Behold the night of celebrating 20 years with Taking Back Sunday in Chicago at House of Vans, where it felt like one big high school reunion as vocalist Adam Lazzara announced that drummer Mark O’Connell wasn’t there this night because “he [was] having a baby!!” (To which in turn led to Lazzara giving us all a brief pop quiz on how babies are made.)
Current drummer of Against Me!, Atom Willard (previously of The Offspring, The Special Goodness, Danko Jones, and founding member of Angels and Airwaves), stepped in O’Connell’s stead for a night of relishing memories of past triumphs and shared anguish of relinquished feelings. Nothing brings a room full of people together like screaming nostalgic lyrics attached to more-than-familiar melodies.
As Lazzara had previously stated, they are “traveling the world to celebrate the amazing brotherhood, music, and life we have created together over the past 20 years… for what is sure to be an experience to remember.” To make an already special tour an even more special night, this particular show at House of Vans was part of their Vans House Parties Series where the headlining artist gets to curate the whole show and instead of buying tickets, attendees get in for free via a RSVP, first come, first served basis. Taking Back Sunday curated the show with openers Rozwell Kid and Pronoun, featuring an art installation by Brian Ewing.
The night spent with Taking Back Sunday’s Lazzara, Willard, John Nolan (guitarist), Shaun Cooper (bassist), and Nathan Coogan (touring guitarist) was complete with moshing, crowd surfing, Lazzara’s seamless mic throws, (albeit a bit constrained and constricted to the intimate space) and a collective donning of all the emo feels.
The setlist consisted of an eclectic mix of Taking Back Sunday’s albums spanning their 20-year catalog. The band performed their new single “All Ready to Go” before finishing with classics “Cute Without the ‘E'” and “MakeDamnSure.” In the city Lazzara called his second home, those in attendance in Chicago this night got to experience a truly special evening two decades under the influence of a band that brought them through big highs and tough lows, Taking Back Sunday.
Taking Back Sunday have released their latest album, titled Twenty, on January 11, 2019 and are currently on their 20th anniversary worldwide tour through mid-November. For tickets and tour dates, visit: TakingBackSunday.com/tour.
SETLIST
What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?
A Decade Under the Influence
Error: Operator
Tidal Wave
Liar (It Takes One To Know One)
Set Phasers To Stun
Timberwolves At New Jersey
My Blue Heaven
This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know)
Flicker, Fade
You’re So Last Summer
You Can’t Look Back
All Ready To Go
Cute Without The ‘E’ (Cut From the Team)
MakeDamnSure
