Unbeknownst to the (approximately) 1,500 fans enjoying a sold-out Dashboard Confessional show on 3/11, the crowd was witnessing one of the last major concerts in NYC for the foreseeable future. The very next day, New York governor Andrew Cuomo enacted a moratorium on all “gatherings with 500 people or more” due to the increasing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With all the doom-and-gloom of the current news cycle, Dashboard Confessional’s nostalgic set broke through like a ray of sunshine. (This month in 2000, the band released their classic debut studio album, The Swiss Army Romance, so they’ve been celebrating the band’s two decades of stealing hearts on tour.) Here are five things that stood out from the gig:
All Eyes on Chris Carrabba
When the house lights dimmed, lead singer Chris Carrabba emerged solo onstage with an acoustic guitar in hand. He led off the set with A Mark, a Mission, a Brand, a Scar’s “Ghost of a Good Thing.” (The set leaned heavily on the band’s pre-2007 discography.) The crowd was entranced from the get-go, singing along in hushed tones to Carraba’s gentle croon and strumming.
Team Effort
Next, the full band joined Carrabba. The room came to life from the electrifying opening riff of “Vindicated.” As the song reached its cathartic coda, the crowd roared along to the anthemic chorus. Throughout the set, the fans were absolutely game to sing all the words to the deep cuts and the hits alike, from “Several Ways to Die Trying” to “Screaming Infidelities.”
Solo Again
In the middle of the set, Carrabba again took the stage solo for a few more tracks. “Carry This Picture” showcased his potent vocal range, opening at a delicate whisper and closing with a hearty sustained note that earned loud cheers from the crowd. Similarly, “So Long, So Long” started softly but led into Carrabba unleashing the emphatic line “I was here but now I’m gone.”
Finishing Strong
From “Screaming Infidelities” onward, Dashboard Confessional wrapped up with some of their most iconic tracks. The main set closed with “Again I Go Unnoticed” and “Don’t Wait.” On the former, the band kept things fresh by leading in with a big drum beat courtesy of Chris Kamrada. And on the latter, Carrabba leaned into a little guitar solo towards the end of the track, before getting the crowd to mirror his “oh-oh” vocals.
The Encore
After a brief interlude, the band returned to the stage to close out with two more hits. Feeding off the energy in the crowd, Carrabba ramped up his stage presence on “Stolen,” kicking and holding another soaring sustained tune before letting the audience take over for the chorus. And on closer “Hands Down,” the vocalist was able to step away completely from the mic at multiple points, with the fans screaming all the words. If there’s no live music to be experienced in the near future, this was a high note to go out on. Or as Carrabba sang on “Stolen”: “One good stretch before our hibernation.”
