A full room at Valley Bar in downtown Phoenix greeted Franklin Jonas & the Byzantines at the latest stop of their first headlining tour. Fans of all ages turned up on a Thursday night for the fledgling group and the theme that permeated the evening was pure, profound gratitude.
Chicago singer-songwriter Tanner Dane opened the show with just an acoustic guitar and a voice that flew higher than the venue’s basement ceiling. His earnest demeanor lent itself to a setlist of heartache and lessons learned in songs like “Pull Tabs”, “Park Bench” and “Porto Heartbreak”. Fans were already crowding close to the stage for his performance and his powerful vocals won over the rest of the room by the time his memorable set came to a close.
Rarely does a Southern rock infused musical performance also come with a history lesson, but that was exactly the case with Franklin Jonas & the Byzantines. The band’s set was interspersed with anecdotes about the songs and a little learning moment as Jonas reflected on naming his current project. Beyond that, it was a sprint through the band’s unreleased album as the group released an astounding amount of energy into the intimate room.
The band whipped out all manner of instruments- from banjo to upright bass to even a horns section- while Jonas himself threw his entire body into the set. Devoted fans pressed close as Jonas stepped into the crowd more than once to circle the wagons and party with the people. Unreleased songs like “Diamonds” and “Easy” still had fans singing along as the band continued to build the anticipation for the record’s eventual release.
As the night went on, the joy in the room only intensified- especially as Jonas expressed his love for the state of Arizona and beloved local band The Maine. With the group’s addition to the 2027 8123 Fest lineup, they commemorated the occasion with an abbreviated cover of “Black Butterflies and Deja Vu” (and what they lacked in lyrical knowledge was made up for in unfiltered enthusiasm). The band also left the stage as a unit to perform acoustic in the crowd, lit only by the lights of the fans’ phones and the smiles on everyone’s faces.
New single “High and Sad” was a favorite in the latter part of the set before Jonas invited what seemed like half the room onstage to dance along to “That Psychic” and “Road Soda” at the end of the night. One more heartfelt speech later and the show officially ended with a tour-exclusive number aptly titled “First of Many”. Valley Bar was an island of happiness for the band’s First of Many Tour and that bubble floated all the way into the heat of the venue’s back alley as the band met every grateful fan eager to connect after such an amazing night.
