Polar Bear Club performed at Howard’s Club H on Wednesday night, making it the first time the band has played in Bowling Green.
Opening bands for the night included four local acts such as East Highland, Professor, Homelife and The Fight Within respectively.
The show consisted of an off-date for Polar Bear Club from its North American tour with Bad Religion and The Bronx. The band performed songs from different albums such as “Pawner,” and Bottled Wind” from its album “Clash Battle Guilt Pride and “Boxes” from its album “Chasing Hamburg” as the crowd packed tightly together and sang into lead singer Jimmy Stadt’s microphone.
Chris Browne, guitarist for Polar Bear Club, said being the opening band to a crowd of more than 1,000 people at a single show on its tour where no one knows anything about the band makes playing a smaller show like Howard’s more enjoyable.
“It’s more like us to play shows like tonight,” Browne said. “This was more of our element and it’s just what our band is all about. Playing shows like this makes it more intimate and people are more likely to enjoy our songs.”
Cards for a free download for Toledo band The Fight Within’s songs and advertisement to its website were thrown into the air during Polar Bear Club’s set as people picked them off the ground.
Craig Dickman, vocalist and guitarist for The Fight Within, said being an opener for a band like Polar Bear Club didn’t make his band feel any different than performing any other show and his band enjoyed it. Playing shows around the Toledo area is different than playing shows across the United States, he said.
“Back home, we have the support from all of our family and friends,” Dickman said. “Having our friends makes us feel more comfortable on stage.”
Josh Kramer, sophomore, attended the show and first saw Polar Bear Club perform at the Vans Warped Tour last summer, which encouraged him to see the band on Wednesday night.
“I think Howard’s is a great place for local bands to play at,” Kramer said. “Having Polar Bear Club perform here is nice.”
Polar Bear Club will continue its North American tour with Bad Religion and The Bronx on Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio.
