The wave of bands on the metalcore wagon back in 2004 was staggering, and most of them failed to make much of an impact outside of diehard scenesters. For every band with an impeccable fan base and legacy like Underoath or Alexisonfire, there were a million imitators that find themselves in bargain bins collecting dust nowadays like Gwen Stacy or Evergreen Terrace. Vanna, if not for a late stage comeback, probably would have ended up in that latter category.
But through dropping some of the more emo pretenses of their music and delving deeper into their hardcore roots, Vanna staged a return to prominence over the last five years. Then they announced they were breaking up. It’s almost unfair that they chose to end it right after releasing some of their best music, but ours is not to question why; only to enjoy the ride.
On the final show of their final tour ever (there will be one more hometown performance in December before they are completely done), Vanna left it all on the table for the adoring audience at Come and Take It Live in Austin, Texas on Sunday, August 20th. Let’s be honest, the crowd was small. Even with their resurgence, Vanna isn’t a name that’s going to sell out a venue. But those that know, know. Rather than filling a room with a bunch of casual listeners, Vanna drew their most devoted fans to an intimate show packed with power and emotion.
Still at the peak of their performative prime, Vanna slaughtered the room with songs both old and new. “Piss Up a Rope,” one of the heaviest songs of their career, drew no less than three extremely violent mosh pits, while closer “Flower” inspired a singalong among all in attendance. Old, old Vanna songs like “I Am the Wind, You Are the Feather” and “Safe to Say” hit to the core for aging scene kids. Every moment struck with a sense of finality, and the emotional speeches made my front man Davey Muise left him and the band in tears of both joy and sadness.
Vanna’s legacy will loom large in the hearts and minds of the listeners who grew with them. Their impact may not have hit the largest amount of people, but it extended to enough, including everyone in that room Sunday night, to make sure they won’t soon be forgotten.
