Coheed + Taking Back Sunday
Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sunday are two of my favorite bands. Their announcement that they’re doing a co-headlining tour together was a dream come true for me. Opening the tour would be The Story So Far, who I’m not familiar with.
One minor issue on my end is the fact that I’m currently avoiding the Northeast due to… well, avoiding a person. But the majority of my COTF crew is in the Northeast. So that poses a bit of a problem for me. Do I stay on the West Coast this tour and miss out on seeing my fam? Or spend a lot of money flying East just to potentially be unhappy? I went with the first option. And it was a little weird. This was my first tour without a lot of my friends.
But thankfully, I had a lot of friends on this tour as well. [West Coast] Devin and Veronica are obviously already on my coast, and [East Coast] Devin and Alyssa would be in Vegas and Phoenix. Denver turned out to be the closest thing to a meet-up show for me this time around. I made plans to go there because Peter would be heading there with (his girlfriend, and one of my best friends) Anna, as her family lives in Denver, and he’s the only other COTF I know who loves Taking Back Sunday as much as I do. I had to experience a show with him on this tour. Then obviously I had my local show in Berkeley, and an excuse to go see my family in Florida and meet up with Felicia and Nicki.
Midflorida Amphitheater—Tampa, 7/7/18
I flew into Orlando so Felicia could pick me up and we’d drive over to Tampa together. I played with her kitties, got Chick-fil-A, and then her work friend Barrett picked us up in his car.
We went to Five Guys across the street from the Amphitheater before the show. My parents met us there to say hi and grab my suitcase so I wouldn’t have to worry about getting it from Barrett’s car at the end of the night when he and Felicia headed back to Orlando and I stayed in Tampa.
Then Nicki shows up at Five Guys being all extra until I introduce her to my parents. She told them how much she loves me and that they did a good job. It was so fucking cute. I love her.
Felicia told my mom about how she thought I was a teenager when she picked me up for that TCBTS tour two years ago, and I asked her why she even agreed to that.
“I mean I’m glad you did, but why?”
We ran into another COTF friend at merch, Ashley, and she stuck with us the rest of the night. Nicki was wearing a Michael Scott shirt and got complimented on it literally all night long. Like people were asking to take pictures with her all night long. It was something.
It was so hot out (thanks, Florida) so we sat at a picnic table near the bathrooms during The Story So Far instead of going in the main part of the venue to watch them.
When we got in the pit before Taking Back Sunday, a dude almost immediately started hitting on me.
Me: I’m gonna make dudes fight for my hand in a mosh pit
Also me: This dude in the pit just asked if I’m single FUCKING HELP ME
Nicki laughed and sang how I’m not gonna fuck him, and we told him I’d knock his ass out in the pit.
Taking Back Sunday
Ashley wasn’t familiar with Taking Back Sunday before this show, but she fell in love with them after seeing them live. I was happy about that. Felicia loved how happy and smiley frontman Adam Lazzara was onstage and said he made the show. I had to agree.
What’s It Feel Like to Be a Ghost
Error: Operator
I tried to start a pit, but no one was into it. “This is a heavy song! Come on, it needs a pit!”
You Can’t Look Back
Timberwolves at New Jersey
Nicki and I went off in search of an actual pit because I needed to at least be near people who were into it. We didn’t stay there for too long, though.
Liar
Faith
I LOVE THIS SONG. I was SO HAPPY to finally be seeing it live.
All Excess
I knew Peter would appreciate that this was on the setlist. I’m pretty sure it’s his favorite song off Tidal Wave.
A Decade Under the Influence
This was one of the songs that got little 12-year-old Lindsay into music.
Better Homes and Gardens
Adam: “This is our saddest song.”
Love love love
Flicker, Fade
I felt this one.
Set Phasers to Stun
Why am I having feels? Ugh
Call Come Running
You’re So Last Summer
My Blue Heaven
Cute Without the E
Tidal Wave
MakeDamnSure
It was an AMAZING setlist, I was SUPER happy with it.
Coheed
The crowd was so meh and it was so hot that everyone was just like… angry at us for trying to dance and have fun. Well okay then.
Dark Sentencer
This is my first time seeing this one live and it was SO GOOD OH MY GOD. I love the drop when the song starts after the intro. “Me, their son, Vaxis.”
Time Consumer
Ugh so good seeing this song live.
Devil in Jersey City
I’ve just always loved this song.
In Keeping Secrets
There was a pit going, so Nicki, Felicia, and I attempted to join in. We did the dumb little hand in the middle of the circle thing before the build up toward the end, and we were a teeny bit early.
Me: “We’re gonna die!”
Nicki: “What, cuz there’s only three of us?”
Me: “No, cuz those guys aren’t gonna wait for the drop!”
And of course, they exploded before the music dropped, and I’m trying not to die, but I already am because Florida heat.
The Crowing
Love love love
Blood Red Summer
We all went back to where Ashley was, and of course, everyone was once again mad at us for trying to dance. Ugh.
A Favor House Atlantic
The Suffering
Wake Up
Island
We were super confused. We thought they were supposed to play “Unheavenly Creatures.” But “Island”?!” Really?! I mean I do love the song, but… Give me “Unheavenly Creatures” dammit!
Welcome Home
Huh so I guess they aren’t playing it tonight. What the heck?! We were all a little bit angry about that.
At the end of the night, we all went back to Five Guys. Nicki continued to be complimented on her Michael Scott shirt to the point of she was EXTREMELY annoyed with everyone, and I couldn’t blame her for it.
Sculpture Park—Denver, 8/6/18
I flew to Denver from Philly with Anna and Peter, where we had just seen Rise Against a few days earlier.
We didn’t get any group photos in Denver (whoops) but this was probably the biggest group of my COTF crew the whole tour: Max, Zane, Hannah and Jordan, [West Coast] Devin and Veronica, Baca and two of his friends, and obviously Peter and Anna, and Anna’s two brothers. It was a BIG group.
Max, who lives in Denver, took us to a whiskey bar before the show. He told us about a $1000 shot on the menu that he’s been tempted to buy sober, but thankfully we were all smart about it. Zane and Max both got a fancy thing with four different whiskeys though. One even SMELLED strong. I stuck with cider.
I guess we got separated before the show actually started, because when Max showed up at the venue with his girlfriend, he was DRUNK, and that did not happen at the bar. This was all of our first time meeting her, and they were adorable together.
Drunk Max: “Litney. She’s Courtney, but she’s lit.”
He did not remember saying that later. But he wasn’t rip-his-shirt-off-drunk, which he has been at previous Coheed shows.
This show was insanely early. Doors were at 4:30, and it was supposed to be over by 10pm. I guess there was a noise curfew? What in the actual heck?
The drinks at Sculpture Park were super expensive, so I just had a couple sips of Anna’s spiked seltzer, which was interesting. I didn’t even know that was a thing til this show. (But of course, creepy Facebook gave me ads for it the next day.)
And ya know, the venue is called Sculpture Park. So naturally, there were these giant weird statues.
Adam made a joke about them during their set. Something about the Dave Matthews Band.
Taking Back Sunday
We found a good spot on a hill to watch from.
But Peter and I wanted in the pit. Kinda the whole reason I wanted to be at a show with Peter was because he’s the only other COTF I know who loves Taking Back Sunday as much as I do. So we decided to head into the pit during “Error: Operator.” It’s a pit song, I’m tellin’ ya.
But it was only the second song of their set, and no one in the crowd seemed into moshing. Well then.
So Peter left to go back to the hill, and I stayed in the pit. Actually I ended up on the barricade for a hot minute before I even realized Peter had vanished. But eventually Jordan joined me, so I wasn’t alone in there for too long. (For such a big group, you wouldn’t think I’d be alone in the pit, right?)
