By Emily Kelly

Good times, good people and good music — that’s what’s expected at a Twin Peaks show. And for their sold-out show on February 23 at White Eagle Hall in Jersey City the dudes delivered all that and more.

Not even the misty chill of the night could damper the crowd’s mood as group after group of eager fans piled into the general admission pit. The anticipation of Twin Peaks’ performance amplified White Eagle Hall, its electricity intensifying with each passing minute. Everyone, especially myself, couldn’t wait until the show started, and once the Trü, the first opening band, took the stage the night just kept getting better.

Trü, a band of four New Jersey natives, warmed up the crowd and got us all jumping — even the floor bounced along with us. But the energy really heated up when the second opening band, The Districts, belted out “If Before I Wake” to kickoff their set. Their smooth and booming sound filled the venue, igniting the crowd into the night’s first mosh pit. The Districts played as if they were headlining the show, pouring every ounce of energy into each song, and the crowd could definitely feel it.

Fans in the general admission section fed off each other’s energy and got the floor bouncing even more as the music shook our bodies. The Districts had a crowd full of fans who danced and sang along to some of their favorite songs. The Districts gave the crowd exactly what they wanted before the headliner Twin Peaks came onto the stage.

With the crowd ready for the good times to keep coming, we all started to creep forward and get closer to the stage. My friend and I prepared ourselves for what would be an incredible set of rowdy moshing, jumping and singing along to Twin Peaks’ dynamite setlist. Right around 10 o’clock, Twin Peaks stepped on stage to an eruption of cheers after much anticipation. When Cadien Lake James, Clay Frankel, Jack Dolan, Colin Croom and Connor Brodner got situated on the stage (smiles, beer and all) there was not a long face in the house.

Opening with the jam “Butterfly,” Twin Peaks never looked back, and from that point on we all lost ourselves in the music. Hitting us with songs like “Boomers” and “Telephone” next, the boys knew how to get their fans going. The entire set was one big party and celebration of the best parts of their music.  

Twin Peaks’ performance that night was the epitome of awesome music and pure fun. And it’s clear that the guys have as good of a time as their fans do at every show. Within the first few songs, the crowd egged on Clay, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, to chug his drink. He smirked and shook his head as he succumbed to his fans’ peer pressure.

Clay Frankel shreds his guitar while drummer Connor Brodner keeps the rest of the band on beat.

On stage, Twin Peaks explodes with positive energy that shines down on the crowd and makes the night that much more enjoyable. As they tore through amazing song after amazing song, the crowd continued to lose their minds (myself included). Twin Peaks even threw water bottles into the pit to help us cool down.

The pit certainly didn’t let up the entire show. My body definitely took a beating, but that’s the best way to experience a Twin Peaks show. The crowd respected each other and often helped one another up. I even helped a guy about three times the size of me up with little difficulty. At one point, Jack told told the crowd that this was the best show of the tour so far, and that only increased the crowd’s rowdiness and passion.

Though every song was met with strong enthusiasm, there were several crowd favorites. With songs like “Butterfly,” “Wanted You,” “Flavor,” “Making Breakfast,” “Telephone,” “Boomers” and “Sloop Jay D,” the energy in the crowd skyrocketed and the pit went into a frenzy. When they played “Wanted You,” the crowd surged forward to get closer to Twin Peaks, screaming the lyrics along with Clay. Through “Wanted You,” the dudes united the crowd even more and put on a performance that fans will remember for years to come.  

But Twin Peaks knows how to construct a show, and they gave the crowd a much-deserved break with beautiful, mellow tunes like “Shake Your Lonely” and “Blue Coupe.” These songs allowed fans to connect with the band and one another, swaying along to the smooth sounds. To finish off the first set, the boys played “We Will Not Make It (Not Without You)” as an ode to their faithful fans.

Cadien Lake James (left) and Clay Frankel (right) use their amazing guitar skills to keep the crowd jumping all night.

The encore set started with a nice extended jam session that bled into “In the Meadow,” the perfect build-up for the final song of the night. Ending with the fast-paced “Strawberry Smoothie,” Twin Peaks gave their fans exactly what they wanted — another reason to go wild. Towards the end of the song, bassist Jack even jumped into the crowd inches from where I stood, while he continued to play his bass. The entire show was one big party with some of the best music around, and “Strawberry Smoothie” finished the night the right way.

With everyone happily exhausted from a little more than an hour of singing, jumping, shoving and laughing, the crowd reluctantly dispersed towards the coat check and exit. Not only do the boys have fun with their fans during the set, but they even took the time to hangout with the fans post-show. Cadien stuck by the merch table, and my friend and I had the chance to chat with him for a bit. He even signed our posters and took a picture with us. Moments like that distinguish Twin Peaks from other bands. The dudes actually care about the people that listen to their music and go to their shows.

Emily Kelly and friend Monica Krawiec spend time with Cadien Lake James after the show.

There is something truly special about a live Twin Peaks performance. Though the show could have lasted another hour to the joy of their fans, Twin Peaks put on a powerful show and gave Jersey City a night to remember.