On a warm Wednesday night at Steelhouse Omaha, the electrifying sounds of Bleachers filled the air. The indie pop-rock sensation—fronted by the charismatic Jack Antonoff—ignited the stage, armed with two powerful drum kits, numerous layers of synths, vintage guitars, and two saxophones. Bleachers hit Omaha as the third stop on their “From The Studio To The Stage” tour’s second leg, covering 18 cities in total.
The set design echoed the tour name, with black-and-white studio checkerboard flooring and a glowing sign at the top of the stage that read: “Recording: Studio In Use.” Everything about the stage setup reflected the energy of their fourth studio album, “Bleachers.”
Kicking off the evening was Samia, an alternative/indie star who previously opened for Noah Kahan on his Stick Season Tour in 2023. Her ethereal voice combined with the band’s performance set the tone for the night, captivating the audience with songs like “Honey” and “Is There Something in the Movies?” Their set left the crowd eagerly anticipating more.
From the moment the lights dimmed and Bleachers launched into the melodious “I Am Right On Time,” the crowd was hooked. The signature saxophone melodies continued into “Modern Girl” and “Jesus is Dead,” marking the first three songs from their most recent album. Antonoff commanded the stage with a charisma that few can match. His humorous interactions with the audience were peppered with heartfelt anecdotes, creating an intimate atmosphere despite the venue’s size.
As an eleven-time GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, and producer, Antonoff is one of the music industry’s elite talents of the last ten years. His stage presence is equally impressive—he’s a truly energetic frontman, running to each band member, jumping around, standing on his piano stool, and engaging with every section of the crowd.
Drummers Sean Hutchinson and Mike Riddleberger kept the energy going from the back of the stage with powerful back-and-forth moments. Saxophonists, keyboardists, and guitarists Evan Smith and Zem Audu had their own saxophone-off a few times during the show, and Mikey Freedom Hart took on guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, and backing vocals. All six band members had genuine smiles on their faces throughout the night.
Tracks like “Rollercoaster” and “How Dare You Want More” were met with ecstatic cheers and loud sing-alongs, their infectious melodies resonating throughout the venue—it’s almost impossible to not want to dance to their songs. Antonoff’s vocals were as powerful as ever, carrying the emotional weight of the lyrics with ease as the band’s tight musicianship was on full display.
Before the fan-favorite “Rollercoaster,” Antonoff paused the song and highlighted the loneliness of silence when the first note stopped playing, having Smith repeatedly play that first note to demonstrate a sense of hope and the emotional impact of music. Per the band’s request, crowd members hoisted their friends onto their shoulders and loudly sang along to the upbeat track, followed by the equally high-energy “Let’s Get Married.”
One repeated joke throughout the show was Omaha-specific: Antonoff mentioned only having played Omaha once before—at Slowdown in 2017—and how good it felt to be part of an “excitement sandwich.” The band felt excitement to be back, he explained, shame for not playing Omaha for seven years, and even more excitement to prove themselves again. By the end of the night, everyone was familiar with the excitement, shame, excitement sandwich—and no one left disappointed.
The night was punctuated with high-energy performances of “I Wanna Get Better” and “Don’t Take The Money.” Each musician brought their A-game as the night came to a close with “Stop Making This Hurt,” a fittingly exuberant finale that left the crowd chanting for more as the final notes echoed.
Bleachers performed for just over an hour and a half before filing off-stage to a brilliant saxophone solo. Those of us lucky enough to be in attendance experienced an unbelievable show, a testament to the enduring appeal of Bleachers and their ability to connect with their audience. For fans of the band, of Antonoff, of live music you can dance to, and of hilarious intermissions, attending a Bleachers concert is a must.