As far as I could tell, they played the same setlist as they did in Florida. Except for one big thing:
It started HAILING during “My Blue Heaven.” It was the absolute PERFECT moment in the song, too.
Adam: “You’re safe, child, you are SAAAAAAAFE”
Cue the hail
Fucking Denver, man. It went from 90 degrees to hail. The cold felt nice for like a second before I realized it was not water falling on my head.
There was like a 40 minute delay because they didn’t think it was safe to continue playing outside, and we weren’t sure if the show was just gonna end right there. Some people were leaving the venue, but my group huddled up under some tents near the bathroom. And by bathroom, I mean porta potties. For which the lines were WAY too long. There were not nearly enough porta potties for the amount of people there.
The band came back onstage eventually, but just to play “MakeDamnSure” and then made way for Coheed. They had to drop “Cute Without the E” and “Tidal Wave” unfortunately.
Ugh I just love Adam Lazzara. All that mic swinging and smiling like a goof. He’s so cute.
Coheed
I didn’t go all the way in the pit at this show. I mostly stayed with Hannah and Jordan on the outskirts of it.
But I did crowdsurf during “Blood Red Summer” (or was it “Favor House Atlantic“? I don’t remember) and it was BAD. Half of Denver probably saw my butt. Whoops. My shorts were being yanked way up, and at one point I almost put my legs down because I thought I was being dropped, then all of a sudden someone launched me, so I just kicked a bunch of people. BIG WHOOPS.
But when I made it over the rail, Veronica grabbed my hand. Even when I’m not on the rail with them, I love that tiny moment of crossing paths during the show.
This was the first show I saw “Unheavenly Creatures” at. Claudio didn’t play guitar for this one, which is SUPER out of the ordinary for him, but I loved it. And I loved finally seeing this one live. It looked like he was having fun without the guitar, coming out of his shell more.
So they played that instead of “Island,” but they also played “Juggernaut” instead of “Time Consumer,” which Anna was not happy about. “Time Consumer” is her all time favorite song, and she still hasn’t had a chance to see it live yet.
They also traded out “The Suffering” with “Here to Mars,” and I could do without those feels, but I still love it.
During “Wake Up” the band had us hold up our phone lights, which turned out to be really cute.
Toward the end of the set I noticed Dirty Ern onstage with the band. He wasn’t on this tour, but I forgot he lives in Denver now. I was able to catch up with him the next day and he said he’s never missing another tour again. Good. We all miss him. (Some people even made a Flat Ern to bring to shows. CUTE.)
Meme courtesy of Biz. (Side note: I avoided the Northeast on this tour partly because I was avoiding Biz, as you may remember from the last I the Mighty tour, but I think that’s over. We’re talking again.)
During “Welcome Home,” Peter decided he needed to go hard, because it was probably his last Coheed show of 2018. I still kinda just stayed on the outskirts of it.
I think one of my favorite moments during this show was a girl trying to hand me her glasses so she could go in the pit. Oh no I am not about to be responsible for what’s about to happen here. (And what immediately happened was someone falling into us mid-pass while I shook my head and ran in the opposite direction.) She was sweet, but it would be bad enough if she broke them. Worse if it was my fault.
After the show ended, we all headed to Denver Diner, where we had breakfast after #Denverender two years ago. It took forever to get a table for our huge group, and then it was at least another 20 minutes before someone decided to come greet us.
So we got up and left for Burger King instead, which was also an adventure. The lobby was closed, so we had to take turns getting in a car and going through the drive-thru. Peter had a coupon for a family meal, so he just gave me one of things of fries because I didn’t want to wait for my turn in the car. Post-show food is a must, but this was a mess and a half.
Greek Theater—Berkeley, 8/9/18
After Denver, I went home. My local show was just a few days later. But since this was my downtime between traveling, I spent the whole day ubering up until the show, and ended up taking a ride into San Francisco right around 5, getting stuck in rush hour traffic going back over the bridge. So I missed The Story So Far. Yet again.
