Live Review: Baroness - Red and Blue North American Tour

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine
Edited by Fiza Javid

Sleeping Village Chicago
Night One of Two
Tuesday - May 20, 2025

That most of beloved bands- Baroness, still continuing to do their own thing, marching to their own drum, following no one's principles but their own.
Makes you love the band that much more when you think of it.
Consider Night One of Two at Chicago's Sleeping Village in the community of Avondale.
A- Of course it was sold out. Same with Night Two.

B- Of course on the main floor you're packed in like sardines, real estate to stand at the bare minimum, like a tried and true metal show of up and coming artists making a name for themselves, lest you're like the band Baroness, who continue to make a name for themselves and adhere to tours in intimate venues.

Such as, in the past- the Cobra Lounge in Chicago, or Subterranean back in the day, or Reggie's from back in the day- these venues around 300 to 500 capacity.
Amazing when you think of it- how lucky we are, a band such as Baroness, with musical chops that'll make your head spin, a back catalog containing six albums that still compel you for the occasional deep dives, and on and on.

Got their early at Sleeping Village to get a spot to photograph up close, between Gina Gleason (stage right), and of course John Baizley front and center).
Yes, all four band members were kinda sandwiched in, as to be expected, followed by straightforward red lighting as the prominent hue throughout.
To be expected as well, you work with what you're given.
No matter, the music is important, the overall feel of attempting their two albums "Red" and "Blue" the main point of all of this as well.

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Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Baroness - Bobby Talamine (c) 2025

Damn if that "Red" album from 2007 still crackles with intensity, especially since it was their debut.
Epic- an understatement, considering the looks from all four of them, trading smiles throughout, from opener "Rays on Pinion", and then into "The Birthing" (which brought out the bodysurfers), and of course the mighty "Isak"- a monster of a song, with solid melodies on top of melodies.
Ten tracks in total from "Red", closing with "Grad", which just went by in a flash.
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Same with the "Blue" record, 12 songs of solid musicianship and audio punishment, a perfect companion to "Red", with a range of dynamics and a flow through song after song after song that is impeccable, just so well thought out in scope and significant meaning.
A larger than life kinda album, even more mind boggling when considering this is a four piece of a band, sounding like a marching army of a band, that wall of sound they create.
I mean shessh-!

Hooks and melodies (yet again) make their presence known, from opener "Bullhead's Psalm", and lurking midway through with "Swollen and Halo", which just burns into your psyche, a must hear of a song without a doubt, let alone closing out with "the Gnashing" into "Bullhead's Lament".
And like I said before, their entire set was over in a flash, no fillers whatsoever.
You leave a hot and sweaty mess, as per usual with all things Baroness.

And let it be known these four mates are solid, what with punch through to your gut drumming from Sebastian Thomson, who's shirtless at the start of the second song, let alone all things "BASS" from Nick Jost, and of course the brilliant Gina Gleason on lead guitar, followed by John Dyer Baizley, who covers the gamut of rhythm guitar and of course lead vocal.

All things to the present day Baroness- an ideas heavy band of the utmost, truly special, truly ideal.
This current tour ends May 31st with a stop in Pittsburgh, seven dates total remain.
Worth catching, worth investigating, if so inclined.
As well you should.

Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago

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Baroness, Red and Blue, Chicago Live Music, JBTV Music Television, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid, Jerry Bryant, Sleeping Village