Taking Back Sunday @ Corona Theatre – 29th October 2019▪

Taking Back Sunday brought to Montreal’s Corona Theatre the celebration of the 20^th anniversary of their esteemed record Tell All Your Friends for a throwback night that delighted all pop-punk fans in the venue throughout a two-hour-long set (!!!).

I must say I’m not used to sets lasting that long, the last one I have in mind being Green Day’s set when they came a couple years ago to the Bell Centre so I was quite excited to see what Taking Back Sunday had in stock for us. They obviously started their set with the record that took the world by storm 20 years ago, Tell All Your Friends, with its classics “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut from the Team)”, “There’s No ‘I’ in Team”, “Timberwolves At New Jersey”, and more. Thankfully, even after 20 years, that album and the band aged well.

TBS stayed a fun and engaging band to witness live. Frontman Adam Lazzara’s vocals weren’t totally on point throughout their set, but I highly doubt that the crowd cared much as we’ve all been drawn to the venue by the power of nostalgia and throwback this band and this album communicates. And despite what could seem like shaky vocals from time to time, Adam Lazarra used his well-known charisma and his microphone tricks (spins, throws, catches, and whatnot) to give former scene kids who grew up listening to their music what they wanted.

After Tell All Your Friends, the band moved on to a mix of their most famous songs from their sophomore and third albums (Where You Want To Be and Louder Now), such as “A Decade Under The Influence”, “Error: Operator”, “This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know)”, “One-Eighty by Summer”, “Liar (It Takes One to Know One)”, and the one and only “MakeDamnSure” to close their 25 songs-set with. They also played two songs from their album Tidal Wave, including the eponym song as well as “You Can’t Look Back”, but also a great cover of Weezer’s “My Name Is Jonas” that sounded even better than the original.

I definitely felt like Tidal Wave was out of place, the same feeling as I got when I first listened to the song when it got released over 3 years ago, with a Clash, Ramones or even Against Me feeling to it that doesn’t quite match what they’ve got us used to. Nonetheless, their performance throughout the whole show revived some amazing childhood memories that I was more than happy to experience once again.

Another really cool aspect of the show was the stage production, including the lights, lasers that they used, as well as the colour-changing neon sign in the shape of a jaguar head, that was one of the coolest props I’ve seen in a while for a rock show. If not for the throwback feel, I’d advise you to go see them just for that! TBS didn’t have anything to prove that night, but still showed their fans that they love what they do for a living: being best friends playing the music they love for a crowd that has been following them all these years. They still have the energy, enthusiasm and charisma to go on for another decade, and I truly look forward to what they’ll be up to next.

Even though some might say that Taking Back Sunday is So a Few Summers ago, make sure to Tell All Your Friends that the band will MakeDamnSure that You Can’t Look Back or even regret making the decision of seeing them live! If you say otherwise, I may have to call you a Liar. Anyway, if you don’t believe, The Photographs in this article Are Proof. So now, are you All Ready to Go see one of the greatest bands that this scene has to offer?