop-punk scene.

For a show with only two billed bands for the night, next up was the one everyone was waiting for—the Plain White T’s. The band hailing from Chicago that has been living rent-free in just about every 25+ year old’s memory due to their pop-rock top hits came crashing onto the stage with one of their most anthem-like songs, “Our Time Now.” From the first “Oh oh oh OH!” the entire crowd erupted in high-flying jumps and a deafening sing-a-long. This kind of energy and response would only be the beginning for the Plain White T’s long lasting set as they embarked on a musical journey for nearly an hour and a half. Their setlist explored their vast discography spanning over 20 years and also included recent songs as young as three months old. Certainly the visit of the Plain White T’s will cater to those 25 and ups that I mentioned before that are there to hear the music they loved so long ago, but this setlist was also catered to the lifelong fans whose dedication never faltered after all these years.

One thing that I admire so much about these bands that have been kicking it for 20, 30, 40+ years is when I witness them having such joy and bliss while on stage. While the quartet all played the music with such delight, one man stood out among them all and it was Lead Vocalist Tom Higgenson. With every passing song, every note and every interaction with a fan, Tom stood there basking in the spotlight and relishing in the fan response he was getting from the sold-out venue. The sheer joy on his face, his effortless smile… Tom loves what he does and he loves his fans that show up time and time again to sing these songs with him every single time.
With such a long set, you would imagine parts of the crowd may start to idle around as they wait for the next recognizable banger within the Plain White T’s discography, but that wasn’t the case thanks to the efforts of Tom and the band’s plentiful interactions with the crowd. The Plain White T’s went above and beyond for their fans with multiple callouts, noticing fan signs and t-shirts, and even performing a snippet of a song that wasn’t on the setlist. Yeah, that’s true, the band was so interactive that they caught wind of someone yelling for “You Plus Me.” Well, ask and you shall receive. Speaking of asking, before the set even started, the Plain White T’s prompted all those in audience to send in a text choosing a specific song to be played in the setlist. That song for this wonderful Pittsburgh show was “Friends Don’t Let Friends Dial Drunk,” which led us right into the finale of the night.

With an epic night of throwback pop-punk music coming to a close, it was about that time to hook the crowd one last time. A few chords and a “Hey There, Delilah, what’s it like in New York City?” later and that was all she wrote for this audience. The loudest singalong of this night, year and maybe even the tour occurred during their most notable song, “Hey There, Delilah.” Afterwards they ended their set on another banger of musical memory, “Rhythm of Love.”
After what can only be called a celebration of a lifetime of music, the Plain White T’s finished up their set and exited the stage. With smiles on everyone’s faces and nothing but cheery conversation filling the air and room as everyone packed in close to exit the venue, it was unquestioned that the Plain White T’s put on a show that no one in attendance will soon forget. If there is anything that may linger on as an unanswerable question—seriously though, how’s it going in New York City, Delilah?
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