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Live Recap: “Thirty Years Has Gone So Fast” Green Day's The Saviors Tour

August 15, 2024 / Rachel Zyzda

The legendary Green Day returned to the historic Wrigley Field on Tuesday, August 13th— this time bringing The Saviors Tour with special guests The Linda Lindas, Rancid, and The Smashing Pumpkins.

The Linda Lindas opened the evening bright and early with a short but sweet set that kicked off at 5:20PM and included a handful of their songs, like “Oh!” and “Growing Up.”

The Linda Lindas, Taylor Ward / Live Nation

Up next, Rancid kept the show rolling with their iconic 90’s punk songs. After performing the popular tune “Timebomb,” vocalist Tim Armstrong took a minute to take in the special moment of performing at such a historic venue, thanking Green Day for the opportunity and sharing their gratitude for Chicago. They brought out the Chicago-native wrestler CM Punk to the stage and dedicated their final song of the night, “Ruby Soho,” to him.

Next up, Chicago’s very own The Smashing Pumpkins took the stage. Billy Corgan and crew kept up with the theme of nostalgia and 90’s classics, performing so many of their hits in their one-hour set. Fan favorites included “Today,” which got a cheer as soon as the unmistakable opening chords rang out into the stadium, as well as “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” and “1979.” Before they wrapped up their set, Corgan took some time to show appreciation for the band’s hometown and Wrigley Field. “Thank you for being with us for 36 years. We used to practice across the street at the Cubby Bear. It only took us 36 years to get here, but we’re so happy. God bless you guys, God bless The Cubs,” he said.

The Smashing Pumpkins, Taylor Ward / Live Nation

After three incredible opening sets, the crowd was warmed up and ready for the main event, but Green Day kept the fans waiting just a little bit longer to get them even more hyped up. As the stage was set and the fans were ready for the band to come on, the epic singalong “Bohemian Rhapsody” played out across the house speakers in its entirety, as fans around the venue were captured for the jumbotrons. During that segment, I spotted some fans dressed as Billie Joe Armstrong in the American Idiot era with red ties and another fan holding a sign that said it was their first concert.

Just when the anticipation bubble felt stretched to the limit, Green Day had one more hype song before they hit the stage— their infamous Pink Bunny mascot came to the stage donning a custom Cubs jersey and danced around to The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop.”

Only then as the sun was finally setting, did Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool hit the stage—and boy did they hit the ground running. Right off the jump, the stage production delivered pyrotechnics and elaborate visual backgrounds.

After opening with the new song “The American Dream Is Killing Me,” we all took a journey back to 1994 to hear the landmark album Dookie performed in full to celebrate the 30-year (!!!) anniversary of those songs. The stage design shifted into a 3-D recreation of the album’s artwork that accompanied the band’s performance of the record in order of the tracklist.

While playing “Longview,” Armstrong took a break to chat to the crowd and say, “Hey, I just realized something. We played with The Smashing Pumpkins, who are from Chicago. Last time we played, we played with the band Fall Out Boy, who are also from Chicago. The next time we play it’s gonna be with the band Chicago!'“ Here’s to hoping Armstrong is able to manifest that line up for the next tour!

As the first half of the set went on, I remained in awe of the elaborate stage production and the band’s never-ending energy— it’s truly a feat how Armstrong is able to keep his voice intact for 2+hours as he continues to rile up the audience between singing over 30 songs. The production elements continuously evolved and remained fascinating, including an inflatable plane that dropped “dookie” bombs into the crowd, pyrotechnics, confetti and video graphics on the big screen.

Armstrong improvised in snippets of covers of a few other songs as the tracklist for Dookie continued and trailed into a section of songs from the Green Day catalog that don’t fall into Dookie and American Idiot. The mini covers/mashups included “Jack & Diane” by John Mellencamp with “F.O.D.”, “Free Fallin’” by Tom Petty before “Dilemma” and “Surrender” by Cheap Trick before “Minority.” Before the latter, Armstrong once again showed his love for Chicago music, saying, “Goddamn there’s so many good bands from Chicago,” referring to Cheap Trick this time.

Another highlight of the part of the show that interluded each album included a special moment with a fan named Bridget. While performing the 2009 single “Know Your Enemy,” Armstrong declared that he wanted to bring someone up on stage, which led to Bridget joining him to finish the rest of the song.

When the time came to transition to a front-to-back performance of 2004’s American Idiot, the stage evolved again to a recreation of the heart-shaped grenade from the album’s cover art. In high school I used to listen to this record on a CD walkman between classes, so it was really special to hear all of the songs performed in full twenty years later. As Armstrong sings in “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” twenty years has gone so fast. Besides getting to hear that lyric during the tour celebrating two decades of a seminal album, another highlight of this part of the show was the entire stadium holding up their phone flashlights for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

At the end of the American Idiot chapter of the show, Armstrong told the crowd “We don’t do encores because they’re egotistical and stupid,” which got a good laugh from the audience, but that’s a philosophy I can definitely get behind! Armstrong faked walking off stage before starting the instantly-recognizable chords of “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” which was the perfect bookend to the spectacle that is The Saviors tour.

There’s something really magical about seeing a rejuvenated production of such nostalgic albums, so if you get the chance to see this show, don’t miss it! See where you can catch the tour next here and tune into the set list below.

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Green Day, Saviors Tour, The Linda Lindas, Rancid, The Smashing Pumpkins, Wrigley Field, Summer Concerts, Concert Photography, Live Nation, Live Review, Live Recap

Live Recap: Say Anything at Aragon Ballroom

May 21, 2024 / Rachel Zyzda

On Friday, May 17th, Say Anything returned to Chicago to perform their landmark album ...Is a Real Boy in full to honor the 20th anniversary of the record.

Lead vocalist and songwriter Max Bemis, alongside the full band, had reunited to perform at Riot Fest in Chicago last September, but this show at Aragon Ballroom was Say Anything’s first headline show here since playing The Metro in 2017. While Aragon Ballroom is a significantly larger venue, fans came out in droves to experience the nostalgia of these twenty-year-old songs and completely packed the room even before it was time for the headline event.

The concert setlist stayed true to the album’s tracklist, and the show kicked off with the introductory track “Belt.” The live performance even included the spoken word introduction from Bemis saying “And the record begins, with a song of rebellion!” The audience immediately launched into fervent dancing and singing along with Bemis, that continued throughout the show.

Before playing the third track “The Writhing South,” Bemis took some time to address the crowd and mention the 20th anniversary celebration. "The weirdest part about that, it’s not the nostalgia, it’s not surreal— it’s that I’m only turning 20 myself this year, and I just don’t understand physically how that happened,” he joked. I have to say as someone who listened to these songs on repeat in high school, it definitely felt a little surreal to be hearing them performed all these years later.

For me and for so many of the audience members, every single song on the tracklist has specific memories tied to them, and they’re all so iconic in their own ways, but there were a couple of moments when the crowd amplified the energy they’d been exhibiting all night. During "An Orgy of Critics" I spotted my first crowdsurfer of the night, which was particularly impressive for this concert—considering the audience was made up mostly of millennials and Gen X. Just before playing track 9, "Every Man Has a Molly,” Bemis told the crowd “I wanna hear you guys sing as loud as humanly possible” and the audience obliged by singing the entire first verse before the band fully kicked in. The fans showed off their chorus-like singing again for “I Want To Know Your Plans,” which Bemis performed as a solo acoustic number at the start of the evening’s encore. Bemis introduced the set’s final song “Admit It!!” by telling the audience “We’re gonna put everything we’ve got into this last one” and the band definitely fulfilled that promise to send the evening off on a high note.

Relive the glory of the concert by checking out photos of the Chicago show below, and see where you can catch Say Anything next here.

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categories / Gigs, Reviews, Photos, Music
tags / Say Anything, Aragon Ballroom, Live Review, Live Show, Photos, Photo Set, Live Nation

Live Recap: Craig David at The Chicago Theatre

May 16, 2024 / Rachel Zyzda

On May 13th, British artist Craig David made a long-awaited return to Chicago to headline The Chicago Theatre.

Despite it being a rainy Monday night, fans flocked to the historic venue to see the singer perform here for the first time since 2001. As the crowd filed into their seats, a DJ warmed up them up and got the good vibes flowing. The DJ even shared with the crowd that he first got into Craig David after hearing “Fill Me In” for the first time in the early 2000’s, which I’m sure was a common thread with some of the fans in the audience.

When it was time for the main event, Craig David’s live band and backing vocalists took their places on stage first, before he eventually made his grand entrance. Immediately, the seated show-goers got to their feet and began singing and dancing.

After performing a few songs, including “What’s Your Flava?,” “Ain't Giving Up” and the aforementioned hit “Fill Me In,” Craig took some time to address the crowd and let them know he’d be journeying through a catalog of old favorites and new material throughout the show.

Craig delivered on that promise and even threw in a cover of “Show Me Love” by Robin S for good measure, as well as songs he featured on like “Abracadabra” with Wes Nelson and “Got It Good” with Kaytranada. No matter what he was singing, Craig delivered flawless vocals throughout the show, which were often complemented by his backing singers and accompanying musicians, who added a rich texture to the show’s production. The band members all got introductions and quick showcases of their talents during the song “Time to Party,” which had everyone dancing along and in good spirits.

The main set concluded with “16,” where Craig sings and raps about “doing this since I was sixteen” and it’s clear from the seamless and smooth performance that he’s mastered the craft of being an excellent performer.

The full band took a bow before leaving the stage and returning to demands for an encore. The journey concluded with “Insomnia” from 2008 and the iconic hit “7 Days.”

Check out photos from the Chicago performance below, and see where you can catch Craig David on the road next here.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / Craig David, Chicago Theatre, Live Nation, Live Review, Live Recap, Photo Set

Live Recap: The Veronicas at House of Blues

April 19, 2024 / Rachel Zyzda

“I know you guys thought this was a rock show but it’s actually a fucking disco,” Jess Origliasso, AKA one half of the twin sister-duo The Veronicas, told a packed House of Blues this past Sunday night in Chicago.

While there was ample opportunity to dance just like at a disco, The Veronicas also delivered rock ‘n’ roll flair and heartfelt nostalgic vibes throughout their highly-anticipated comeback tour. As someone who repeatedly listened to the duo’s debut album The Secret Life of... on physical CD format, it healed my inner child to hear songs “When It All Falls Apart” and “Everything I’m Not” in the first few moments of the set. The Veronicas kept their throwback songs fresh by weaving in mashups of other hit songs—for example, Jess played the iconic riff of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes while Lisa sang the introduction to “When It All Falls Apart.” Later in the show, the pair weaved in bits of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Icona Pop’s “I Love It” during the performance of “Hook Me Up,” which was the title track of their 2007 album.

Just as I was reveling in familiar comfort that these songs provided, I also took in my fellow audience members experiencing sheer joy and camaraderie. The euphoric bliss wasn’t just coming from the audience though— Jess and Lisa made sure to tell the crowd many times how grateful they were to be back and playing music in America. Their appreciative comments included everything from “You’re making two Capricorns very emotional” to “The fact that you guys are coming to these shows is the biggest fuck you to everyone who didn’t believe in us.” At one point, they even brought out a copy of their very first CD as “Jessica and Lisa” (prior to being named “The Veronicas”) entitled Double Trouble, that one of their long-time fans had brought to the show in hopes of getting it signed, and Jess and Lisa joked that it might be their dad selling those old CDs on eBay.

The show was really like an emotional journey sandwiched between two dance parties— it started with Jess and Lisa taking the stage donning sunglasses and performing choreographed dance moves to “Take Me on the Floor” while the floor of the theater shook from the audience dancing, then it traveled to the land of the feels with songs like “Ribcage” and “You Ruin Me” before it ended on an explosive high note with “4ever” and “Untouched,” which the pair introduced saying “Please stand for the National Anthem.”

It may have been awhile since The Veronicas last toured here, but this show served as a reminder that from vulnerable ballads to rock riffs and dance anthems, there’s nothing Jess and Lisa Origliasso can’t do. If you get a chance to catch their show, don’t miss it. See where The Veronicas are touring next here and check out photos from the Chicago gig below.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / The Veronicas, House of Blues, Live Recap, Photo recap, Photo Set, Live Show, Live Nation

Live Recap: JP Saxe at House Of Blues

March 24, 2024 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Tuesday night, JP Saxe packed the House of Blues for an evening of heartfelt songs, cathartic story-telling and comedic stage banter.

Singer-songwriter Justin Nozuka warmed up the large crowd, performing a solo serenade with just his vocals and acoustic guitar. As the stage changed over for JP Saxe’s set, I took in the cozy stage environment on display—there was a backdrop of a gallery wall containing different framed photos and artwork, living room furniture and lots of lamps. House of Blues is already an intimate venue to see artists perform, but this extra touch to the production set up immediately made it feel like we were all just at home with a bunch of close friends, listening to another friend bare their soul in song format.

JP started his set by entering the stage sans his live band, and pulsing lights illuminated him in quick glimpses while he sang “Someone Else’s Home” from his 2023 album A Grey Area—which was also the namesake of his current tour. JP was joined by his band member onstage, who helped add extra layers and depth into the music. In just the first few songs, JP moved his station around the stage, either performing at a piano, keyboard or playing guitar, and his rotation continued throughout the set. After the band wrapped up the fan favorite “I Don’t Miss You,” JP took some time to address the crowd, telling us that he opened for Noah Kahan on this same stage four years ago, and fans cheered in admiration of the full circle moment.

As the set continued on, the show was essentially broken out into different chapters and scenes—including intricate transitions that were complemented by the elaborate lighting effects. JP joked he had a bad habit of ruining the plotted transitions because he has stories to tell before certain songs. Before performing his song “For Emilee,” JP primed the song by telling the audience it was for his friend who accepted less than she deserved in relationships, and even though Emilee was actually in attendance at the Chicago show, he asked for voluntary Emilees and their friends who were in a similar boat. Once he was through with the banter, the audience still got to feel the full effect of that transition because JP asked that his crew ran the lighting and sound transition again. Moments like this are what really makes concerts and live performances so much for special than just listening to an album.

Another fun moment that was one-of-a-kind to Chicago happened only a couple of songs later; In the song “Fear & Intuition,” JP sings “L.A. told me to listen to myself/ Toronto said not to change/ New York told me to fuck somebody else.” After singing the full regular version of the song, JP asked the audience for suggestions of things Chicago might tell him, and people yelled out a few things, including drinking Malort. JP and his band then continued an extended version of “Fear & Intuition” where he interjected a line about Malort.

When we approached the second half of the setlist, JP took some time to perform a few of his songs solo, once again making the setting a little more personal. Between songs, he continued to share anecdotes that gave the listeners more of an insight into his songwriting, all while making us laugh. Ahead of my favorite song of his, “The Few Things,” JP shared it was hist favorite love song he’s ever written and joked he had a zero percent divorce rate for couples who used his music as a wedding song.

If you can get a change to see JP Saxe in concert, you’re in for a unique experience that will only enhance his already incredible songwriting and musicality. Check out photos of his performance at House of Blues below, and see where you can catch a show next here.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Gigs
tags / JP Saxe, Justin Nozuka, House of Blues, Live Review, Live Nation, Live Recap, Photo Set

Live Recap: Jungle with Joesef at Aragon Ballroom

September 22, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Tuesday night, Joesef and Jungle performed to a sold-out Aragon Ballroom.

Scottish singer-songwriter Joesef warmed up the full crowd, joined onstage by his four bandmates. Joesef and his band performed their entire set on a small sliver of the stage set up in front of a red curtain that hid the elaborate stage set up for Jungle. While he may not have had much real estate on stage, that didn’t stop Joesef from commanding the room with his dreamy melodies and silky vocals. Joesef’s setlist mostly pulled from his 2023 debut album, Permanent Damage, including “It's Been a Little Heavy Lately” and “Just Come Home With Me Tonight.” He introduced the latter saying “this next song is about sleeping with my ex. Don’t judge me.” His set also included a cover of “Thinking Of You” by Sister Sledge, which was introduced by Joesef saying, “This next song is a cover. Maybe you know it, maybe you don’t. But either way, it’ll get you dancing.” The set closed out with a somewhat self-titled song simply called “Joe,” and before playing it, Joesef demoed the chorus to the crowd, asking them to join in. Joesef’s music complemented Jungle’s sound really well, but I’d also recommend adding him to your playlist if you’re a fan of Years and Years, Neil Frances or Shura.

Next up, the anticipation began to climb as fans waited for the members of Jungle to take the stage, and for the red curtain to drop. Shortly after 9PM, the audience’s wish was granted and the curtain fell to reveal a giant, lit up sign that read JUNGLE at the back of the stage. The founding members of Jungle Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland began the set stationed near the back of the stage, surrounded by their live band—which included an array of instruments from percussion, keys/synths, guitar and even a flute.

The tour was in honor of Jungle’s 2023 album Volcano, and the set began with a few tracks from the newest album, including “Us Against The World” and “Dominoes.” The band seamlessly transitioned the latter into an older track “The Heat” from Jungle’s debut self-titled album. Throughout the rest of the set, the band weaved in songs from the course of their discography, which also includes 2018’s For Ever and Loving In Stereo. At any point during the show, I was surrounded by countless people dancing and smiling along to the groovy and soulful sound that Jungle has infused with their electronic beats. Fans were soaking up every bit of the music, but highlights definitely included their single “Back On 74” and “Busy Earnin’.”

If you missed out on the fun times, check out photos of the show below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / Joesef, Jungle, Aragon Ballroom, Live Review, Live Nation, Live Recap

Live Recap: Yeah Yeah Yeahs with Sasami at Northerly Island

June 04, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sasami kicked off June with a show at Northerly Island in Chicago this past Thursday night.

With the sun still shining and the Chicago skyline in the background, Sasami and her band took the stage to warm up the crowd for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Sasami quickly ramped up the energy throughout the venue with her animated stage presence, dancing and between-song banter as she performed some songs from her 2022 album entitled Squeeze. At one point in her set, Sasami joked she was playing a new song called “Chicago Ate My Asshole”— which obviously got a lot of cheers and laughter from the crowd.

Fans continued to file into the outdoor venue, and eventually it was time for Yeah Yeah Yeahs to hit the stage. With the lights dim, the band members made their way onstage as strobing lights sent out small bursts of lighting before fully illuminating lead singer Karen O and her shimmering attire. The band opened the show up with the cinematic single “Spitting Off The Edge of the World” from their 2022 album Cool It Down before moving into the more tenured track “Cheated Hearts.”

“We’re gonna fucking party like it’s Thursday Night,” Karen O told the crowd early on in the set; a statement that was met with loud cheers and dancing from the packed audience. The singer also shared that she recently recovered from “the plague” so her voice might crack a little, but her energy and vocals remained resilient throughout the entire show.

The only time the energy mellowed out was when Karen O mentioned they were going to slow it down a bit to play “Lovebomb,” another newer song their last album. The band perfectly transitioned out of the song into the adored and familiar introduction to their hit “Maps,” which received an immediate eruption in screams from the audience. The energy continued to climb for the last portion of the show, with everyone dancing to “Heads Will Roll” to close out the main part of the set. The night fully wrapped with a 3- song encore, all of which were featured on 2003’s Fever To Tell album.

Check out photos from the evening below, and see where you can catch Yeah Yeah Yeahs on tour next here.

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categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs
tags / Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Sasami, Photo recap, Live Review, Live Show, Live Nation, Northerly Island

Live Recap: Carly Rae Jepsen and Empress Of at Aragon Ballroom

November 09, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Saturday night, Carly Rae Jepsen wrapped up her North American “So Nice” tour with a phenomenal show at Aragon Ballroom, also featuring Empress Of as the support.

I’ve been a big fan of Empress Of, the musical project of Lorely Rodriguez, since 2016, when I heard her single “Woman Is a Word,” so it was exciting to see her playing such a big room. Empress Of’s set began with Rodriguez’s DJ first taking the stage to hype up the audience, and Rodriguez quickly followed. Empress Of started off performing “Save Me” from her 2022 EP of the same name, and continued to weave in songs from her three albums. The set also included a cover of “Man’s World” by Marina. All throughout her performance, Rodriguez mesmerized the crowd with her fluid and poetic dancing.

As it got closer to the time of Carly Rae Jepsen’s performance, The Aragon Ballroom was overflowing all the way to the back wall of the venue with eager fans ready for the main event—this was Jepsen’s first time back in Chicago since 2019, and the majority of the audience members were decked out in neon colors, sequins and glitter to celebrate the special occasion. The sparkle of the crowd really added to the positive mood of the show.

The stage design featured fluffy clouds and huge stars as the backdrop, as well as a round screen that resembled the sun or the moon. To kick off Jepsen’s set, the screen projected a video of a talking moon, which welcomed the band onstage for the first song, “This Love Isn't Crazy” from the 2020 Dedicated Side B. Jepsen and her bandmates were rocking sequins that coordinated with many of the audience members’ outfits, and she kept the excitement high by setting off confetti canons as early as the first song.

The setlist featured many songs from Jepsen’s 2022 album The Loneliest Time, like “Joshua Tree, “Sideways,” and “Western Wind,” but she and her band performed a whopping 28-songs, allowing the crowd to journey through her entire discography. One of those highlights was of course the massive hit “Call Me Maybe” from Jepsen’s 2012 album Kiss— the entire audience sang along so loudly it was actually difficult to hear Jepsen singing in the back of the venue over the sound of the crowd. Jepsen put on a great performance through and through, continuing to dance and move about the stage with high energy that persisted through the entire show, and that was only enhanced by her stunning stage production. The confetti canon was put to use a few other times, and Jepsen even did an outfit change about halfway through the set. Another fan favorite of the night was the title track of the 2022 album, “The Loneliest Time,” which has garnered massive popularity lately thanks to a TikTok trend.

See where you can catch Carly Rae Jepsen on tour next here, and check out the photo gallery of the evening below.

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categories / Reviews, Gigs, Photos
tags / Carly Rae Jepsen, Empress Of, Live Review, Live Nation, Live Recap, Aragon Ballroom, Photo Set, Photos, The Loneliest Time

Live Recap: Young the Giant with Danielle Ponder at Aragon Ballroom

October 30, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Thursday night, the Aragon Ballroom hosted a feel-good show from Young The Giant and Danielle Ponder as part of the American Bollywood Tour.

The night kicked off with singer-songwriter Danielle Ponder from Rochester, New York. I had listened to Ponder a bit on Spotify and already couldn’t wait to see her perform live, but her powerhouse vocals absolutely blew me (and everyone else at the venue) away. Right from the jump, Ponder filled the ballroom with her rich, soulful voice and poetic lyricism. Ponder also had a sense a humor and introduced her song “Someone Like You” by asking all the singles in the crowd to make some noise while sharing her frustration with the dating app Hinge (I think most singles can relate to that sentiment). Later on in the set, Ponder shared that she used to be a public defender, but I’m so glad she’s now able to share her musical talent with us all. In addition to her own songs, Ponder performed a chilled out cover of “Creep” by Radiohead. “Being on a stage like this means everything to me,” she told the audience, but I would bet this won’t be her biggest stage—soon she’ll be headlining even larger rooms.

Next up, the stage was set for headliners Young the Giant, with risers placed on both sides of the stage. The band entered the stage to a backdrop of hazy blue lighting, before launching into their song “American Bollywood,” which is the namesake of their tour and the title of their four-part album that has been released in increments this year. Similarly to the structure of the new album, the live performance was broken up into different acts for different clusters of songs, and between each act, the house speakers played different audio interludes to break them up.

Young the Giant performed the majority of the American Bollywood songs like “Cult of Personality” and “Dancing in the Rain” interlaced with other fan favorites from their earlier discography. Most notably, “Cough Syrup” elicited an immediate response of enthusiastic screams after the first few chords rang out. I feel like very few songs evoke that kind of immediate response, so it was incredible to witness that moment, and something that makes live music continue to be such a beautiful experience.

No matter what song the band was playing throughout the night, lead vocalist Sameer Gadhia remained captivating as he made sure to wander to both ends of the stage and connect with fans in the front, and the entire band occasionally rotated their placement on stage, which kept their performance dynamic and engaging.

Another fan favorite, “My Body” closed out the last act before the three-song encore, hinting that the show was winding down but there was still more to come in the encore. The final three songs consisted of “Superposition,” “Mind Over Matter,” and “Silvertongue.”

If you get the chance, don’t miss out on the American Bollywood tour—see the remaining dates here, and check out the photo recap below.

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categories / Gigs, Music, Photos, Reviews
tags / Live Recap, Young the Giant, Danielle Ponder, Aragon Ballroom, Live Music, American Bollywood, Photo Set, New Music, Live Nation

Live Recap: Third Eye Blind with Taking Back Sunday

July 11, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

ANCHR kicked off the weekend with a nostalgia-packed night at Northerly Island for Taking Back Sunday and Third Eye Blind. As I walked into the pavilion at the start of the evening, I saw a good ratio of fans sporting shirts for each band, signifying we had a blend of both fan bases in the house.

After an opening set from Australia’s Hockey Dad, Taking Back Sunday took the stage just as the sun began to set. They launched into their show with the song “Tidal Wave,” which is the title track of their 2016 album. From there, their setlist featured a good mix of the band’s discography, but it heavily featured many of their older cuts, which personally made me reminisce about my high school days. Particularly when they played songs like “MakeDamnSure” and “Cute Without the 'E' (Cut From the Team)”— which were staples in my rotation back in those days. Between songs, lead singer Adam Lazzara commented about the beautiful setting of the show, saying, “This is fantastic. It’s beautiful. There’s a nice breeze. All you beautiful people are here.” It really was the perfect breeze coming off the lake that night, and members of the audience all shared a sense of camaraderie and excitement. In addition to the throwbacks, the band performed their newest single “Just Us Two,” which they just dropped last month with Steve Aoki.

Next up, the stage got set for headliners Third Eye Blind. Their set up included risers with instruments and mic stands set up on the different levels, which the band used to shuffle around the stage during their set. The tour was in honor of the band’s 25th anniversary from their self-titled debut record.

The music began with a blend of old and new, with the beginning of the set featuring “Thanks a Lot” from their debut as well as “Dust Storm” from their 2021 record. The rest of the night journeyed through their expansive catalog, while heavily highlighting the songs from Third Eye Blind. The good vibes between the audience members continued to radiate and were highly encouraged by frontman Stephan Jenkins. He asked the crowd to acquaint themselves with the people next to them, saying, “Everyone from the front to the back, turn around and tell someone you don’t know that you’re glad they’re here.”

Jenkins continued to encourage friendly vibes amongst audience members before they played the song “Shipboard Cook,” which Jenkins introduced as a song he wrote to “be sung by drunk people in a pub. It’s a song for someone who got dumped and is being consoled by loving friends.” Towards the bottom half of the show from Third Eye Blind, fans were also treated to a solo acoustic performance of “The Background” by Jenkins, as well as a cover of “Funeral Singers” by Califone from the whole band.

Before the concert came to a close, we of course also heard the massive hits “Jumper,” “Semi-Charmed Life,” and “How’s It Going to Be.” The audience was full of long-time fans excited to be reunited with their favorite artist, alongside new fans or people getting to experience Third Eye Blind for the first time. It was great to see a mix of generations across the venue, and the gratitude from the crowd was also shared by Jenkins in the band. Jenkins made sure to vocalize that appreciation by saying, “Do you all have any idea how much we’ve been looking forward to tonight? We don’t take any of this for granted.”

There’s something really special about seeing songs that are ten, twenty years old and still hold up. I love seeing new bands, but being able to experience a whole venue full of people singing songs you grew up with is something even more spectacular.

Check out photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch Third Eye Blind on the rest of their tour here.

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categories / Reviews, Music, Photos, Gigs
tags / Live Nation, Live Recap, Northerly Island, Live Review, Live Music, Third Eye Blind, Taking Back Sunday