Just Friends Led a Bittersweet Larimer Show Along with More Friends
April 2, 2022
Photos: Oliver Thieme
I’ve been trying to see Just Friends for months now (years, actually, if you include the concert that was scheduled for April 2020, then canceled because of you know what). My chance came on a Monday night in March, at the legendary Larimer Lounge (my first visit as a newsperson).
I remember the first time I saw Just Friends at the Sad Summer Fest in 2019, and since then I’ve been waiting for them to come back. And this tour – of all tours to see them – the band was accompanied by Graduating Life, long-time friends of Just Friends. Sadly, it was the last show of Graduating Life, as the band broke up after the tour, but I couldn’t have been happier to have seen them before they do.
JF Crew (formerly known as Just Friends), are probably some of the best performers I have ever had the pleasure to see.
The first few bands, King of Heck and Bears In Trees, were amazing openers, and set a perfect vibe for the crowd at Larimer Lounge. King of Heck came out and played some good old folky/pop-punk mish-mash of goodness, followed by Bears In Trees – hailing all the way from across the Atlantic in England – played a sweet indie set, but still included some of the pop-punk vibes everyone expected from the concert as a whole.
I could feel the anticipation as the crowd waited for Grad Life, probably the night’s main attraction for many fans. As soon as they came onto the set, the crowd went wild. They opened with one of their most popular songs, “Cold Raviolis.” With the whole crowd singing, screaming, and shouting along, and a huge group moshing and dancing, I knew the band were setting up for a blast from the next two performers.
Finally, the headliners appeared. I can say with a lot of certainty – at least for me – that JF Crew (formerly known as Just Friends), are probably some of the best performers I have ever had the pleasure to see. A band of seven long-time friends, they sport a great chemistry on the stage. At times, the show didn’t feel like a concert – more like a party in your garage – as the lead singers would often interrupt between songs to tell stories and talk with fans. Of course, the intimate, punky vibe that the Larimer builds had something to do with that – but just a little bit. It was all the band’s personality and love for their fans.
It felt like they were there to see us just as much as we were there to see them – like a community of people who love music all coming together to hang out and listen together and just have fun. Kind of like we were all just friends among more friends.
