When I reflect on last night (Saturday, August 28, 2021), at Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale, Day 1 of the 21 Years Of Really Bad Luck tour, I can vividly remember the lights scanning the dim room and the voices of the crowd singing along with Anthony Raneri of Bayside as he sang “Don’t Call Me Peanut”. This was the first time I’ve ever cried at a show, but I was consumed with emotion hearing my favorite band sing one of my favorite songs at the first live show I attended in almost 2 years since the pandemic hit.
I can tell I wasn’t the only one craving this moment and I certainly wasn’t alone in missing live shows because everyone I interacted with at the show was so kind and social- we were all just so happy to have this experience back.
This show was the perfect show to break the live music hiatus for me, as it was a rescheduled tour from my favorite band Bayside that was cancelled the previous year. But what made it extra special was they brought Hawthorne Heights and Senses Fail, which just added to the nostalgia of it all since these are bands I listened to in high school and never seen live.
The show started around 7:00 pm and I was pumped. The first band, The Bombpops, was a kind of high energy pop punk band , and this was my first time hearing of them, but they had such good stage presence as an opening band, I got into it pretty quickly. The set was short and sweet.
Next, the Hawthorne Heights banner came up and I got this electrifying feeling and I was stoked for what was coming next. My favorite thing was when JT Woodruff (lead vocals and guitar) simply put it out there that we are here for a good time and to sing some classic emo songs, and that is exactly what happened. They sang some of their best known songs and ended with the song everyone knows “Ohio Is For Lovers” which left the crowd wildly animated.
As the transition between bands happened once again, and the Senses Fail skull banner went up, we knew it was almost time. Then they came out and Buddy Nielsen (lead vocals) showed up with almost a Freddy Mercury vibe in this dope leopard print jacket/skinny pants fit and he was ready to go all out. They played a bunch of their older songs that everyone loves and then really got the crowd going bananas with covers of bands like Limp Bizkit and Rage Against The Machine. Their set turned into a huge party which was so much fun, and I gotta say one of the best live shows I have ever seen.
As much of a blast the night has been thus far, the anticipation for Bayside was now more intense than ever. The bird banner dropped, the lights went low and Bayside finally emerged. They started with “Already Gone” and continued with a mind blowing performance we’ve all been needing for so long with a mix of both new songs off their latest album, as well as a good chunk of their classic songs we all love.
Bayside’s set was full of passion and there was nothing but good energy flowing through the venue. A slight hiccup occurred when Raneri’s (lead vocals/guitar) mic stopped working during “Sick, Sick, Sick”, but the crowd happily covered for him until he was back up and then continued with an extraordinary performance.
Aside from the moment I mentioned in the beginning, the most memorable and meaningful for me was when after a brief break, they came back out and played “Winter” (acoustic), which is one of my absolute favorite songs and has helped me through some rough times. They mentioned it was the first time ever it has been played live since recording it 16 years ago. That was an incredible moment for me and I was so blessed to experience it.
The show ended with a few other classic songs, the final being “Devotion And Desire”. At the end of the night, everyone was fired up and it was clear both the crowds and the bands were so happy and grateful for this night. It was an impressive show and I enjoyed it so much and I hope the rest of the tour goes just as well, if not better. If they are coming to a city near you, I absolutely recommend scoring a ticket , because this was such a memorable and impactful experience.