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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Music for me has always been my outlet. I could listen to a song – the music, the lyrics, the vocals – and relate to what the message was. Many, many bands and solo artists have influenced me to this day and have had an impact on my life, but nothing like how Brand New’s Deja Entendu has.

Deja Entendu was released in June 2003, the summer before my senior year in high school, but it wasn’t until later on in 2004 that I became obsessed with hardcore, screamo, and emo music. The first song I heard from the record was “Sic Transit Gloria… Glory Fades” and it stuck with me immediately.

I’m not sure if it was the emotion in the song or how it painted such a picture in my mind, but it was definitely one of the songs that changed my life. It helped my passion for that genre of music, and music in general, grow and expand.

“Okay, I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don’t” is still, to this day, one of the more popular songs off the record and definitely one of my favorites. You can hear the opening notes of the song and immediately recognize it to be Brand New. I’ve always thought that Jesse Lacey had one of the more easily recognizable voices in the scene. His voice was one that you feel the emotion exuding as he sang each note and lyric.

Mellower tracks like “The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot” and “Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis” showed off how vulnerable and real the quartet could be with an emo song.

The last track on the record, “Play Crack The Sky,” was one of those songs that I discovered late in the game, but is absolutely one of my favorite songs of all-time. The gentleness of the guitar strumming and the emotion in Jesse’s voice created such an iconic, sing along song that showcases the true talent and the epitome of what Brand New is.

This has always been one of the very select few albums that I can still, to this day, listen to the whole way through without skipping a song. From the realistic, emotional takes on relationships, friendships, and basically anything in life, it’s definitely one of the few albums I can come back to time and time again that doesn’t miss a beat.

Brand New 

Reviewed by: Fareeha Naim

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Ben Rector has always had a way with piano-driven pop melodies, and his 6^th studio album is no exception. Caution: warm, enlightening feelings inside are an inevitable partner to Brand New. Each song has its own message, offering us words that inspire, a lesson to learn from, or a reason to smile. Rector majorly writes about love and life, his themes interweaving throughout the album whether he’s describing someone as his “Favorite Song” or teaching us to live “Like The World Is Going to End.” Drawing from his own life experiences, his lyrics are easily understood and by the second listen you’ll be singing along.

Opening with the short and sweet piano ballad “Something Beautiful,” Rector asserts his wish to create “a thing that reminds us there’s good in the world.” Needless to say, he already has with his past five albums, and this sixth is just adding to that list of the beauty he weaves with his words. Following is the titular track “Brand New,” transitioning into a faster tempo with a steady beat about how it feels to be with someone. Get ready to feel like dancing during this upbeat track. “Note to Self” is an adorably fun to-do list filled with themes of loving yourself, loving others, and being grateful for what you’re given in life. “The Men Who Drive Me Places” pulls at the heart strings, as Rector’s voice backed by a piano celebrates the working lives of “Howard” and “Danny,” two of his drivers who deserve the recognition he has, and he asserts wistfully, “I’m half the man / of the men that drive me places.” Every song gives us insight into his life, how his thoughts work and his emotions. In the upbeat pop melody “Fear,” Rector documents his journey to becoming a successful musician, exploring how he “finally caught a dream” and “it’s a terrifying thing,” but strongly declares, “I learned to dance with the fear that I’ve been running from.” Track after track, Brand New is a testament to Rector’s skill when it comes to relatable lyrics backed by simple yet memorable melodies.

Rector consistently delivers beautifully written music you want to listen to. No, he’s not breaking down musical barriers or creating entirely innovative styles, but he is giving us what we want; music for anytime, anywhere, that we can feel good listening to and learn from. Play on, Ben Rector, and keep creating beauty for the world.

Rating: Bad-Ass

by Janelle Engle 

credit John Stars

While you can easily think One Direction and The Wanted with that kind of description, Case Closed is more along the lines of pop/rock/pop punk than strictly bubble gum pop. They cite their main music influences as Taking Back Sunday, Brand New and Manchester Orchestra. This influence is found in some of their more dramatic tracks but most of the music is more along the lines of playful. It makes you want to dance around your room in your underwear. With their melodic pop hooks and upbeat vocals mixed with interesting guitar riffs, I recommend them for listeners of Cartel, The Maine and Hit the Lights. Yet the band likes to mix it up on every single so the inspiration jumps all over the place. For example, the unexpected catchy stand out track “A Tribute to a Man and his Orange” where an upbeat voice sings about being forgotten and alone. It’s a track that personally reminds me of Saves the Day for it’s ironic mix of a depressing subject and a happy chorus.

The band formed two years ago in high school when the four guys (Curt, Dave, Dan and Phil) decided to get a band together. However, they really started when they played their very first show six years ago at a Battle of the Bands. While they did not win at their first gig, they are doing pretty well and keeping busy since then. After receiving buzz for their three song EP  This is Bad. That was Terrible., they went on to work with Jesse Cannon in 2011 on a full length album titled Clouds.  Case Closed continued to work with Cannon on their latest EP Basements.

“Working with Jesse was amazing, he’s produced so many big bands and he gave us so much input. He was very hands on,” says bass player Dan Huesser. Anything else on Basements is right now very top secret. In comparing their previous release Clouds with Basements newer sound, all Huesser says is “ they worked on developing their sound more and are coming into a more distinct sound as a band. “

credit John Stars

To get fans excited about the upcoming Basements release, Case Closed is encouraging fans to be directly involved by sending in any basement related photo in order to make a collage of fan pictures on the back cover of the EP. “When Instagram got popular, for us, it was when we were going in the studio. We thought it’d be a great way to get the fans really involved and be part of the album featuring photos of anything basement related,” drummer, Phil Fasulo, explains. “We’re excited to see the entries we get. “

While the origin of the name of Basements is not revealed, I got a hint it has to do with the amount of times the band has played some crazy shows that were held in the basement. Especially because the band claims on their Twitter bio that they will play anywhere for anyone, which leaves a lot of room for interpretation. “Everywhere from backyards to barns in the middle of Amish countries and bars where not even the bartender was there,” laughs Huesser.

So what can fans expect at a Case Closed show, besides it likely held in a basement or some other sort of unique venue? They can expect a lot of jumping around, dancing and catchy pop punk singalongs and…. blood? “It’s not uncommon for someone to be bleeding,” Fasulo says of their live performances, citing the time when he ended a show completely in blood thanks to a mishap with the guitar. “You just have to keep playing, no stopping in between songs. It didn’t look that bad until I finished the set covered in blood,” Huesser says of the experience. It becomes clear that Case Closed are dedicated to the music and putting on the best live performance they can for their fans.

Case Closed will be performing this Saturday in Love Park, as part of the Fall Fest.