Taking Back Sunday, The Used
Showbox SODO, Seattle, WA
09.25.14
The buses that were parked on the north side of SODO were big enough to haul this sold out crowd to the next gig. The blood and sweat accrued over a decade’s span seems to be paying off, although nobody here has visions of kicking back and growing stale (note: these guys don’t cry, that’s sweat, too). 15 years in, Taking Back Sunday is still going strong, with a following that continues to snowball from the highest of peaks. Pile it on. The more, the merrier.
The lights teased on and off as the sound crew made their last few tweaks. The crowd cheered even as the lights returned. However the setting, it was a perfect evening to fall in love again with the soundtrack of those terrible, awkward years. Taking Back Sunday came out guns blazing and opened their set with “Stood a Chance.” The energy in SODO was palpable. TBS pulled out all the stops with a star-studded set list spanning front to back, while all five original faces happily graced the stage. Some of the best things, they say, are worth the wait. Singer Adam Lazzara mixed the encore up with old and new, taking “All the Way” from their 2014 release Happiness Is, and ending with the anger-infused “MakeDamnSure.” The problem is, the best things never last long enough…
The Used played an amazing set full of gusto and warmth. Covering roughly the same time frame, The Used debuted their first album in 2002 alongside TBS. Singer Bert McCracken ran the stage with great fervor and intensity, dare I say anger, as revolutionary anthems were dotted with smiles. He also had a congenial sense of humor. Preparing for their last song, “A Box Full of Sharp Objects,” McCracken introduced surprise guest William Control, singer of disbanded Aiden, solo artist, producer, and Seattle native. Having developed a friendship over the many years of touring, it was endearing to watch McCracken attempt his hand at Peaches & Herb’s “Reunited.” Eek. They actually went on to sample “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” play “A Box…” in its entirety, and finally slap on a sample of RATM’s “Killing in the Name.” Phew. That was a wild ride.
Taking Back Sunday Set List:
Stood a Chance
Cute Without the ‘E’
Liar
They Don’t Have Any Friends
Timberwolves at New Jersey
Faith
Number Five with a Bullet
What’s It Feel Like to be a Ghost?
A Decade Under the Influence
Better Homes and Gardens
El Paso
Error: Operator
You’re So Last Summer
Flicker, Fade
You Know How I Do
Encore:
All the Way
MakeDamnSure
The Used Set List:
(Intro)
Cry
Take It Away
The Bird and the Worm
Listening
I Caught Fire
The Taste of Ink
All That I’ve Got
Revolution
Blood on My Hands
Pretty Handsome Awkward
Encore:
On My Own
A Box Full of Sharp Objects (featuring William Control)
Review by T. Monte
Photos by Sunny Martini
Taking Back Sunday
The Used