The way the Greek Theater is set up, you walk into the venue right at the stage from the side, so I managed to sneak through the second row to get to Devin and Veronica (who were doing the whole West Coast), and Nae (who lives in the Bay).
They told me the crowdsurfers were nuts during The Story So Far and that they thought it would only get worse as the night went on. Cool. I figured I didn’t want to be in the front for that, but I’d like to catch part of Taking Back Sunday from the barricade with them.
But as planned, partway during their set I made my way back into the pit to find all of my local friends: Emily, Justin V, Justin F (who is technically no longer local), Jackson, Nick, Kaitlyn, and some more people I’m sure.
Eventually I realize there’s a hand on my shoulder, and turn to find Ricky and Zach, two former members of Septacy (along with Nick and Justin V, too). Ricky was upset at how long it took me to turn around. Whoops.
Soon enough Brent Walsh of I the Mighty is there. Jackson made a new friend in the pit and asked him if he likes I the Mighty:
“I THE MIGHTY IS THE GREATEST BAND EVER!”
Brent: “He has no idea it’s me. I’m wearing glasses, no one recognizes me.”
So tonight we learned that Brent Walsh is basically Clark Kent. Funny because I had just been talking to Nae about how no one in the Bay is ever really starstruck by him. (Apparently there were also two girls there who HAD recognized him, and went to his solo show in San Jose a little while back, but that’s besides the point.)
So I watched Taking Back Sunday with this whole crew. The dudes can get pretty gay, and at one point they’re all hugging each other, so I hugged Kaitlyn. She made a comment about how at shows sometimes, she’s alone even though she’s with Nick (her boyfriend) because he’ll turn and block her out of conversations. Naturally.
So Taking Back Sunday.
Adam’s little wiggle when he first walks onstage is so cute. I just love him.
I was having a hard time trying to sing all the parts to all the songs. I’m not just picking a part to sing, I love ALL of it.
After Taking Back Sunday, Emily wanted us to move up in the pit for Coheed. Most of us did, but we lost a few (Brent and Jackson I think). Oh well.
According to Devin and Veronica, the crowd was super rough in the front. They were not about it, and were surprised Berkeley went this hard. Whereas I liked experiencing the show with my local friends more toward the back. It was calm, but nice.
Someone was throwing glowsticks. I thought it looked really cool from where I was, but they should not have been throwing them on the stage. Apparently Claudio was getting annoyed almost tripping over them. But he stuck two in his hair at one point and that was cute.
No one in the group I was with got in the mosh pit, so I didn’t either. There was definitely a pit going to the right of us, but it was pretty calm where we were. Just feeling the music and watching the band.
Anna had told me that at the New York show when they played “Wake Up,” she turned to Peter (her boyfriend) and asked if it was bad that she wished I was there. I messaged her when they started playing that song tonight saying she needed to come to Berkeley ASAP to dance with me.
During “Ten Speed,” Zach did the Ten Speed voice and all of us yelled “How’s that work? You’re a bicycle!”
Me: “‘Ten Speed’ is the best Coheed song!”
GA1 Neverender jokes that no one gets but me. It’s whatever, I still needed to yell it anyway.
“Unheavenly Creatures” was yet again amazing. I’m growing to love it more and more.
I peaced out right as “Welcome Home” was starting because I wanted to uber people away from the venue. I’ve seen this song live a million times, I’ve got two more shows left on this tour, and it’s weird not being in the pit with my COTF fam. So I made $30 in an hour instead. Not bad. Then I went home to nap for three hours, because I had a 6am flight to Vegas. Woo!
Hard Rock—Las Vegas, 8/10/18
[West Coast] Devin and Veronica were in line for TSA almost immediately after I was. We were on the same flight, but just got lucky that way. It wasn’t planned. They live in Vegas, so we went straight to their house when we landed and napped for another three hours. And it was HOT. My makeup was melting off my face while I was putting it on. Welcome to the Southwest I guess.
