Coheed takes San Diego to The Fence with Taking Back Sunday

Monday is the most emo of days. So, naturally the 2000s two-punch of Coheed and Cambria hitting the stage with Taking Back Sunday on Monday, September 15th in San Diego was more than fitting for the whole elder emo scene to show. And show they did.

Gallagher Square at Petco Park was brimming with 30 to 40-year-olds, clad in (mostly) black, trying to not think about work in the morning, and keeping a considerate distance from their neighbor in this standing-room-only venue. Some even brought their kids! Gotta love us aging Millennials keeping the dream alive.

First up was Foxing, a band that I missed. Seems like the crowd was digging it from what I heard of them, finishing up their last track as I got to the gates. Shortly thereafter, the finely-garbed guys of Taking Back Sunday came out, complete with OG John Nolan back on guitar (cue the nostalgic Myspace-era drama of who-kissed-who-first in my head). Loved the guy rocking a Brand New shirt standing right at the rail, too.

Stay classy, San Diego.

Adam Lazzara’s quick feet and chicken-pecking is always fun to watch, but a TBS show is never complete without good, solid mic-swinging. The last time I caught the band live was back in 2004, opening up for blink-182 on their tour promoting Take Off Your Pants & Jacket; then, I shrugged TBS off as just another opener and opted instead to explore the merch table on the outer skirts of the arena. This night, however, it’s like the band had aged like fine wine… or maybe just my taste in music has.

Charismatic and full of energy, Lazzara played and joked with the crowd, especially those up front. He contested when someone yelled “TAKE YOUR PANTS OFF” to every girl’s dismay… although it did bring this second TBS performance full-circle for me. I wondered why I never really got into Taking Back Sunday back in the mid-naughts… but, as I looked around, it seemed that the boys were screaming the lyrics more than the girls; maybe TBS is a “boy” band when emo was at its peak?

I was more of a Coheed queen by 2004… and I definitely sided with Brand New when it came to the music. But, I’ll give credit where it’s due and it’s definitely due this night. Taking Back Sunday, you’ve got yourself a late, late, late, late fan. As the band cleared the stage, I saw people on the rail that I recognized — they were on the rail in St. Louis, too! And every city in between! Apparently, these Children of the Fence have hit every stop on the tour, all going north the next day for the LA show.

Now, that’s some diehard Coheed dedication!

And I quickly learned why. Lights and screens did little to distract from Claudio Sanchez, Travis Stever, Josh Eppard, and Zach Cooper. They came out locked and loaded with lore, performing songs from across albums all based on the comic book Claudio puts out. The live version isn’t a concert; it’s a quest. Will you “man your own jackhammer, man your battle stations”? There’s a mighty war ahead… and Claudio’s hair ain’t gonna throw itself.

With crowd-surfers coming in right and left, the band went through anthem after anthem — songs I’ve even forgotten about! Of course, the place went bananas when Coheed and Cambria launched into “Blood Red Summer”, “Suffering”, and a “Favor House Atlantic”. Around the time they played “Everything Evil”, there was a short interlude when a giant inflatable steampunk skeleton popped up at the back of the stage to kick things into higher gear.

Ending with a four-song encore, Coheed fans got everything they’d hoped for and more.

The band even did a cover of The Killers‘ “Mr. Brightside” before ending with the most anthemic banger of them all — “Welcome Home”. Walking out of the venue, I was high on heavy head-banging and nostalgic memories of bumping Coheed CDs full blast as I drove aimlessly around my hometown in my first car with my friends. Cheers to yesteryear… but also to these bands keeping the heart of emo alive. 🖤

Photography by Kristy Rose

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