Emo vets Saves the Day are celebrating the twentieth anniversary of their great record Through Being Cool by playing the album from start to finish. To help them out, the band brought Hot Rod Circuit along for the ultimate in emo nostalgia.
Hearing songs about angst and teenage heartbreak doesn't seem like the best way to spend a Sunday night, but with emo legends Saves the Day and Hot Rod Circuit playing their classics, it was hard to deny the rush of feelings that came speedy back into purview with these two seminal acts. Starting things off, Hot Rod Circuit were in great form, playing their hearts out and having a hell of time doing it. The look of pure fun couldn't escape their faces for the duration of their set and even with their singer riding the struggle voice in terms of his vocal performance, the crowd was there to assist and help carry the tunes.
The energy level was set high by Hot Rod so by the time Chris Conely and crew took to the stage, the crowd was ready to burst. The band immediately dove into 1999's Through Being Cool (which celebrated its exact 20 year anniversary the day prior) and ripped into the hits with power and force. With the microphone firmly gripped, Conley unleashed his distinct yelp that somehow still carries those notes like it's still the late 90s. His voice was on point for the entire night, never once faltering or giving in to his age. While the only original member of the band still going strong, Conely fully engaged with the crowd and seemed incredibly humbled for all the love after all these years. "These songs were written in NYU dorms and Washington Sq Park. We used to write lyrics on the train back and forth to Princeton so it's cool to be back here" he exclaimed part way into the set, his gracious attitude propelling the energy of the crowd. For every track, the crowd screamed along word for word in perfect unison, kicking up a bit of storm in the pit as well. "Rocks Tonic Juice Magic" and "Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots" were two particular highlights from the album that transcended expectations live and highlighted the band's earlier days of more hyped-up emo and not so much the more melodic sounds of Stay What You Are. After completing the record, Conley came back onstage alone and delighted everyone with solo renditions of I'm Sorry I'm Leaving tracks "Hold," "Jessie & My Whetstone," and "Take Our Cars Now!" which felt like an absolutely perfect segue to the rest of the set which consisted of more prime-era Saves the Day. After the euphoric solo numbers, the band came back for older treasures "Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off to Heaven," "The Choke," "A Drag in D Flat," which reignited the crowd's excitement and helped keep the show's intensity at a constant high. This was purely a nostalgia show for people who most likely haven't relived these songs in quite some time, but all of which hold a special place and memory. These songs immediately trigger a past life, a moment in time when these songs and lyrics meant everything and are solid reminders to days long gone. It was special to see the band stick primarily to their oldest hits to commemorate the occasion and give longtime fans a show of their dreams.
Set list:
01 "All-Star Me"
02 "You Vandal"
03 "Shoulder to the Wheel"
04 "Rocks Tonic Juice Magic"
05 "Holly Hox, Forget Me Nots"
06 "Third Engine"
07 "My Sweet Fracture"
08 "The Vast Spoils of America (From the Badlands Through the Ocean)"
09 "The Last Lie I Told"
10 "Do You Know What I Love the Most?"
11 "Through Being Cool"
12 "Banned From the Back Porch"
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13 "Hold"
14 "Jessie & My Whetstone"
15 "Take Our Cars Now!"
16 "Three Miles Down"
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17 "Sell My Old Clothes, I'm Off to Heaven"
18 "Cars & Calories"
19 "Houses and Billboards"
20 "The Choke"
21 "A Drag in D Flat"
22 "Anywhere With You"
23 "Freakish"
24 "When It Isn't Like It Should Be"
25 "Nightingale"
26 "Firefly"
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27 "At Your Funeral"
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