Bottle Rockets just played two shows in St. Louis, so here’s what sister alt-weekly, River Front Times had to say about them:

“While the Bottle Rockets could command a larger venue, it would be a shame to lose the intimacy the quartet fosters at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room. Better to play two shows in a small venue that feels like home, instead of one show in a big venue. ...”

“The Bottle Rockets stormed the stage with the joyous hop of “Get on the Bus” from its latest album, Lean Forward. With enough energy to fuel a Metro bus, lead singer Brian Henneman ended the song with a jimmy-legged jig that he’d repeat throughout the night.

“From there the band blew through five old favorites, including a fiery rendition of “24 Hours a Day” before playing over half of the new album. Although Forward is only two months old, quite a few people easily sang along to the new songs. Its hardest track, “The Way it Used to Be,” is a loud, driving tirade from a man unable to shake the bitterness of his life’s disappointments. The band transitioned into the album’s closer, “Give Me Room,” which is filled with the determined resignation of one who’s ready to stomp away from the past. While the songs aren’t paired on the album, they make a great little rock opera in concert.

“Despite the enthusiasm for the new material, the excitement level exploded when the band returned to its classics. For the rest of the set, it barely paused between songs, slowing only a bit for the sing-a-long flood dirge, “Get Down River” before launching into frenzied versions of “I’ll be Coming Around,” “Thousand Dollar Car” and “Indianapolis.” “

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz/2009/10/show_review_bottle_rockets_st_louis_2009_october_9_blueberry_hill_duck_room_lean_forward_setlist_review.php