Written By: Eric Sperrazza | Photographed By: Christina Cosenza

There are some bands that, to truly know them, you must see live. Take KISS as an example; they were on the verge of losing their record deal because, although they played sold-out shows on the road, they simply couldn’t move albums. Then, “KISS: Alive!” debuted. An album that truly captured the audible experience of the band’s tour de force performance, it stands as one of their best-selling albums to this day. The same can be said for bands like The Ramones or Queen. You truly can’t understand their brilliance until you’ve seen them perform in person. Today, another band can be officially added to that list, and that band is Taking Back Sunday.

Taking Back Sunday was birthed in 1999 on Long Island, New York. Living neatly between the lines of post-hardcore and emo punk, you could feel the strings snapping on their guitars with their hard-hit chords, all while their lyrics dripped with passion. Their debut album,  Tell All Your Friends, became a must-own LP in the feverishly growing emo scene. Taking Back Sunday has undergone several lineup changes but has maintained a consistent presence in the alternative music world, releasing several successful albums and building a rabid fanbase. But, beyond all of it, there is something deeper with the band than just being a standout in the early 2000’s emo explosion. More than identifiable emotional lyrics that reach into the souls of so many. More than a scandalous feud with Brand New. There is something that must be seen.

On Friday, Taking Back Sunday stopped off at The Fillmore with special guests, Citizen, to give Philadelphia the chance to experience their particular je ne sais quoi for themselves. With over 45 stops on the North American leg of their tour alone, the band has been riding high since the release of their latest album, 152. The Filmore, filled up practically to capacity, had a steam-powered vibration that was palpable, with a suspense in the air that this powder keg could soon go off at any moment.

Citizen set the pace first, starting at about 8:00 p.m. The band, Mat Kerekes (vocals), Nick Hamm (lead guitar), Eric Hamm (bass), Mason Mercer (rhythm guitar), and Ben Russin (drums), took to the stage and immediately ripped into the song, ‘I Want to Kill You.” From that point on, Citizen put on a clinic in managing the delicate high-wire balancing act of Emo Post-Punk and good old-fashioned Detroit Rock. From tracks like “Hyper Trophy” and “Blue Sunday” to the fan-dedicated “The Night I Drove Alone,” Citizen was an opening act that put on a main event performance.

Through the blue-lit smokey stage arrived Taking Back Sunday, as John Nolan (guitar/keyboards), Shaun Cooper (bass), Mark O’Connell (drums), and Adam Lazzara (vocals) took to their spots. Exploding with the force of a typhoon into S’Old, the band lit that powder keg in the room, and suddenly what made them special was clear. Through a setlist of classics like “Cute Without The E” with additions from their new LPs like Amphetamine Smiles and Lightbringer, what was evident was the tribe that was whipped up into frenzy—from all walks of life and even different social cliques! In unity of exaltation, they hung onto every second, while Lazzara spun and glided up and down the steps onstage and from corner to corner. And if that weren’t enough, while Lazarra commanded the stage, possessed by the ghost of the late Freddie Mercury, his mic work would have put Gogo of the “Kill Bill” saga to shame. They wrapped the night up with the hit “MakeDamnSure,” sending every now-exhausted fan to stumble out adorning relieved and satisfied smiles.

A true highlight was the new single off the 152 album, “The One.” If it was possible for one song to take a theater-sized crowd and magically make them feel like they were participating in an arena anthem at Wembley, it was this moment. Proof that you can be uplifted and inspired at an Emo show!

And that was it. That is what sets them apart. To see that band is to both feel the energy they create and be thoroughly and visually entertained, but all the while doing so within this tribe. That is the beauty and the legacy of Taking Back Sunday.

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Alternative Rock has been a staple for so many people throughout the years. It has evolved into the comfort food of music from where I stand. So it wasn’t surprising that Taking Back Sunday and Third Eye Blind were going back on the road together for the “Summer of Gods Tour”. As a music lover and a huge TBS fan, I made it a point to see them this go around. It was mainly because I hadn’t missed a show from them in almost 15 years and had not seen them since before the pandemic. 

Doors opened at five thirty, and everyone started to frolic up towards the gates amidst the humidity and overcast skies that hung over all of our heads. Nobody seemed to mind a damp chill in the air because of the nostalgic night we had in store. 

The opener that evening was a band called Hockey Dad. They’re a two-member surf rock band from Australia consisting of Billy Fleming, the drummer, and Zach Stephenson on vocals and guitar. They played seven songs, including their newest single, “T’s to the Cross,” which is catchy and an upbeat tune. “T’s to the Cross” is sprinkled with the right amount of grit and pop to make you want to sing along. Hockey Dad would be the love child of the Black Keys, Pete Doherty, and Beach House. For two dudes from Australia, they killed it. Once they wrapped, it was “go time.” 

The crowd split between the die-hard emo Taking Back Sunday fans and the Gen X’ers. Who were waiting patiently for Third Eye Blind to take the stage with a pounder in hand. 

An eruption of sound came from the speakers, and walking from stage left, was Adam Lazzara. “So what’s gonna happen when the old man goes? Will you embrace chaos or take control?” he belted out, From their song “Tidal Wave” on their latest album in 2016. Like I said earlier, I have seen TBS countless times, and this specific performance was different. I don’t know exactly what was happening as the music continued to play on, but it wasn’t anything I was used to by them. The sound was extraordinarily jumbled, and it was hard to make out any of the lyrics. Imagine a sock over the microphone and all speakers were drowning out the words because that is what you got.

TBS had a lineup full of fan favorites, including; “You’re So Last Summer,” “A Decade Under the Influence,” “Cute Without the E (Cut From the Team),” and “Liar,” just to name a few. It started off pretty rocky, but it finally started to level off towards the end of the set. They wrapped up with “MakeDamnSure” as Lazzara made his signature move and wrapped the mic around his neck while singing. The crowd erupted into cheering, singing every last word and holding onto every last breath as their set closed. As much as it pains me to admit this, that performance was subpar at best. I hope they figure out what the missing link is soon because they are typically an incredible live show. 

It was abundantly clear that most of the audience was there for Third Eye Blind. As soon as TBS got off stage, all of their fans left and cleared out, making room for all the new patrons filing in and filling all the empty spaces. The set change seemed like an eternity, but after 30 minutes, the band took the stage. The set wasn’t elaborate, but it didn’t have to be. It was understated with a ramp and a backdrop that resembled being in a wooded area.

The entire stage was black until it wasn’t, and each member appeared one by one. A slow intro turned into the opening song, “Ways.” I couldn’t spot a single human being in that concert that wasn’t singing or attempting to sing these songs that were portals of the past. You could tell in every single person’s eyes that this band wasn’t just about music to them. This band, in particular, meant a little more than just something to listen to. Halfway through their set Stephan Jenkins stopped the show, walked into the crowd, and asked everyone to find someone they didn’t know and say, “I’m glad you’re here have a beautiful night.”

The show continued to surprise me, which is a rarity these days. TEB played a remarkable set that evening. Between the song choice and light show, it was top-notch. Jenkins played both “Redstar” and the background acoustically, and I thought that my eardrum might pop with the response from everyone around me. The sound was clear and crisp, unlike TBS, and you could actually hear what the hell was being sung. Their set included iconic songs like “Jumper,” “Motorcycle Drive By,” and How’s it Going to Be.” 

Jenkins wrapped up the night by thanking Philly for the inspiration and the warm energy and then directed everyone to put their arm around someone and “start swaying.” It’s a no-brainer why Third Eye Blind is headlining this tour and how, after years, they are as iconic as they were in the 90s.

Happiness Is

Reviewed by: Melissa Komar

Happiness Is, the sixth and latest eleven track album by Taking Back Sunday, is just that: happiness in the form of a blissful, musical walk that takes you back to the greatness churned out by the original and now reunited line-up.

While the album opens with an inconsequential intro, the first full length track, “Flicker Fade”, drips in reverie to the days of TBS circa 2002-2004, both musically and lyrically with front-man Adam Lazzara crooning, “If you should change your name, I’d love you just the same” and “you wonder why it always ends the same”. There’s no denying the sound is classic TBS and you’ve heard it before, but in no way should that be a deterrent in chalking up their latest endeavor as trite.

The song-ending chorals and thumping bass drum build-ups could be deemed so last summer, but they still have the same energy now as they did back then, but it’s more refined and more mature.  Sure, Flava Flav isn’t jumping up and down with a giant, pimped-out clock, but there’s a coolness amid the tracks that is definitely more tuned to stand the test of time.

“Beat Up Car” and “Better Homes and Gardens” are the epitomes of what fans have come to know as retro TBS and what newcomers should revel in as musical greatness.  The simple lyrical genius still pervades on all the tracks with “Like You Do” lending a beautiful example when Lazzara recalls, “I was keeping to myself waiting on some train, when your heels click-clacked the platform, to my heart they did the same”.

The album will leave you speechless and the only thing left to do is to tell all your friends.  Taking Back Sunday has nail-downed, even amidst bitter songs of break-up and regret, just what happiness is.

Rating: Iconic