Date: November 21, 2003
Location: Avalon Ballroom - Boston, MA
Bands: Taking Back Sunday, Moneen, Saves The Day
I headed into the Avalon Ballroom early to buy a ticket outside, and was surprised to see so many people selling, and not many people buying. When I went in, I got a spot near the side of the stage. First up was Moneen. They were a pretty good fit for this tour, an insane band with tons of energy and motivation. Although their songs are a bit long (if you've ever listened to Moneen, you know what I'm talking about), they give a worthy performance. They keep you wondering about what they will do next. Their set was relatively short however, and I don't think it showcased the band to their full capabilities.
Next up was Taking Back Sunday, the band I had primarily come to see. They played nearly every song off "Tell All Your Friends" as well as a couple new ones. This was my second time seeing Taking Back Sunday, and the first time without former vocalist John Nolan. I was anticipating if they would still be the same band, with the same energy and passion, and they didn't disappoint. Adam Lazarra swung his mic every which way, and enjoyed his dancing. Fred is a perfect replacement and took over vocal duties very well. The chorus to a new song, which name I can't remember, was very catchy, "To hell with you and all your friends…" I'm very anxious about the new TBS release, which will begin recording early next year. Adam has told us that "Your Own Disaster" will definitely be appearing on the CD. During the last song, Adam turned into a monkey and scaled the wall up to sit in the rafters to sing the last verse. Hanging from rafters seems to be a trademark of his, and a quite amusing one at that.
Saves The Day was next, but I left before they came on. I heard they put on a great set with lots of antics, such as the boys from Moneen running around in pink "Saves The Day" underwear, and the boys from Taking Back Sunday playing football on stage. I went outside and got the opportunity to meet Adam and Fred, and they were both really down to earth and pleased that we had enjoyed the show.
If you were a Taking Back Sunday fan before the semi-break up and are wondering if it's still the same, then the answer is to go see them for yourself. I thought that they were still just, if not more, impressive this time around. The new members have already settled in and unless you know, you'd never guess that they'd only been together in this lineup for a few months.
For More Information:
• Taking Back Sunday Official Site: www.takingbacksunday.com
• Moneen Official Site: www.moneen.com
• Saves The Day Official Site: www.savestheday.com