by Cynthia Jo
– Sr. Columnist —
Behind the genres of Hardrock and Hardcore is a little genre that more than a few people enjoy. That genre rides on the emotional cusp of nostalgia—and this summer has that theme written all over it. For those who hold the Emo genre dear to their hearts, Taste of Chaos brings up memories of those teenage-angst years when screaming emotional-centric anthems that didn’t quite reflect feelings that one wanted to convey through smearing eyeliner.
Taste of Chaos began in 2005 when the genre known as “emo” Rock was at its prime. The final stop of this year’s tour concluded in sunny Southern California and it was like every band was reliving their prime years as it was yesterday.
The first bands to hit the stage included: The Early November, Hot Rod Circuit, Reggie and The Full Effect. Some fans were excited to see The Anniversary. The band reunited since their 2004 breakup.
But it wasn’t until Sense Fail took the stage that the crowd grew quite large. Buddy Nielsen and company really brought it and did not disappoint fans. The crowd’s roar rolled off the San Bernardino Mountains with the popular hits: “You’re Cute When You Scream,” “Rum is for Drinking, Not Burning,” “Buried a Lie, “Lady in the Blue Dress,” and the most recognizable, “Bite to Break Skin.”
Taking a break from his many side projects, Anthony Green reunited with Saosin for this tour. “It’s time to get up and dance!” he screamed to the crowd that eagerly obliged. The excitement of hearing “Racing Through a Red Light,” “The Silver String” and “Third Measurements in C” made everyone groove to the unforgettable melodies.
“Up and Go” came in strong with The Starting Line, who followed Saosin. Nothing felt more on point then when everyone sang loud and proud “We got older but we’re still young,” respectable lyrics from hit “Best of Me.” The older crowd kept singing their young hearts through the sets of The Get Up Kids and Quicksand.
:: Taste of Chaos Photo Gallery ::
The night didn’t get as emo as it should until Taking Back Sunday (TBS) went on stage. The second the first note to “Cute Without the E (Cut From the Team)” was heard the crowd reminisced the song that put TBS on the map. That album, Tell All Your Friends turns 14 this year and is also considered to be one of the best in the genre.
Other fan favorites like “A Decade Under the Influence” “You’re So Last Summer” and “Better Homes and Gardens” from their latest effort kept the crowd cheering for the entire set as Adam Lazzara swung the mic around his neck.
But the mic swings aren’t the only signature Lazzara move—if he doesn’t scale up the stage to hang upside down while belting out “Make Damn Sure,” it is not a TBS show.
Closing headliners, Dashboard Confessional brought the tour to a magnificent end right off the bat. As soon as the riff to “Vindicated” came on the crowd of 13,000 cheered on Chris Carrabba’s soundtrack from the Spider-Man franchise. All the songs under the Dashboard Confessional set list represent memories of love and that came apparent when Lazzarra joined the band on stage. The crowd sang along to “Remember to Breathe,” “Stolen” and “Hands Down.”
And hands down this tour has been quite the representation of genre swimming deep within the pool of rock and roll—yet it’s a genre that is true to the spirit and soul. It was definitely a successful run this year and next year’s lineup will be awaited impatiently.
For more information visit: tasteofchaos.com
