Photos by: Abigail McNatt
Review by: Chris “Oberrated” Ober
We’re truly living in a time where the resurgence of 2000s music is taking over and if you were to close your eyes and let the music take over, you would not be able to tell the difference of being in the present or being in the year 2006. Contrary to this statement, the date was actually September 17, in the year 2024. On this specific date, however, we find ourselves in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at Stage AE for the Dashboard Confessional and Boys Like Girls concert and tour.
Before the clock officially gets turned back to the early 2000s, Pennsylvania’s own, Taylor Acorn, was up first to take the stage and show the crowd what she’s made of. From being a frequent concert goer herself to this venue to now being on and owning that very same stage as a performer, this can be regarded as one of those brilliant full-circle moments for the young musician and boy did she not take it for granted. Fresh off the release of her brand new album, Survival in Motion just on September 13, Taylor performed a handful of beloved crowd favorites as well as mixing in some fresh new tracks from that very album. Happiness and energy radiated from Taylor during her set as she experienced this surreal moment of performing at Stage AE and the fans received it all well by singing her words right back to her and getting amped up for the headliners. There could not have a been a more perfect opening act for this show.
Up next were the boys in leather that many have come to love so dearly – Boys Like Girls. The band, which has been rocking consistently for nearly 20 years, dripped sex appeal in a way that can only be described as pure rock ‘n’ roll. As they made their epic entrance engulfed in fog and lit up by neon lights, the familiar sound of “Love Drunk” took over Stage AE and the crowd properly went crazy. Leading off the set with such a banger, the crowd knew exactly what they were in for with the rest of the night as BLG prepared a setlist to feed right into the nostalgia element but also perform their most catchiest and strongest tracks off their latest album, SUNDAY AT FOXWOODS, “Blood and Sugar”.
As I said, this setlist was full of treats for old and new fans alike. From nostalgia bangers like “Love Drunk” and “Five Minutes to Midnight” to the finale of “The Great Escape,” where lead singer Martin Johnson encouraged everyone to capture their social media videos during the first verse, he then urged the crowd to drop their phones and go wild for the final song. Boys Like Girls also performed the likes of their newest earworm music like “Blood and Sugar”, “Language”, and “The Outside”. A special surprise came when the familiar chords of “Two is Better Than One” began and the crowd started singing back every word… but the real surprise was when Taylor came out to sing along with Martin! No, not Taylor Swift, but instead it was pop-punk princess Taylor Acorn returning to complete the duet with Martin.
With the sounds of the 2000s echoing in everyones ears, it was the perfect time to bring in the headliner, Dashboard Confessional. The stage was set for all six members to take their places across the whole stage as well as surrounding the unique lighting rig which would illuminate the band and the venue in beautiful colors. In no time at all, Chris Carrabba stepped into the spotlight to croon out “The Best Deceptions” and “Again I Go Unnoticed” alone within a beautiful blue light. All the while, the crowd was elated, scream-singing the songs right back to him. In some of these cases, if you listened closely, you could almost hear some of these fans reliving their teenage heartbreak. Heartache aside, Chris did what he does best, which was to deliver some of the best crafted lyrics with one of the strongest voices from our young days. His voice is truly incredible as he held the highest of notes for the longest of durations on multiple occasions throughout the set. I simply stood and watched in awe on many occasions.
The 15 song set from Dashboard Confessional contained hit after hit which spanned well over the band’s illustrious career. Songs like “The Good Fight”, “Turpentine Chaser”, and “The Swiss Army Romance” resonated well with the crowd, and naturally mega hits such as “Don’t Wait”, “Stolen”, and “Vindicated” ignited a fire amongst many as these were truly the songs of our childhood. Another surprise, similar to Taylor Acorn joining Boys Like Girls’ set, occurred during Dashboard Confessional’s performance when Martin Johnson joined Chris for a brand new song the two bands collaborated on, called “Watch the Fire.” The soon-to-be-released single showcased both singers’ vocal capabilities, interwoven with delicately crafted lyrics.
Of course though, the night has to come to an end eventually, and this 15 song set became 16 as Dashboard Confessional fired up their final song, “Hands Down”. As the crowd went wild for what is arguably the band’s biggest song, there wasn’t a single soul standing still, nor a mouth not reciting the lyrics back to the band word for word. As the song came to a close, Dashboard Confessional took their bows, said their goodbyes, and many DC superfans departing Stage AE were left thinking, “Hands down, this is the best day I can ever remember.”