Then we picked up [East Coast] Devin and Alyssa for lunch. Alyssa had been interning in LA for the summer, so they were doing Coheed on my coast for once. We went to a place called Skinny Fats for lunch that Veronica really does not like, but [West Coast] Devin does, and claims that everyone else he brings there does too (obviously besides Veronica). I tended to agree with him.
Then we got ice cream. Because Vegas is hot.
This was probably the latest [East Coast] Devin had ever been to get in line for a Coheed show, so after ice cream we headed over to the Hard Rock.
The Hard Rock was pretty wonderful.
Not only is it just a huge casino/bar with a venue attached to it, but there’s music memorabilia everywhere. Like this Coheed shrine:
They also had the tour poster on the doors of one of the elevators.
Somehow [East Coast] Devin kept going up a bunch of floors on accident every time he tried to take a video in it, but Alyssa and I had no issues. It was honestly really hilarious.
Of course there was no one else in line yet, but both Devin and Devin were ready to camp out. I found an outlet near where we were sitting, so I plugged my phone in to charge and kinda tuned out the rest of the world.
Bad idea.
Cue Adam Lazzara walking by.
[East Coast] Devin: “Hey!”
Adam keeps walking.
[EC] Devin: “Lindsay, Adam just walked by. Why are you not paying attention? Go after him!”
Me: “Ahhhh I don’t wanna bug him, it’s too late.”
[EC] Devin: “No, go now!”
Me: “Okay!”
Yeah so I chased Adam Lazzara down and got a picture.
I guess bugging him was worth it. Although I did word vomit a little bit about feeling bad for bugging him, and he didn’t say much, but he seemed nice enough. More childhood idols I can cross off my list.
Then Alyssa, Veronica, and I went down to the bar to drink before the show.
We had two rounds, and the second was way stronger than the first, for all three of us. We were told it was time for doors when we had just started round two, so we had to chug them. Mine literally just tasted like alcohol, and I’m not good at chugging to begin with, so I drank about half and gave up. Veronica and Alyssa both chugged theirs, though, so they were a little bit drunk. It was extremely cute.
We met two girls at the bar who were there for Taking Back Sunday, one of which had come all the way from Spain. They wanted to watch male strippers after TBS’s set, but we tried to convince them to stay for Coheed instead. We told them how we all know each other from traveling for Coheed shows, and that the band brought us together. And we explained how all three of us didn’t really get into Coheed until we saw them live, so seeing them live is important. Ultimately I don’t think they took our advice, but they seemed to appreciate our “Coheed brought us together” spiel.
All five of us bought the Unheavenly Creatures box set that allowed us early entry into shows. This was my first show actually getting there before doors, so I was able to take advantage of it with them. So before heading to the barricade, they let us in the main part of the venue, where we could hear (I believe it was The Story So Far’s) soundcheck, but not see them. They played “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Where Is My Mind” and I was having some FEELINGS.
We also had these Hard Rock specific “VIP” passes that did NOTHING. I was able to get upstairs with it, and tried to get free drinks (because I was told the VIP pass meant complimentary drinks), but they told me I was in the wrong place and to ask someone else what it did.
“It’s a $300 feel good. Doesn’t do anything.”
WHAT?! What kinda place sells $300 FEEL GOOD VIP TICKETS?! I cannot even fathom that. WHAT KIND OF VIP TICKETS DO NOTHING?!
So I went back to the barricade with my crew an decided to stay there with them all night. It’s been kinda a weird tour, not really moshing.
The Story So Far
Show four of five and this was finally my first show seeing them. Their stage presence was… not good. Frontman Parker Cannon didn’t move, except to play a tambourine that seemed like he only had to force himself to move. He mostly just stood stick straight with him arms behind his back.
Their music wasn’t bad though. Although it did kinda feel like 45 minutes of the same song. I think I might really like their recorded music, but I just was not impressed with the live performance. But I’d give their records a chance before writing them off.
I liked the Led Zeppelin cover they did. That was fun.
Apparently Adam called them Story of the Year? I didn’t catch that, but I was told he did, and if so, then BIG WHOOPS.
Um so crowdsurfers were getting kicked out of the venue. I was glad I was on the barricade. One went over our heads, and the security guy on the other side of the rail made no effort to catch him and just said, “Don’t crowdsurf.”
THAT’S NOT HOW THIS WORKS I AM GOING TO DIE TONIGHT
Luckily it wasn’t that rough a crowd. But every crowdsurfer that went over the barricade was marked on with a sharpie, and if they already had a sharpie mark, they were escorted out of the venue. I hate that. Crowdsurfing is part of the concert experience. Let the people who paid to be there have fun and just learn to catch them please.
Taking Back Sunday
Oh yeah, so there were giant TV screens so the rest of the venue could see as clearly as we could on the barricade.
Adam: “I’m on the TV! I wanna call my dad and tell him I’m on the TV.”
I still can’t get over how cute he is swinging the mic and dancing. It’s honestly super impressive. How does he not hit himself or anyone else in the face with it?!
They traded out “All Excess” with “Deathwolf.” They might have done the same in Denver or Berkeley too, but this was the first time I noticed the swap. And did they drop “Better Homes and Gardens“?
I loved watching this whole set from the barricade. I love this band so much.
I also noticed that Adam wasn’t wearing the same shirt he was wearing when I met him earlier in the day, but instead he was wearing the same shirt he wore at previous shows. Welp.
And I struggled to try to sing all the parts to all the songs again.
Adam started a Coheed chant before closing with “MakeDamnSure,” and he had the crowd hold up their phone lights during the song. It really does look cool.
Between bands, we got the full effect of the drunk people behind us. Oh, Vegas.
Alyssa has an I the Mighty Hearts&Spades tattoo on the back of her neck, and I’ve got one on my wrist. One woman behind us:
“Oh a spade. Are you a gambler?”
Me: “No, it’s a band.”
Her: “You’re in a band?”
Me: “No, A band. Not our band.”
Go away.
Then she tried to squeeze her way in between Alyssa and I.
Me: “No, I’m with her.”
Her: “Oh, you guys do kinky shit?”
NO. GO AWAY.
Then all of a sudden there’s a THREE YEAR OLD KID they picked up, and had her feet on my butt, “practicing” knocking her head into mine for “when the crowd gets rough.” 1) It was not their kid. 2) It was not a rough crowd. And 3) PRACTICING KNOCKING HER HEAD INTO MINE?!
Woman: “It’s either her head or mine.”
BUT SHE’S A CHILD! NO!
Basically the crowd was just weird and drunk and uncomfortable.
Speaking of uncomfortable… I was also just sore this entire show for no apparent reason. I think I’m getting old.
Here’s a not negative thing: An internet friend Britney is a concert photographer in Vegas.
“Who’s gonna take pictures of the photographers?”
Me: “I got this.”
Coheed
Claudio played “Unheavenly Creatures” sans guitar again, and I really really love it. But no song is gonna top “Dark Sentencer” for me this tour. Even just when the intro starts, UGH IT’S SO GOOD.
I had a couple on either side of me (between a pair of UnDevinly Creatures), so it was pretty cute watching them during “Here to Mars” and “Wake Up.”
It was a good show, and I loved seeing it from closer up. The crowd was kinda weird, but the show itself was beautiful.
Comerica Theatre—Phoenix, 8/12/18
I took a bus (for only $5) from Vegas to Phoenix, where one of my Idiot friends Kitzya picked me up.
[West Coast] Devin and Veronica went to the SoCal show between Vegas and Phoenix (I thought they were insane doing four in a row), but [East Coast] Devin and Alyssa came straight to Phoenix as well.
