We made it to the finish line, folks…and somehow still want more. In this episode, we break down Night Four of Massive Nights and then zoom out to look at the entire whirlwind weekend. From rare cuts to sing-along chaos to those “I can’t believe they played THAT” moments, we relive every highlight.

Kevin hits us with the impossible question: “Which night was the best night?” We try to answer it. We fail. We debate it anyway.

Then—we drop some actual news about a huge weekend of shows coming this summer. Yes, you heard it here first.

Gaspar and Mike open up about their spontaneous decision to add a surprise “fifth night” to the weekend, and how that experience gave them a whole new appreciation for the “Unified Scene” and all of you who showed up and showed out.

If you were in the room, this is your victory lap. If you couldn’t make it, this is your all-access recap. Let’s go.

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Night Three of Massive Nights 10 will go down as one of the wildest—and weirdest—in the history of the Brooklyn Bowl tradition. The venue’s heat was out, but the band more than made up for it, kicking things off with a scorching soundcheck surprise:

ten brand-new songs, unreleased, unrecorded, and completely unexpected. Fans who arrived early basically walked into a secret future-album preview.

Then came the opening act, the brilliantly named Stay & The Positives, who hit the stage with a wink and immediately launched into the album you know they were going to play—the full track-order performance of Stay Positive, complete with three excellent outtakes that sent the crowd into full-blown setlist-nerd euphoria.

By the time The Hold Steady wrapped up the main event, the total song count for the night hit a staggering 33 songs—a marathon, a celebration, and the kind of unpredictable blowout that only Night Three can deliver.

Tune in as we break down the highlights, the rarities, the running jokes, and the absolute chaos that made this one a night for the books.

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Scene Report from Brooklyn Bowl:

Night Two of Massive Nights 10 came out swinging, starting with the annual Pub Quiz—and this year delivered what might be the single greatest Hold Steady trivia question ever asked. (No spoilers… but trust us, it brought the house down.)

From there, the night exploded into something historic: a full-album performance of Separation Sunday, played front-to-back by a special six-piece opening band cheekily calling themselves Separation & The Sunday’s. They tore through the 20-year-old classic with a blistering, reverent energy that set the tone for a wild night.

And the main event? Eighteen more songs—a scorching, career-spanning set packed with deep cuts, favorites, and all the Massive Nights magic fans come for.

Tune in for the complete breakdown of Night Two: the surprises, the singalongs, the lore, and why Massive Nights 10 is already shaping up to be one for the books.

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On this special flash-cast edition of the Hoodrat Recap, we break down The Storytellers’ first-ever appearance at Massive Nights—and what a debut it was.

Cat from Vermont and Heather "with the Henna on her hands" joins us fresh from the front row to relive the sheer joy of finally catching Cat's “white whale”: a spectacular live “Curves & Nerves” that had the entire room buzzing.

The band kept the surprises coming with a jazzy, loose, and lively set, featuring rare cuts, fresh new songs, and reimagined favorites that set the tone for an unforgettable kickoff to Massive Nights 10.

Tune in for the full lowdown on Night One—the moments, the music, and the magic that only Massive Nights can deliver.

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In this Massive Nights 25 Preview, we kick things off with Gaspar’s unbelievable run-in with none other than Daniel Radcliffe. Yes, that Daniel Radcliffe. After recognizing Gaspar's tee-shirt, Harry Potter himself apparently lit up and proclaimed that The Hold Steady is his favorite rock band — setting the tone perfectly for the magic that Massive Nights always brings.

Then we turn things over to you — the listeners.

You told us your wish list for the 10th-ever Massive Nights, and you did not disappoint. From deep cuts to full-album dreams to the covers you’re hoping to hear, we run through every hopeful request.

You also shared what you’re thankful for as THS fans this year — and it turns out there’s a lot to be grateful for in the Unified Scene.

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Massive Nights 25 is almost here. Let’s get into it.

In this episode, we bring in two non-fans of The Hold Steady — Derek and Mark from The Canadian Film Crew and Or Is It podcasts — to give us their first impressions of three THS songs chosen by you, our listeners!

Will these tracks land somewhere on the “Mark Cohn–Barenaked Ladies scale”? And how does Spruce Stringbean interpret these lyrical deep dives? You might be surprised by how our guests hear the songs that mean so much to the THS faithful.

Then we let Derek and Mark do what they do best — get way in the weeds about movies you’ve probably never seen. This time, it’s the 2011 indie Stuck Between Stations. You can probably guess which song inspired that title.

The crew asks the hard-hitting questions:

🎥 Why should anyone care about this movie?

🎥 Did Michael Imperioli lose a bet to appear in it?

🎥 Did Josh Hartnett actually bike to the set just to retire halfway through filming?

Mike does his best to defend the film’s quirks as just another “typical Minnesota night,” but Derek and Mark aren’t buying it.

It’s a Hold Steady–meets–movie-geek mashup that’s equal parts critique, chaos, and good-natured ribbing — what could go wrong?

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This week on The Hoodrat Recap, we’re diving into the live music scene with a full report on Craig Finn and the Band of Forgiveness, who are tearing across the United States with their latest tour. The Hold Steady frontman’s newish solo project is proving to be essential viewing for fans of literate, character-driven rock and roll.

Gaspar phones in from (Le) Poisson Rouge in New York City, where he caught the band in their element at the intimate Greenwich Village venue. Meanwhile, Mike recounts his experience at The Fine Line in Minneapolis—a hometown show with all the energy you’d expect from Finn playing his old stomping grounds.

We also talk about opener James Felice, the bug-photographing squeeze box wizard who brings his accordion and keyboard magic to warm up the crowd. The big question: does this multi-talented musician actually look like Robin Thicke, or have we all been staring at stage lights too long?

Whether you caught one of these October 2025 shows or are living vicariously through us, this episode captures the spirit of a songwriter at the peak of his powers, surrounded by a crack band and playing rooms that hang on every word.

Topics: Craig Finn, Band of Forgiveness, Le Poisson Rouge, The Fine Line Minneapolis, James Felice, tour reports, live music scene​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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This week on The Hoodrat Recap, Matt from Riverside joins us to break down an epic three-night Stand at two iconic LA venues - the Tetragram Ballroom and the Moroccan Lounge. Matt dives deep into the setlists, highlighting the impressive number of new tracks that made their way into the performances and how they fit alongside the classics.

But that’s not all - Matt takes us back to 2006 and shares the wild, exhausting story of how he first discovered The Hold Steady. From the chaos of that first show to becoming a devoted fan, it’s a tale that captures the magic of finding your band.

Plus, Matt reveals his fresh ink - a brand new Hold Steady-inspired tattoo that cements his fandom in permanent form.

**Topics Covered:**

- Three-night LA residency recap (Tetragram Ballroom & Moroccan Lounge)

- Deep dive into setlist variety and new material

- Matt’s 2006 origin story as a Hold Steady fan

- The story behind Matt’s new band tattoo

**Guest:** Matt from Riverside

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In this episode of The Hoodrat Recap:

 Scene Report from Boston

Damon takes us straight into the rain-soaked streets of Boston with a first-person breakdown of the latest Hold Steady show. From a weather delay that had fans buzzing, to the moment the lights finally came up, Damon captures every detail. How did the Dropkick Murphys crowd react to the confetti-soaked antics of the Unified Scene? We’ve got the play-by-play.

 Martin Fitzgerald Returns

Then we welcome back Martin Fitzgerald, the Quiz Master himself. Martin gives us some juicy behind-the-scenes details about his forthcoming book, and of course, he hits us with one of his famous quizzes — the kind that keeps everyone on their toes.

 Turning the Tables

But this time, we flip the script. The hosts put Martin in the hot seat with quiz questions submitted directly from our audience. How does the Quiz Master handle being quizzed? You’ll want to hear this showdown.

 Dealey Plaza & The Unified Scene

In classic Martin fashion, he also ponders whether the outcasts who drifted toward Dealey Plaza on 11/22/63 — avoiding the “main stage” of history — share a spiritual link with members of the Unified Scene, carving out their own space away from the mainstream.

It’s another blend of live music storytelling, sharp trivia battles, and deep-cut philosophy--served Hoodrat style.

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Listener Voicemails: We kick things off with some truly epic call-ins. Who dropped the sharpest diss on Gaspar’s infamous “Freddy Knuckles” routine? And which listener scored a free one-year subscription to Laynards, including a soundcheck experience with The Hold Steady? The Unified Scene shows off some serious talent in this round.

🎬 Hold Steady Biopic Madness: Next, we tackle a listener question from Josh: What would a Hold Steady biopic look like? Things get wild when Johnny Depp and Steve Buscemi are both pitched to play the same band member. (Spoiler: it only gets crazier from there.)

💎 Diamonds in the Drain Game – Finale: We close with the nail-biting conclusion to our fan-favorite game. These are the toughest rounds yet, as we score the first three Hold Steady albums track by track. Which songs sparkle? Which ones sink? And will your favorite land a gold medal?

From brutal burns to bizarre casting calls to heated debates over beloved cuts — this episode has it all.

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