Thank You, I’m Sorry Rocks The Ballroom

“Hi, music?” 

Colleen Dow timidly squeaked through a smile, approaching the microphone. Behind the bandleader followed Andy Costello (guitar), Jake Barrow (bass) and Sage Livergood (drums), the rest of Thank you, I’m Sorry. The indie-rock group opened up for Bears in Trees at The Ballroom at Spiderhouse, Oct. 22, 2024 with a too-short 30-minute set. 

The drums kicked off, upbeat guitar chords wrapped around the 30-person audience as the midwest quartet started off their eight-song set with “Parliaments.” The psychedelic loop of kaleidoscopic images projected onto the stage mixed perfectly with the amber/gold inviting darkness of The Ballroom: a metaphor for Dow’s soothing, emo-esque, soprano voice that tied a melodic bow around the instrumental gifts emanating from the band. 

Transitioning from unreleased, “Bottle Rocket,” into “Sneaking Out,” their first song off their 2024 EP Repeating Threes, Dow offered an anecdote: 

“This song’s about being gay.”

The crowd cheered.

“Correct response,” Dow said. 

Costello dooming over his guitar didn’t spare a glance at the crowd, yet landed every riff and power chord with precision from his own world he seemed lost in. Barrow stood tall and lanky with his bass strung up high for his long arms. His swanky, accented notes bellowed in matrimony with Livergood’s impressive fills and trills as the overpowering rock backbone. By the end of the set, they were fighting to hold the falling-apart drum kit together. 

Performing on the stage that seemed to shrink as their presence grew more and more, this textbook indie band expressed unsung happiness through their smiling glances to each other and grooving chemistry. An unfamiliar audience, met with an awkward four-piece, soon electrified each other through loud, vibey songs that masked boiling lyrics (“Doomer”). 

Thank you, I’m Sorry was an opener that could’ve ended the show with their memorable performance. 

SETLIST

Parliaments

Bottle Rocket (unreleased)

Sneaking off

When I Come East

Car Sick

Doomer (unreleased)

Head Climbing

Autonomy Shop