The Hold Steady was born out of some loose talk in singer Craig Finn’s Boreum Hill apartment in 2002. The concept was to start a straight rock band, with low aspirations. Just local shows, no touring, and most likely, no real records. They practiced for a while and then played our first show in January 2003 at North Six, in Williamsburg. In the five years since forming, the guys in the band have gone through a bunch of typical thirty something stuff- babies born, family members dying, relationships started, relationships ended, health problems, joy, struggle, life, etc.