History lesson aside, the band has gone on a worldwide tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album and started their US leg in Chicago on Friday night at Thalia Hall. The opener, BNNY, set the stage with a moody yet groovy sound, with soft whispers into the microphone, steady bass rhythms, and guitars that spouted short moments of madness before returning to their melodies. From there, American Football took to the stage, shrouded in darkness, before lead man Mike Kinsella started the riff to “Five Silent Miles,” a track left off the lead album. As the twinkly guitar sound floated in the air, drummer Steve Lamos began to creep in with the beat, kicking the overhead projector to life, displaying the iconic house from the album’s artwork behind the band. From there, the men, now older from when they originally played these songs in Illinois many years ago, began to play their first self-titled album in full, starting on the second track, “The Summer Ends.”

In this live setting, the band adds new backup members to thresh out the sounds tenfold, using a vibraphone and miscellaneous shakers to add to the percussive elements. It’s ethereal to hear drummer Steve Lamos pull out a trumpet and play into a mic set to reverb and echo the sounds across the hall, beautifully portraying the sadness and regret lurking through all the songs. As the concert progressed, the band wrapped up the first album and moved into four songs from their other two albums, showcasing their new sound and maturity as the lyrics switch from the pains of youth and relationships to the burdens of fatherhood and depression. 

There’s no doubt that the sound the band has created over the years is absolutely beautiful and entrancing, but in a live setting, there’s not much, from a crowd perspective, that one can do but simply listen to the music. The emotional heaviness of the songs can inspire a few to sing along, but with such complex rhythms it does become a bit difficult to dance to. It is absolutely awe-inspiring to see how tight the band performs together, keeping the complex timing down on lock. Nevertheless, the live environment with these songs invites the crowds to reflect on past relationships and memories spent in youth, which is exactly what the songs on the first album attempt to do.