Kitzya and I (and Devin and Alyssa) all planned on going to the venue early, but we forgot the most important detail about Phoenix: it’s HOT. We paid for a parking spot, and then immediately realized our mistake and left, heading to meet Devin and Alyssa for brunch instead. [West Coast] Devin and Veronica had made it to Phoenix by then, but they had to catch up on a little bit of sleep before the show.
Kitzya and I ended up getting really lucky with the parking spot. It was still there when we got back after brunch. But it was still too hot to camp out in front of the venue, so we walked to McDonalds instead. Kitzya’s order number was #111, which is a number that somehow just keeps popping up everywhere since first hearing I the Mighty’s song “111 Winchester.”
I wasn’t super hungry, but I knew I would regret not eating before the show, so I shoved fries down my throat before we headed back to the venue for real this time.
[West Coast] Devin apparently bought 6 deluxe editions of Unheavenly Creatures, so he was able to get Kitzya in early with us, which was awesome. So the six of us made it to the barricade with no trouble at all, and we didn’t even have to melt in the Arizona sun.
The Story So Far
There was a guy behind us who was super into them, and that always makes a set more enjoyable knowing other people love them. It actually seemed like there were lots of fans. Unfortunately I still just could not get into them. Their stage presence was just really not great.
Taking Back Sunday
John Nolan’s mic was SO MUCH louder than Adam’s during their entire performance and I was SO CONFUSED. For a while, a couple people behind us were yelling for Adam to turn his mic up—”You have a beautiful voice, we want to hear it!”—but the sound guy never got the memo. So it was…interesting.
But ya know what, it’s fine, because I really really love Taking Back Sunday. They just make me happy.
Adam was saying toward the end of their set that since this was the last show of the tour, he wanted to stay onstage and talk for like 20 minutes before playing “MakeDamnSure,” but he decided that Coheed would not appreciate that, so thought better of it.
I missed Adam calling The Story So Far by the wrong name the other night, but I paid attention when he thanked them this time, and he got it right, so that was good.
Here’s a photo series of me watching Taking Back Sunday courtesy of [East Coast] Devin:
Kitzya was there for Taking Back Sunday, but I told her the same thing Veronica, Alyssa, and I told the girls in Vegas: all of us got super into them after seeing them live, so just give them a chance. So she did, and she stayed in the front with us. Spoilers: she was really glad she did.
Coheed
As much as I love Taking Back Sunday, once Coheed comes out, it’s obvious why they close the show every night. They just have MONUMENTAL presence.
Kitzya was impressed before it even really started. The intro to “Dark Sentencer” was playing and lights were flashing and she goes, “Okay, this is really cool already.” She was definitely converted by the end of the night.
This was a SUPER calm show, but overall it was really good. I got so into it at this one. I was just super happy the whole show. Ugh I love this band.
The setlist was the same as in Vegas, and just as in Vegas, Claudio didn’t wear the “Call Your Mother” mask. Disappoint. He apparently wore it in SoCal, but not at any of the shows I was at.
But the best part of the Phoenix show was the alien. We think it might’ve been a member of the crew pranking the band, but out of nowhere, the X-files music starts playing, and they all look so confused, and then this green man runs onstage.
He came back out during “Welcome Home” too. It was definitely something.
Claudio also walked over and played near (his son) Atlas at one point which was SUPER CUTE.
At the end of the night, we saw Coheed leave in a van and they waved to us. Our little crew went out for cornish pasties to celebrate the end of a great tour.
Veronica also found a box of unopened lava cakes on the ground and got really excited about them, before ultimately handing them off to a homeless man who I’m sure needed them more than we did.
This was an amazing tour because I really REALLY love both bands, but honestly it was just so weird not seeing my crew in the Northeast. I had good reason for avoiding the Northeast this time around (two reasons, really. In addition to avoiding a certain someone, The Matches were also playing at the same time, and they take priority), but it was still weird. Obviously I had plenty of friends every step of the way, but that original crew who introduced me to this world weren’t in the pit with me every night. So it was definitely a different kinda Heedtrip experience than what I’m used to.
