Taking Back Sunday certainly did just that on Sunday the 19th of March at 170 Russell…. (pun intended) and again on the 21st of March with the support of Seattle based rock outfit, Acceptance, in their long awaited first ever visit to Australian shores.
Kicking off the night, the boys in Sydney punk rock band “Endless Heights” showed great stage presence and warmed up the crowd in anticipation of Acceptance and their Melbourne debut.
Shortly after Acceptance released their first studio album, Phantoms in 2005, they disbanded, much to the dismay of fans all over the world. Over the last decade and unexpectedly for the band, with it’s emotive rock sound and relatable heart felt themes, Phantoms reached cult status and ultimately created a lasting legacy for the band. Fast forward 12 years and the alternative rock outfit have released a new album, Colliding by Design, with a more modern pop rock sound. This catchy, at times 80s inspired, danceable and upbeat body of work is essentially a summary of life and musical progression, rather than just a follow up to cult classic, Phantoms.
And so Acceptance took the stage for the first time in Melbourne, starting off the set with the pop rock track “Diagram of a Simple Man” off their new record, sparking the crowds interest with soaring guitars and lead vocalist, Jason Vena’s impressive vocal range, that only seems to have gotten stronger over the years. Next up was definitely a crowd favourite “In Too Far” from Phantoms. This was a special moment between band and crowd as it was the first track in the night that has been loved by fans for over a decade. A strong feeling of nostalgia and excitement filled the room as the crowd belted out every lyric from the favoured pop punk track back at the band while dancing to the foot tapping, head nodding, hip shaking inducing beat of the drums and guitars. There was also a nod of appreciation to their friends in Taking Back Sunday during “In Too Far” slipping in the lyrics to one of TBS classic hits, singing “What’s it feel like to be a ghost”.
The bands cohesion and charismatic performance certainly lived up to and even exceeded expectations, putting on a show that was definitely worth the wait. Vena hit all the right notes with his pitch perfect soaring vocals throughout the entire set, that consisted of a good mix of new and old songs. It was heartwarming to see the vibe between all 5 members, as they occasionally exchanged cheeky smiles and nods of acceptance to each other…(yep…pun intended) particularly evident as Jason slung his arm around and sung close with back up vocalist and guitarist, Christian McAlhaney (also formerly from Anberlin) numerous times throughout the night. There were many highlights during the show, especially when the band played beloved tracks like one of my old personal favourites “This Conversation Is Over” and “Take Cover” although it is hard to single out any songs in particular as they were all received with great anticipation and passion by the crowd, just as they were delivered by the band. The final song, of a set that seemed to be over way too soon, was another definitive track from Phantoms, “Glory/Us” a beautiful way to end a captivating performance, once again showcasing Jason Vena’s gentle yet powerful vocals, complimented by Christian’s slightly huskier vocals, and gradually building into an epic peak, displaying each of the talented musician’s individual skilled artistry and flair. This combined with their solidarity as a band is why we all fell in love with the music from Acceptance in the first place.
It’s was a nostalgic trip down memory lane and definitely an exciting peak into where the band might be heading musically in the future.
As lead vocalist Jason Vena said in a recent interview with SCENEzine last week, when asked what message he had for Australian fans “….you’re going to get the best Acceptance has to offer” and he was right.
Next up it was time for headliners and punk rock legends Taking Back Sunday to take the stage, delivering a display of straight fire and infectious charm. Opening with “Deathwolf” from their new album, Tidal Wave, released last year, they ignited the already amped up crowd, still floating on a high from the Acceptance performance. Heavy drums and low bass lines really heated things up throughout the entire set, delivering a frenzied, punchy and captivating performance of their back catalogue and new tracks alike. The incredibly energetic and tight performance detracted from the fact that Eddie Reyes was noticeably absent.
Frontman Adam Lazzara exuded pure confidence and Long Island charisma with his rock n roll inspired dance moves and fast talking quips. The crowd really got into the swing of things when TBS played excitable takes on tracks like “Liar” , “Ghost”, “Decade” and “Faith” generating loud sing alongs and hip twisting, hair tossing dance moves. Guitarist and back up vocalist John Nolan provided entrancing guitar solos, adding another dynamic to the selection of musical talent on stage. While perfectly complimenting Lazzara’s vocals, Nolan simultaneously added contrast, particularly while screaming his lungs out.
Adam Lazzara’s display of unique and charming story telling prowess added to the experience, evident when describing Tidal Wave track “Holy Water” he explained that it is a song about rebirth and keeping your feet on the ground, making it a particularly relatable song. Between Lazzara’s comical banter with Nolan and Star Wars jokes he also mentioned a funny story about the video made for another catchy Tidal Wave track, “Call Come Running” featuring his father, who he apparently woke up with a phone call at 2:30am and a request to be in the music video and then proceeded to answer the door to his Dad covered in fake blood, resulting in his Dad having a literal face palm moment saying “Oh God, what are you getting me into”.
Taking Back Sunday made damn sure (punzzzz) that they went out with a bang playing two old favourites songs Cute Without The “E” and MakeDamnSure to end the show on a high note with fast guitars, crashing drums and escalating vocals, showing that even after almost two decades as a band, they are in their most polished state, a well oiled machine and with that performance, aren’t showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon.
By Sarah Thomson