in true bear fashion comes a show recap over two weeks after the fact. what can i say? i have a full time job that doesn’t allow me access to photo editing sites or mp3 sites because it’s owned by a bank, rendering me nearly useless to blog in the day. i mean, if i can’t blog at work, then why am i living in america? nonetheless, here we go.

as far as my generation goes, taking back sunday is the band that i would give my vote to for being the band that everyone has either liked, loved or quoted in their aim profile at some point in their life. i personally have liked something about each of their records (hey, even new again!) and think they are one of the mainstream’s best alternative rock bands, however uncool it may be in 2009.

hit the jump for the recap.

-grizzly

right off the bat, one great thing about this tour would be the fact that it was a one-off from their tour supporting the all american rejects, which saved us from a lot of youngins yelling for ‘gives you hell’ and the likes. anberlin would be the direct support for tonight, and i’m sure they did a swell job of representing for the tooth and nail demographic. however, that aforementioned work schedule would allow us the privilege of missing a monotonous and flavorless set from anberlin.

however, being late did have it’s disadvantages. namely, missing the first song from taking back sunday’s set, which upon notification by text, we came to find out was ‘cute without the e.’ i know. however, we made it in time for song two and i would be catching my first taking back sunday set since 2004.

after run-throughs of fan favorites “what’s it feel like to be a ghost” and “set phasers to stun,” we’d come to find out that this was not the sloppily enjoyable and frantic taking back sunday of ages past. for lack of a better pun, they were new again. technical and precise in their instrumentation, i was also immediately taken aback at how good of a vocal pairing adam lazzara and matt fazzi were. fazzi not only performed his own songs with ease, but did justice to the prior vocal parts of john nolan and fred mascherino.

taking back sunday’s set played like a greatest hits of sorts, touch a very fluid and even base of all four of their records. old and jaded fans were treated to “you know how i do” and “timberwolves at new jersey,” while new fans were able to hear “makedamnsure” and “everything must go,” the latter of which i maintain is one of the best songs the band has written. also interesting was the fact that adam alluded to his ex-lady chauntalle dupree of eisley fame, noting that ‘his biggest mistake came from texas.’ that had to have cut deep.

in complete objectivity, taking back sunday had become a better (technically) live band than they had ever been in the past. sure, the chaotic and very sweaty clusterfucks of 2002 will always hold a special place in this cold and dark heart of mine, but it was hard not to be less than thrilled to see a band finally come into their own as a stage act. it’s a shame everyone’s already jumped ship.

till next time.

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[SETLIST]

cute without the e (cut from the team)
sink into me
what’s it feel like to be a ghost
set phasers to stun
you’re so last summer
carpathia
you know how i do
one eighty by summer
lonely, lonel
my blue heaven
timberwolves at new jersey
everything must go
a decade under the influence
liar (it takes one to know one)
error operator
makedamnsure

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big ups to groovehouse/rocks off for doin’ a fine job with the pictures. sorry i stole em!

-grizzly