All music fans enjoy going to shows and being able to witness live performances, especially when it’s one of their favorite bands. However, the best bands to see live in concerts are typically the bands that love playing live shows. Blue October is one of those bands. While some groups would rather be in the studio creating, bands like Blue October thrive on being able to play in front of people. Why else would Blue October have released a handful of live albums and be so eager to tour every chance they get? It also doesn’t hurt that with 10-plus studio albums on the books, Blue October has no shortage of songs, from their top hits to their B-sides, to play during concerts. Fans never know what songs the band will decide to play during a show, making every Blue October concert a special experience.

Justin the Genius

The driving force behind Blue October has always been Justin Furstenfeld, the group’s lead singer and primary lyricist. While anyone who has heard Blue October’s songs can gather that Furstenfeld has had a complicated life, he is undoubtedly a musical genius. He attended a visual and performing arts high school and has been playing in bands since he was 13 years old. Furstenfeld has also been credited with writing over 500 songs, making him responsible for many of the songs that have made Blue October a world-renown act with a platinum album and other a dozen top-40 singles.

(Don’t) Hate Me

Of course, it was the 2006 hit “Hate Me” that made Blue October a success roughly a decade after the band was first formed. The song tells the story of Furstenfeld’s battle with depression and addiction and the impact it had on his closest relationships. It was a raw and unfiltered look into his life that made it clear that Furstenfeld and Blue October had something to say to audiences that’s worth hearing. “Hate Me” established Blue October as a band with substance and honesty, a reputation that they’ve continued to uphold many years later, which is why the group remains relevant and an amazing band to see live.