Legendary post-hardcore/emo vets Texas Is The Reason brought their reunion tour to Union Transfer Saturday night for one last show here in Philadelphia.
For just the second time in 15 years, New York City four-piece Texas Is The Reason picked up the pieces again and set out on the road across the United States. Since their final show in Germany in 1997, the only other time the band has come back together was for two shows for the 10-year anniversary of their only full length album, Do You Know Who You Are? After recently playing as part of the 25th year anniversary shows for Revelation Records, it was announced that Texas Is The Reason would be hitting the road again for one final tour. Last Saturday saw their journey make a stop at Union Transfer in Philadelphia.
After headlining their own show a few months ago, local-ish pop punk sensation Title Fight opened the show. While throughout the night it was clear who the majority of the crowd was there to see, the Kingston, PA band brought out a sizable amount of fans early on in the night. In between sharing short stories about several songs and giving thanks to all those who came out to see them, Title Fight also acknowledged the importance and influence Texas Is The Reason had on them.
With no barricade and stage dives aplenty from numerous members from the crowd, Title Fight ripped through a lengthy set full of songs that from their early 7″ releases to their most recent, Floral Green. Known for bringing the energy of a small, local punk show to the big stage, the band did not disappoint the fans that came out.
Once Title Fight’s set ended and the stage lights came on, the floor started to fill up as people finished their drinks from the bar. In no time, it became shoulder-to-shoulder standing room. After a quick set change, the house lights went off, and the four guys known as Texas Is The Reason came out to say goodbye one last time.
The show began on a slightly more somber note. Lead singer Garrett Klahn opened by sharing a story of a younger fan who had fallen ill and unfortunately passed away before making it to the show. He continued by saying that seeing the band was one of the kid’s dreams and that the show would be dedicated to him. As the first chords of their first song were played, the band was greeted with a round of applause. As the concert went on, the night was filled with sing-a-longs, cheering (including chants in between songs), and moshing. For most, it was a night to relive their youth as they watched one of their favorite bands play the songs they admired growing up.
With a catalog that only includes one full-length album, one EP, and two splits, Texas Is The Reason almost managed to play their entire collection of songs. Klahn professed early on that even after all of these years, he still could not come up with stage banter to say in between songs. Other than expressing great thanks and gratitude, the talk was kept to a minimum. The band ended with just a single song for their encore. Once it was over, and the house music began to play, fans headed to the merch tables as they exited. It was a memorable night that left the sold-out crowd with one final piece to hold onto.
