Reunited Indie Rockers The Walkmen Play First Nashville Show in Over a Decade Tonight, Sept. 16 at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville

One of the preeminent bands of the indie rock explosion and post-punk revival of the ’00s (even if their fame never quite reached the heights of some of their peers of the era), New York by way of DC rockers The Walkmen had an incredible run from their formation in 2000 to eventual hiatus in 2013. Breaking out to broader acclaim in ’04 thanks to sophomore album Bows + Arrows and indie classic single “The Rat,” the band were a huge fixture of the scene and critical darlings for a number of years, even permeating the culture in ways like becoming the first band to appear on beloved teen show The O.C. (if you’re too young to remember; being a guest band on that show was a huge taste-making badge of honor at that time). Though they were winding down as our site began, going out a high note with phenomenal 2012 seventh album Heaven, there were still an important No Country favorite in our early days, and one of our early pieces of show coverage was what would become the band’s final show in Nashville, in 2012 at Cannery Ballroom.

After parting ways, singer Hamilton Leithauser, organist Peter Matthew Bauer, and bassist Walter Martin all went on to pursue admirable solo careers, while drummer Matt Barrick contributed to Fleet Foxes, and for many years, a Walkmen reunion began to seem like an unlikely prospect. Then, out of nowhere late last year, the group announced a couple of spring reunion shows in New York followed by an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, before expanding their plans to include a run of shows in North America and Europe, spanning throughout the summer and fall. Tonight, Sept. 16, the beloved outfit will kick off their final announced leg of the run at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, marking their first appearance in Music City since that last outing in 2012 (and their largest to date- it’s great to see such an enthusiastic response to their return). New York indie and shoegaze outfit Yeah Baby support, and tickets are still available right here. If you loved The Walkmen back in the day like we did, you surely already know how essential this show is, but if you’re just now hearing about them for the first time, and you love 2000s indie rock, we implore you give them a spin, then check out this very exciting, must-see reunion in person!

The Walkmen and Yeah Baby will perform tonight, Sept. 16 at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville. The show is 18+, begins at 8 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.), and tickets are available for $45.80.