One of the best alt-rock tours of the year and an "elder emo" dream come true, has been making its way across the country. Headlined by Taking Back Sunday, with support from Thrice and Saves the Day, it's a nonstop night of amazing music and performances, and I was fortunate enough to make it to San Diego to catch the show!
Up first were Saves the Day that played a number of hits like "Anywhere With You," "Shoulder to the Wheel," and "Firefly" while also working in deeper cuts like "A Drag in D Flat" from their b-sides collection Ups and Downs and "Freakish" from Stay What You Are. They also came prepared with new music, performing their recently released "Invader." They closed out the set with "At Your Funeral" with guest vocals from Adam Lazzara.
Thrice took the stage around 7:45 opening with "Of Dust and Nations" from fan favorite record, Vheissu. Nearly exactly a year before, Thrice released their newest album, Horizons/West, so those tracks took up most of the setlist spots, performing "Holding On," "Albatross" and their propulsive "Gnash." I don't think any band can make performing such complex music look as easy as they do, between Dustin's headbanging and Teppei's play of the fret board like he's just typing up an e-mail, it's jaw dropping.
It was time for Taking Back Sunday. The band walked out to The Lion King's "Circle of Life" blaring through the house speakers. They jumped into "What's it Feel Like to Be a Ghost?" followed by "Liar" from Louder Now -- the album that would go on to dominate the setlist for the night. They had recently become aware that it was the 20th anniversary of the album, so they purposely threw songs in from that record that they don't normally play, for example "Divine Intervention" that had Adam Lazzara picking up the acoustic guitar.
They still didn't stray from covering their entire catalogue. They went back to their first album Tell All Your Friends with "Timberwolves at New Jersey" and "You're So Last Summer" up to their newest album 152 with tracks like "Lightbringer" and "The One" with the crowd singing every word.
As they started to approach the looming curfew with rain starting to come down, they were starting to rush a little with a hastened version of "Cute Without the 'E' Cut From the Team" before closing out the night with "MakeDamnSure."
Growing up in the early 2000s, you couldn't ask for a much better line-up. Between all three, you've got some of the best pop-punk songs to come out of Jersey, the slickest riffs from Orange County, and one of the most quintessential third wave emo bands still going today. Mics are still getting spun around, heads are still banging, and choruses are still being sung at the top of everyone's lungs. The tour is coming to a close, but Taking Back Sunday will be hosting their 12th annual Holiday Spectacular at the Starland Ballroom in December and then heading out to Europe with Weezer next May. You can also order the 20th anniversary pressing of Louder Now HERE.
