Riding a wave of critical acclaim over their recently (October 2025) released third album Feels Like Hell, Portland, Maine based Weakened Friends wrapped up their winter tour of the western United States with two shows in Colorado this past weekend. On Friday, February 6, they played to a sold out crowd at the Hi-Dive in Denver. The next night, Saturday, February 7, they played to a packed house at Vultures in Colorado Springs. I was fortunate to attend both shows (I know, I know… it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it), and offer the following review and photos covering both nights.
Formed in 2015, Weakened Friends is Sonia Sturino on lead guitar and lead vocals, Annie Hoffman on bass and vocals, and Adam Hand on drums and vocals. Throughout much of the band’s history, Sturino has served as the principal songwriter. With the release of the latest album, however, Hoffman has assumed a significant role as co-writer. To date, the band has released three EPs, and three full-length LPs.
The new album, Feels Like Hell, is far and away their best work to date. Their first two albums suggested they were a band to keep an eye on. Feels Like Hell announces that they’re here to stay. I’m not a record critic, but I know when an album is special. And this album is exactly that.
But as good as the new album is, and as much as I was looking forward to see the band perform live for the first time, nothing prepared me for what I experienced at their back to back shows last weekend. They played with power. They played with emotion. They played with seemingly limitless energy. With few exceptions, neither Sturino nor Hoffman ever stopped moving. At times I felt like I was watching a seventy minute exercise class set to a power punk pop soundtrack. I left the show exhausted just from trying to keep up taking pictures and notes.
Each member of the band is enormously talented. Sturino is an unstoppable and energetic presence, often exhibiting an intensity that can verge on manic. Her vocal range is outstanding – powerful most of the time, yet gentle when needed. And she’s a much better guitarist than she gives herself credit for. Hoffman is an absolutely exceptional bass player, a masterful backup and harmony vocalist, and one hell of a borderline manic physical presence herself. (I joked with her ahead of Saturday night’s gig, asking her how much weight she loses with every show.) And let’s not forget Hand. As half of the rhythm section (with Hoffman) he is charged with laying down a foundation that keeps what frequently looks like pure chaos from becoming… well, pure chaos. At the same time, all you have to do is watch him for a few minutes to know that the man likes to let it rip himself. His playing, not to mention his background vocals, perfectly compliment and accentuate what Sturino and Hoffman are doing in front of him.
The fact that they’re married notwithstanding, the on-stage chemistry and connection between Sturino and Hoffman is truly undeniable. Given how much they both fly about during shows, they have to be in lock step to keep from knocking each other to the ground. When Hoffman ebbs, Sturino flows, and vice versa. They are the epitome of a well-oiled machine, assuming that machine was cranked to its highest setting.
Beyond the sheer force and energy of their live performances, what truly distinguishes Weakened Friends from their contemporaries is the maturity evident in their songwriting – especially on their latest album. Their songs make a strong impact both musically and lyrically, immediately grabbing the listener’s attention. The band has consistently demonstrated a knack for crafting catchy, infectious hooks that linger long after the song ends. Vocally, Sturino’s distinctive warble, paired with the band’s harmonies, creates an enticing sound that compels the listener to sing along. Weakened Friends have perfected the art of navigating and blending intense, punk and grunge-inspired power with undeniable pop sensibilities, creating a unique and dynamic musical experience.
That songwriting brilliance shone brightly in their exceptionally well-curated, nineteen song setlist (identical for both nights). Each song was thoughtfully placed, creating a dynamic flow that kept the energy high from start to finish. The set seamlessly blended new material from Feels Like Hell (in fact, the entire album!) with fan favorites from their earlier albums, showcasing the band’s evolution while still honoring their roots. The transitions between songs were smooth, and the selection highlighted the depth and range of their songwriting talents. The consistency of the setlist over both nights reinforced just how carefully crafted the experience was for the audience. Running time was consistent and compact – one hour and ten minutes on both nights.
(You can see the full setlist, presented in order, in the photo gallery below. You’ll note that “Great Expectations” is listed as an encore song for Saturday, but part of the regular set on Friday. This is due to the differences in stage configuration between the two venues. The stage at Denver’s Hi-Dive only allows for access through the front, making it impractical for artists to exit and return easily or gracefully. For that reason, the band opted to forego the traditional false ending of the show.)
As mentioned above, these were the last two shows on Weakened Friends’ current tour. As I write this article, they are on their way back to Portland for a few weeks, before getting back on the road at the end of March. No word on when they might be making their way back to Denver, although Hoffman told me, prior to the Saturday night show, that later this fall could be a possibility. If you missed the shows this past weekend, you can keep an eye on their upcoming tour schedule here… https://www.weakenedfriends.com/tour. Trust me when I tell you that you’ll want to catch them when they come back around.
Shoutouts to the crowds at both shows – man, you guys flat out brought it! I know the Denver show was officially sold out. I don’t know that for a fact for the Colorado Springs show, but I can tell you that I don’t know how, or where, they would have fit any more people into Vultures. I talked to both Sonia and Annie before both shows, and they expressed heartfelt thanks for the reception they received from the Colorado live music faithful. You guys, in both cities, deserve a hearty pat on the back.
Extra special shoutout to the handful of folks who attended both shows. I didn’t get a chance to talk to all of you, but I definitely noticed you. I did chat with Gary and Evan, who I met Friday night and then ran into again on Saturday. They live in Parker, and made their way first north into Denver, then south into the Springs, to see a band they think is definitely on the way up. To quote Gary, “These guys are awesome, man. One day soon we’ll be able to tell people that we got to see Weakened Friends up close and personal, before they became a really big deal”.
For the most part I agree with Gary, with one caveat. Weakened Friends might not yet be a household name, but based on the quality of their music, and the power of their live shows, they’re already a pretty big deal. If you attended one of the shows this past weekend, you know that. Now it’s a matter of spreading the word… one new fan at a time, one room at a time.
Story and photos by Rick Witt www.rickwittphotography.com
