It’s About the Journey, Not the Destination - The Hotline TNT Experience

The first time I saw Hotline TNT live was last May in Vigo during their European tour. During the bus ride from Portugal to Spain, my friend Amanda and I could not contain our excitement that we were about to see our favorite band perform live in Spain. While there is some novelty behind the idea of travelling long distances to see a band perform live, poor planning and a few misunderstandings led to us nearly missing the entire show. Luckily enough, we made it for half of the last song and the encore. Embarrassed and in shock, Amanda and I could not believe that the concert-goer-experts we thought we were could have messed up this badly. Fortunately enough, we had the chance to chat with Will Anderson - Hotline TNT’s frontman- and reassured us that the band would be touring in North America in the Fall. Still somewhat sad about how the night turned out, Amanda and I ordered beers and sat outside while the band packed their van. Having heard exactly one-and-a-half songs live in a small Spanish bar/venue, Amanda and I decided to see the positive; two best friends travelling together got to meet their favorite band in Spain and had their Fall tour to look forward to.

Nearly five months after the incident, I was more than ready to experience a Hotline TNT concert in its entirety. Carefully planning my commute to the beloved Bar le Ritz P.D.B., I made sure to show up early. The Montreal band Laughing, who recently celebrated the release of their latest album Because It’s True, kicked off the evening to a full house. The Wisconsin band Disq, who has been travelling with Hotline TNT for their Fall tour, further set the mood for the night with their music and seemingly captivated the crowd who danced along throughout their entire set. Of course, it is important to mention the significance behind Hotline TNT’s choice of inviting a Wisconsin band to travel with them throughout the United States and Canada. While Hotline TNT may have formed in New York City, a city that has undoubtedly shaped and defined the arts throughout the decades, Will Anderson considers the band to be one that falls within the cultural and musical boundaries of Wisconsin and Minnesota. For us Canadians, it might be more difficult to understand the nuances regarding the differences between the music scenes throughout the States; however, the emphasis placed on the origins of Disq and Hotline TNT opens the door for listeners to explore the places that have shaped and influenced the sounds of these bands. 

Hotline TNT performed an electric show to a crowd of adoring fans. Starting off strong with the song “Protocol” from their latest album Cartwheels, I made sure to enjoy every second of their show, as I had been waiting for this moment for quite some time. Later in the night, the band performed a new song they had been working on, hinting that a third album may be on its way. After the show, you could find Will Anderson behind the merch table, taking the time to chat with fans, further cementing that Hotline TNT is and will continue to be one of my favorite bands. With the critical acclaim of Cartwheels, and with new music on the way, Hotline TNT shows no signs of slowing down. 

You can listen to my interview with Will Anderson that aired on September 22 here.

Ceylan is the host of Northern Stagelights, Sundays 1PM-2PM on CJLO

Photos taken by Justin Rix