Bully at Brooklyn Bowl
The last time Bully headlined a Nashville stage, it was on the hallowed ground of the currently defunct Mercy Lounge. Alicia Bognanno makes the kind of music you want to hear in an old room, with the intimacy of history and sweaty mosh pits gone by, songs blaring from blown-out speakers. Brooklyn Bowl is not that kind of venue just yet — everything is still shiny and new, with fancy lighting rigs and a handful of disco balls suspended above the main floor. But Bognanno has an unmistakable power that transcends space and time, able to make any room seem intimate and real, with music that simultaneously recalls bygone talent and feels like a freeze-frame of this very moment in time.
Bev Rage and the Drinks at Brooklyn Bowl
Chicago quartet Bev Rage and the Drinks — whose name is among the all-time great band names — warmed up the stage, performing a slew of uptempo, ska-tinged rockers that can only be described as drag-queen punk. Fronted by queen Bev Rage, the group bashed through head-bopping hits like “Bitter Old Queen” and the Chicago-inspired “Hollywood Beach,” but not before lamenting Nashville’s lack of “gay water features!” The songs were fast and the music was fun. What more could you want from an opening act?
After a set change and a few minutes of dark, ambient sound that might fit in a Saw-esque torture flick, Bully hit the stage. And boy did Bognanno and her band come out swinging. Clad in a black lace bodysuit, she attacked every word of Lucky for You opener “All I Do” with grace and fury. Screaming the pivotal line “I’ll never get fucked up again” with the raw pain of a never-quite-healed wound, Bognanno made it clear to the audience that she’d still be there rocking for her own sake, even if no one else was.
Bully at Brooklyn Bowl
Bognanno isn’t a talker — the band made it through 11 songs before she spoke a word. She’s said everything in her music, and she isn’t afraid to let it stand alone. The set list heavily featured songs from the latest Bully album, with old favorites like “I Remember” and “Running” sprinkled into the mix.
As with many Nashville bands’ homecoming shows, you never know who might show up to play a song or two. Lucky for You producer J.T. Daly joined the band on saxophone for “A Love Profound,” and Soccer Mommy herself Sophie Allison hopped on stage for “Lose You,” the lead single from the record, which she sang on. Before the two performed it together for the first time, Bognanno told the crowd that the appearance had come together only the day before, and noted that this marked the first time she’d ever had a guest performer onstage.
The show crescendoed with back-to-back bangers — “Days Move Slow” followed by “All This Noise” — before a brief break into the encore. Bognanno returned to the stage alone to perform an as-yet-unreleased song (whose title hasn’t been announced) and a cover of Jane’s Addiction’s classic “Jane Says” before inviting the band back to close out the set with a riotous rendition of early fan favorite “Milkman.”
Bully at Brooklyn Bowl
While Bully is technically a solo act, the backing band’s contributions to the show should not be overlooked. Composed of bassist Nick Byrd, drummer Benji Coale and guitarist Elle Puckett — who also played harmonica on “A Wonderful Life” — the band punctuated Bognanno’s heartfelt songwriting with masterful precision.
A record like Lucky for You could not be easy to perform live. Beyond the shredding vocals and intricate instrumental arrangements, the record is rife with grief, inspired by the loss of Bognanno’s beloved dog Mezzi. But Bognanno is at the top of her game, hitting every note and hanging onto every word like her life depends on it. She screams, gutturally and with force, the embodiment of rage and grief — setting her free from the way women are taught to push down, to hide, to ignore whatever might inconvenience somebody else. It is not her problem anymore. There is nothing more beautiful.
The Spin: Bully at Brooklyn Bowl, 8/31/2023
With Bev Rage and the Drinks
Bully at Brooklyn Bowl
