By Bryan McCabe
Say Anything is one of those bands that I have loved for 20 years, but somehow have never had the chance to see them live. When I saw that they were coming to Madison, WI for the 20th anniversary of …Is a Real Boy, I knew that this was finally my time and I wasn’t going to miss it.
Starting off the night at The Sylvee in front of the rapidly growing crowd was Social Animals. I went into this show without ever hearing this band, but I don’t hesitate to say that their style of 80’s flavored rock was surprisingly catchy. They had most of the crowd dancing and cheering to the infectious rhythm of their songs. If you’ve never given this band a listen, just like myself, stop what you’re doing and go listen to them now.
“WHAT THE HELL? I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THAT!!!!”
That was my exact reaction within 30 seconds of Angel Du$t taking the stage next. Just to be clear, I mean that in the most positive way possible. The room took one the quickest 180 turns in styles that I have ever experienced at a concert, and the entire crowd was all about it. For half an hour, Angel Du$t had massive circle pits forming over and over as they assaulted the crowd with their hard hitting style of hardcore. After such an energetic set, I was worried that people wouldn’t have enough energy left for Say Anything when they came out. We are elder emos after all.
After 2 fantastic opening sets plus 20 years of anticipation finally being satisfied, it was time for Say Anything to take the stage. I would be lying if I said that I hadn’t come into this show with cautious optimism. After seeing some videos on the internet and reading some things from fans that have attended some shows, I wasn’t sure how good the band would still sound, so let me get that thought out of the way right away…..
GREAT!!!! FREAKING GREAT!!
That’s how Say Anything still sounds. As the lights dimmed and the band took the stage, it was time for the show to start with a song of rebellion. The energy of Max Bemis was only rivaled by the frenzied crowd as they belted out every single word at the top of their lungs. Max, with his trademark intensity and impassioned delivery, quickly became the focal point of the evening. His voice, as raw and unpolished as ever, held nothing back, capturing the full range of his emotional vulnerability.
What truly made the night shine, however, was the band’s energy. They played with the kind of reckless abandon that made this show so special. The chemistry between Bemis and the band members was electric; they seemed to feed off the crowd’s energy, creating a loop of enthusiasm that made the whole venue feel like one big, joyous explosion of sound. It has been a long time since I’ve heard an entire room sing every word to every song for an entire show, but that just goes to show how important an album …Is a Real Boy is to so many fans.
Don’t hesitate to see Say Anything if you have the chance. If you have even the slightest bit of doubt like I had going into this show, don’t listen to it, just go see this amazing band and have an amazing time singing at the top of your lungs with everyone around you.
