Taking Back Sunday at Sonar 6/21/09

So after almost a whole year without updating my blog, I've decided to dedicate it to all of the shows that I go to from now on. Considering it's the summertime right now and I don't have school, I will be going to a lot more shows during my free time and will be able to update my blog more frequently.

So, to start off my new blog about shows, I'll tell you guys about when I saw a band that I have been listening to since 4th grade and that has influenced me a lot.

Who: Taking Back Sunday w/ Anberlin and Envy on the Coast

Where: Sonar

When: June 21, 2009

This was my first show of the summer. This was also one of the (many) shows that I didn't tickets for, sold out, and gave me a very hard time to get them at the door. Plus, you just look like a dick asking people that you don't know for discounts on sold out tickets. I did get lucky though, when some idiot (mother in her mid-40s only going to the show to supervise her kids) sold me a ticket for $20, even though the show was sold out and the original ticket price was $25 (not including Ticketmaster's $10 service charge). Once I got my ticket, I asked the doorman what band was on, and he said "Anberlin" so I flipped out and ran inside, while I found out 10 seconds later that Envy on the Coast hadn't even finished yet. They were on their last song that was their first single though that I liked, called "Sugar Skulls" from their debut album. And it's not that I think Envy on the Coast is a bad band, it's just I wanted to help my dad get in too and get a ticket. Yes, my dad goes to shows a lot of the time with me. And yes, I know that I am more than capable of driving myself down to see the show without my father. He eventually got in too though, getting his for $2o as well. But enough about me, this is about the show.

Anberlin was amazing. I had saw them last November opening up for Motion City Soundtrack at Rams Head Live!, but hadn't known them that well until after I heard them at that show. This show I knew their songs and really could appreciate their singer's great songwriting. I went crazy when "Feel Good Drag" came on, as well as the mosh pit. They definitely know how to put on a good show. They even had the balls to cover a song from the '80s that no one knows the words to. Then came Taking Back Sunday. Huge upset. Adam Lazzara, their singer, could barely hit any of the high notes from their records and spend tons of time talking about how he got punched in the back of the head by some hater on the street the night before, and his favorite animal was. The band playing awesome, but I missed his microphone tricks that he did when I saw them co-headlining a show with Angels & Airwaves at Merriweather Post Pavilion when Fred was still in the band. Generally, I liked their show at Merriweather than this one. Hopefully the next time I see them (at Virgin FreeFest that I couldn't get tickets to goddammit!), they will be better.