It’s not every day Taking Back Sunday fans bear witness to the celebration of new music from the beloved Long Island quartet; in fact, it’s not every year the opportunity arises. For seven years, 2016’s Tidal Wave was the band’s latest endeavor…until last October.

Inspired by the memories of a small town exit vocalist Adam Lazzara frequently visited on youth and friendship-fueled adventures and wanting to invite listeners into this world, the band’s brand new record titled 152 was born. Giving what was once a random number new significance, the ten Taking Back Sunday songs left fans eager to experience them. That time most recently came in the form of the band’s 2024 North American Tour with Stage AE in Pittsburgh being the very first stop of the second leg.

A palpable excitement fluttered around the air of the venue as waves of attendees quickly packed the room. Whispers of the band’s biggest supporters scurried from ear to ear, longtime friends and listeners not just preparing to take a trip down memory lane, but to visit Taking Back Sunday’s newly paved musical roads. As the lights went out, everyone hopped in and buckled up for what would undoubtedly be a ride to remember.

From the darkness emerged Taking Back Sunday adorned in matching red suits, an already larger than life dazzle bursting from their seams. Like a full moon’s luster leading the way at night, an emblem of the number “152” illuminated the stage and captured the audience’s collective gaze. Everyone was enamored, first by the bubbling anticipation of what was to come and next by watching 152 and everything that came before it emerged in front of their very eyes.

The band began with by taking a trio of pit stops located in various eras of their discography. “S’old,” “Set Phasers To Stun,” and “What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost?” shined live even in the still-dim lights, each member’s shadows in the dark proving the power of the band’s performance without needing to be physically seen. The band’s backlit silhouettes thrashed and swung to the music as they played a game of catch me if you can with the crowd’s eyes, boldly dancing in the streets of the trip’s musical terrain. In another display of escaping energies, Adam started to fling the microphone up, out, and around in sweeping gestures as it took turns kissing the ceiling and coiling around his neck.

The lyrics to “Timberwolves at New Jersey” called for the same level of grand vivacity, the audience launching its words at the band with complete accuracy.

“This is me with the words
on the tip of my tongue
and my eye through the scope
down the barrel of a gun”

Timberwolves at New Jersey

sounded as Adam absorbed the crowd’s vocal might to dodge invisible bullets in an animated set of swift and erratic pivots. It was then that the band took a breath, shifted gears, and gently swept everyone off their feet with a moment of gentle warmth.

It was here that Adam pulled out a note, discussing how appreciative the band was in having received so many written words of admiration from their supporters. This particular note shared the story of two of them. Adam began to recite its contents, a heartwarming love story gushing from what became so much more than just a piece of paper: “Hey TBS! I met the love of my life at your show in 2022. I stepped on her toes and we’ve been together ever since. Your music is a staple in our relationship.” Ink transcended the page and poured into the audience’s heart, spilling over in immeasurable quantities as Adam delivered its three final words: “She’s the one.”

As thousands of people fondly scooped up every word to swallow their sweetness, Adam paused to reflect on the weight of what it meant to be reading this particular note aloud and how lucky he felt to play a part in this couple’s story. Then he faced the room and welcomed everyone to be a part of it before performing “The One.” This cherished new song already showed a clear sense of significance to listeners, but pairing it with a Taking Back Sunday-driven success story of “the one” was like receiving a roadmap to human connection that only further showcased the band’s mastery in making music out of meaning and meaning out of music.

After finally hearing and seeing new Taking Back Sunday songs, attendees were eager to step back into the past again to experience some of the band’s most iconic lyrics live. As if they had been saving their voice for these very moments, fans unleashed the lyrics “I’m an addict for dramatics / I confuse the two for love” from “Liar (It Takes One To Know One)” and “The truth is you could slit my throat / And with my one last gasping breath / I’d apologize for bleeding on your shirt” from “You’re So Last Summer” with a unified strength. It felt as though nothing could top the soaring spirits and decibels brought on by these fan favorites; that is, until Taking Back Sunday’s big finale.

The room erupted into a group sing-a-long for “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut from the Team)” and “MakeDamnSure,” providing moments of purely fan driven performance. The culmination of old memories and new experiences boiled down to this; the release of adoration for a band that had continuously given their all and was still finding ways to keep doing so. In that moment, it didn’t matter what small town someone once resided in or how far into the band’s journey someone had arrived. All that mattered was that they were there experiencing the music-driven passion together.

And with that, everyone’s voices gleamed so much so that the band took a back seat to listen to them fill the room and escape out into the city for all of Pittsburgh to hear. It’s impossible to say Pittsburgh was the only place Taking Back Sunday left their mark, though. With a final, “We are a band named Taking Back Sunday and we hope all of your dreams come true,” it was clear that the hearts of their fans had been infinitely changed for the better both that night and all of the nights that they had invited the band to be a part of.

Experiencing Taking Back Sunday live on their 2024 North American Tour provided all the proof in the world that a strong sense of dedication is capable of remaining, and even continuing to grow, with the right care. No wonder they’ve been garnering new fans while maintaining their relationship with early ones for a quarter of a century now. So take the next right onto exit 152 if you’re looking for meaningful connection, necessary reflection, and a little bit of deserved fun. The band will surely be waiting there with an open passenger door and a map ready to take you to a place you’ll always cherish.