As someone who attends a plethora of concerts every year, it can be easy for shows to get lost or jumbled in my subconscious.However last Saturday night’s show with the iconic post-punk & noise rock band Model/Actriz was cemented to the frontal cortex of my brain. Model/Actriz have been on fire the last few years and those fortunate enough to have attended one of their shows knows exactly how iconic of a performance they consistently put on. Fronted by the outrageously confident and bold lead singer Cole Haden, Model/Actriz -I don’t say this lightly- put on probably one of the most euphoric shows I have ever experienced at Pilsen’s beloved Thalia Hall.
Warming up the crowd for an already vigorous evening, metal band Agriculture took the reins of the stage for a brief yet explosive set. You know it’s going to be a great night when the opener gets the crowd to mosh and open up the pit. Agriculture’s rugged sound and grit paired perfectly with Model/Actriz’s noisy guitars.
It was pretty obvious from the get go that every single person in that room was a devoted and hardcore fan of Model/Actriz. A rush of exhilaration and adrenaline flooded the room as frontman Cole Haden strutted into the dark red limelight wearing an extravagant all black outfit ruffled with feathers at the neck line and topped off with massive black shades that made him look like an absolute fashion model. As a huge fan myself, I was really looking forward to whatever the band decided to present on their setlist for the night, fully knowing they really don’t have any bad songs between their 2023 debut album, Dogsbody and their extraordinary 2025 sophomore follow-up, Pirouette.
Model/Actriz kicked off their set with an impressive performance of their track “Vespers” which instantly activated the entire general admission floor right back into mosh pit mode. The whole show was a non-stop robust setlist jam packed with bangers. Following their powerful intro, they went right into their song “Mosquito” and then immediately into “Amaranth” which really stirred the pot for the night.
Haden was just getting started with his seemingly tireless performance, jumping down into the crowd and getting up close and personal with his fans. The one thing that really makes Model/Actriz stand out from other bands is frontman Cole’s way of becoming one with the crowd and immersing himself in the experience of his own show. He went into the center of the room and serenaded fans, and then asked everyone to crouch. The crowd effortlessly obeyed and went absolutely wild as the drop kicked in, Cole joining in on the fun that is the mosh pit. The floor was literally shaking in a way I had never felt before at a Thalia Hall show, as the crowd jumped to the pure joy of the band’s hyper energy.
The setlist continued to impress the room, as Model/Actriz performed many of my personal favorites including “Diva” and a performance on Thalia Hall’s balcony of their song “Departures.”I don’t think there was a single spot in that room where Cole didn’t set foot on. He made his rounds to the point that pretty much every one that attended Saturday night’s show got a chance to be up close and personal with this modern legend. With minimal phones in the hands of the crowd, it was pretty clear that Model/Actriz put on one hell of a show that prompted everyone to live in the moment.
Though it’s only May, Model/Actriz has earned a spot as one of my favorite bands to see live as well as one of the best shows I’ve attended this year! If you weren’t able to catch them this time around, you are in luck! The show was so mind-blowing, they announced a one-off show at the Empty Bottle this summer on July 17th! I grabbed my tickets as soon as I found out so get them when they go on general sale this Friday!
All photos by Andrew Lagunas.
