Taking Back Sunday 20
Taking Back Sunday is celebrating their 20th anniversary of Tell All Your Friends with back-to-back shows at the same venue, playing all of Tell All Your Friends both nights, and alternating between Where You Want to Be and Louder Now the other two nights based on a coin flip on Night 1. I couldn’t go to the NYC shows because I had to work, so instead, I went to Hartford, CT, to see the shows at the Webster Theatre. I had to see both shows in the same city in order to guarantee I’d see all three albums and not accidentally the same bonus album two nights.
Issue was, I also had work 8am-4pm on the day of Night 2. Soooo I hopped on a bus from Connecticut back to NYC after the show Tuesday night, got home stupid late (4am???) and had to be back at work at 8am, ready for the second show, then hopped on a bus right after work to head right back to the venue in Connecticut again.
I have lost my damn mind.
Night 1 — 11/5/19
I got to Connecticut around 4 and found a New Orleans style restaurant to kill time at until the show. Then I walked from there all the way to the venue, and THEN was told that the venue is in a dangerous area lolllll. Niki said she got mugged at this venue, and a girl I met that night, Meghan, told me her Uber driver told her not to leave the venue at the end of the night until her Uber was outside. Well WHOOPS.
I was the FIRST person at the venue, only an hour and fifteen minutes before doors. I was shocked, but I guess it’s a 20 year anniversary show so we’re all old now?
Me: sitting on the ground outside the venue minding my own business
Girl (Meghan): “I know you! Green Day!”
Me: my reputation precedes me, I shouldn’t even be surprised or try to escape it anymore
Apparently we’ve actually got a lot of mutual friends, so it wasn’t as weird as I first thought it was.
So I was AT the venue first, but somehow was not first through the door, and didn’t get barricade at all. COOL. I mean it’s fine, no worries, but like HOW?
I made it to like the second-ish row, so it’s whatever.
Red City Radio
Red City Radio opened. Adam Lazzara talked about how they were all fans of them before the tour, but weren’t sure how they’d be ON tour, but they ended up loving them as people too. So that’s sweet.
Personally I just really loved the couple in the front row on the barricade rocking out HARD to Red City Radio. Those people always make me more hype and happy to see.
I liked them though. They were really cool. The singer kept telling us it was their drummer’s birthday and we should buy all of them drinks.
I think this was their setlist:
Whatcha Got?
Rest Easy
Two Out of Three Ain’t Rad
Electricity
Rebels
I’ll Still Be Around
Love a Liar
Pretend Kings
Taking Back Sunday
TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS
You Know How I Do
Cute Without the E
There’s No I in Team
Great Romances of the 20th Century
Ghost Man on Third
Timberwolves at New Jersey
The Blue Channel
You’re So Last Summer
Head Club
WHERE YOU WANT TO BE
Set Phasers to Stun
Bonus Mosh pt 2
A Decade Under the Influence
This Photograph is Proof
The Union
New American Classic
I Am Fred Astaire
One-Eighty By Summer
Little Devotional
Slowdance on the Inside
ENCORE
My Name is Jonas (Weezer cover)
Tidal Wave
I stayed nearish to the front for a good bit, but the crowd was crushing and people were surfing and I was antsy to be in on the action, so I moved back to the pit sometime during Tell All Your Friends.
Some girl threw her bra onstage???
Lotta old, big dudes in the pit. Always surprises me with Taking Back Sunday for some reason.
Adam called up a girl in the front row whose birthday it was to flip the coin to decide on which album to play next. I was secretly hoping it was Where You Want to Be and GOT IT. But then I realized I don’t actually remember this album as well as I thought I did lolllll. I mostly just wanted to hear “A Decade Under the Influence” cuz it’s my favorite song.
I didn’t recognize the cover AT ALL but apparently it was Weezer. I don’t know if Adam said that or if I just wasn’t paying attention or what.
These weird creature things with giant heads came out during “Tidal Wave” lol. Tbh I love that song.
Obviously closed with “MakeDamnSure” because DUH. They had confetti during that song, which was nice. I love confetti.
I told the guys from Red City Radio they were awesome as I headed out to catch the bus home.
Night 2 — 11/6/19
I was supposed to be on a 4:30 bus to Hartford after work and ran straight to Port Authority. The bus was 15 minutes late, and I fell asleep when I got on it, but somehow woke up… in the Bronx… at 6:15. We were supposed to be in Hartford at 7:20. What the heck??? We got there at 9, and Taking Back Sunday went on at 9:10. I was cutting it REAL close.
Somehow I still managed to go to the bathroom AND coatcheck before they went on. I was in the pit at the PERFECT time.
TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS
Adam explained the coin flip again and told us since last night we got Where You Want to Be, tonight was Louder Now. He asked how many of us were there the night before and I was surprised at how few other hands went up. I heard someone say something about “real fans.” ME. Also took a bus two days/nights in a row with work in between, so YEAH I’m a real fan alright.
There was some guy who kept coming onstage to sing with them this show? Idk who he was? I’m sure Adam told us but I missed it.
LOUDER NOW
What’s It Feel Like to be a Ghost
Liar
MakeDamnSure
Up Against
Twenty-Twenty Surgery
Spin
Divine Intervention
Miami
Error: Operator
I’ll Let You Live
ENCORE
My Name Is Jonas (Weezer cover)
Tidal Wave
This Photograph is Proof
A Decade Under the Influence
There was a girl getting in a straight up fist fight in the pit and security had to remove her. But I think then she came back? And a girl behind me was like wtf.
Honestly I forgot how much I love “Liar” til I saw it live. SO GOOD.
Those two big head guys during “Tidal Wave” again ha
The confetti was during “A Decade Under the Influence” this time.
Meghan and her friend (whose name I don’t remember) found me after the show and we took an uber together to the bus station.
