Bad Copy

My night kicked off with a delicious cup of coffee and gorgeous hike. I have the opportunity to catch Taking Back Sunday on the last night of their summer tour. The opener only added to the excitement for the night as well. With that being said I packed up my camera gear and headed to the venue.

The night began with Bayside, a pop-punk band hailing from Queens, NY, known for their honest and deep lyrics. Their recent five-track EP, Anywhere But Here, just dropped last June. The tracks are very nostalgic and are a preview into what might come next for the band. As someone who has grown to appreciate the bands dedication to their craft, I was very eager to see them live.

The four piece stepped onto the stage, and the crowd began to rumble the floor. Each band member had huge smiles plastered across their faces. They opened with “Big Cheese,” the first track of their album, Cult White Edition. Everyone along the barricade threw themselves forward, and screamed along to every lyric. The guitarist, Nick Ghanbarian, radiated contagious energy along side lead vocalist, Anthony Raneri, through out their entire set. The audience soaked up every moment. The band closed with their deeply loved track, “Devotion And Desire.” I could feel the emotional energy flowing from the band to the fans in that moment. Their set was a beautiful sight to witness, and I had a blast capturing it.

The main act of the night, Taking Back Sunday, is an American rock band from Amityville, NY. I adored  their album Louder Now when it first came out, and it has remained a favorite of mine. The one track that sticks out the most to me is “Sleep,” a genuine hidden gem off of that album. I have always wanted to attend one of their shows, and I was very ready to capture what they had in store.

As I headed towards the photo pit, I witnessed a sea of passionate fans. I could tell that for many of the people in the room, this wasn’t their first rodeo. The moment everyone was waiting for had arrived. The venue music came to a halt and the stage lights dimmed. I felt the bass through my feet as the band rushed out and greeted the crowd. They immediately dove into their jam packed set, and opened with “What’s It Feel Like To Be a Ghost?”. Followed by their next hit “Liar (It Takes One To Know One)”. It was the perfect start to an unforgettable night.

The lead vocalist, Adam Lazzara, moved around the stage displaying theatric stage antics, and powerful delivery. He even swung the microphone cord around his body in massive circles. There have been cases of him hitting himself, and even knocking out a tooth during past performances. But luckily nothing like that happened tonight. The lighting behind the band flashed golden tones as they delivered nostalgic highs and emo-punk rhythms. The audience grew with excitement as they closed off the night with “MakeDamnSure,” an iconic hit that had everyone in the room screaming every lyric back in unison. I was very impressed by the bands seasoned talent and I had an amazing time capturing their performance.

Check out my photos below: