The Gaslight Anthem at Pier 26

Brian Fallon was 13 years old when he purchased the Clash’s self-titled debut album. Little did he know that this introduction to punk rock set a trajectory that would lead him to form the Gaslight Anthem in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 2006. Fallon writes soulful, impassioned, hearts-on-fire lyrics and fellow guitarist Alex Rosamilia, bassist Alex Levine and drummer Benny Horowitz on drums provide the backing force. The band’s fourth and most recent album, Handwritten, was released in July 2012.

The Gaslight Anthem has matured past its punk rock roots, as exhibited at the concert at Pier 26 tonight. The band launched full throttle and kept the muscular pace for most of the evening. Fallon’s voice failed to reach higher notes several times, however, a condition perhaps partly hindered by the rain during the first half of the show. Though the band’s 80-minute set largely consisted of pounding, blasting rock songs, it was when the pounding stopped several times and the band tried other, gentler sounds that the band sounded most interesting. Otherwise, for most of the set, Fallon’s singer/songwriter attempts were swallowed by a band that raced and slammed its repertoire. In all, it felt almost as if you had to be a fan before the concert to be a fan during the concert. To end with a bang, the Gaslight Anthem ended its set with a final encore, a punch-packed cover of the Who’s “Baba O’Riley.” The Gaslight Anthem proved to be a fine live rock band, but the concert would have been even better if it had slowed down more and given additional controlled ambience to the more pensive lyrics.