The Hold Steady

The Hold Steady is an American rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York, in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), Franz Nicolay (keyboards) and Steve Selvidge (guitar). Noted for their "lyrically dense storytelling," and classic rock influences, the band's narrative-based songs frequently address themes such as drug addiction, religion and redemption, and often feature recurring characters based within the city of Minneapolis. Formed four years following the breakup of Finn and Kubler's former band, Lifter Puller, the Hold Steady released the debut album Almost Killed Me in 2004. They came to prominence with the release of their third studio album, Boys and Girls in America, in 2006. In 2010, keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Franz Nicolay left the band before the recording of their fifth studio album, Heaven Is Whenever (2010). During the band's subsequent tour, the band became a five-piece once more with the addition of guitarist Steve Selvidge. The band released their sixth LP, Teeth Dreams, in March 2014. Nicolay rejoined the Hold Steady in May 2016, and the band has since embarked on several concert residencies in the US, the UK, and Australia. To coincide with each event, the Hold Steady released stand-alone singles, marking the first recorded material of the six-piece lineup. Working with producer Josh Kaufman, the band released their seventh album, Thrashing Thru the Passion, in 2019, followed by Open Door Policy and The Price of Progress in 2021 and 2023, respectively.