Taking Back Sunday’s 10 Year Anniversary
October 14, 2012
Photo from band’s Facebook Page
by Wendy Villalobos
I grew up listening to a number of musical genres, whether it was my father blasting the Mamas and the Papas in the living room as a child, or more contemporary and “teeny-bopper” music like the Backstreet Boys as a young teenager (Yes, I am VERY aware that you’re groaning right now, but I stand firmly by my love for this band). As an adult, my range has expanded to even more genres, and my love for music spans from soul, to pop, to classic rock, to indie and the like. Taking Back Sunday is one of those bands, however, that I followed from early on, though I can’t say from day one. Their music influenced me, and created this sort of fascination with them as they crafted music and words so perfectly, there wasn’t much more they could have done to make me like them.
When I entered the Ogden Theater Sunday, October 14, with a good friend of mine, I could already feel the electricity billowing out of the theater. I had previously seen TBS when they played at Summit Music Hall a few months ago, but this time, for some reason, I was even more pumped up. There are those bands that I have followed only for a short while like Taking Back Sunday that I enjoy, but they must be the only band I truly love all the way around from each song to the next, on every single album they have put out to date. This doesn’t happen for me usually, as lately I’ve been finding myself only enjoying a few select songs on CDs anymore. It takes a special band to grab my attention the way Taking Back Sunday does, and I thank them for still making fantastic music ten years later.
Mansions and Bayside set the tone for the build- up that led to TBS’s performance, and I didn’t realize just how ready I was to see them perform. From the moment they went on stage, until the end of their show, I was dancing, moving, and screaming my lungs out to every song. I literally almost got too dizzy to stand up straight; that’s how loud I was singing. Taking Back Sunday’s performance that night was an ode to all their triumphs, failures and overall experiences as they sang new and old songs alike. “Make Damn Sure” was, of course, one they performed, and Adam’s voice was perfection, as usual.
The best part of the night was concluded as the band made the announcement that they would be performing Tell Your Friends from front to back, their first album that put them on the map. My stomach did flips and I melted away to pure rock bliss as they brought so much energy and life to The Ogden. TBS also performed two B-sides, to which I’m sure there were little stars in my eyes. They are one band I will always stand by, and their music will also catch me by surprise, in such a great way.
I think Taking Back Sunday’s influence on me is not only because of their style of music, but how the band functions as a team and has never (at least to me) seemed as if they were trying too hard to please people. They want to make music for the sake of music, and if you like them, then awesome! If you don’t, however, that’s ok too, as long as you don’t go out of your way to bash them for not particular reason. Taking Back Sunday is alive and well, as Sunday’s performance proved, and I can’t wait to see their progression from here.
Category: National News