When I think of iconic music venues in New Jersey, there is always one that pops into my mind first: Starland Ballroom. Located in the heart of Sayreville, the 2500 capacity venue was packed wall to wall for an emo-extravaganza we won’t soon forget. I mean, what’s not to love when the tour bill consists of up and coming Winona Fighter, New Jersey’s very own Armor For Sleep, post-hardcore heavy hitters Finch & the one and only Bayside!
Starting off the night was a band I was really looking forward to seeing by the name of Winona Fighter. This punk rock band from Nashville, Tennessee is a breath of fresh air to the music scene. Front-woman, Coco (vocals/guitar) has an incredible stage presence with the voice and guitar chops to match. Most opening bands seem a bit timid knowing they’re opening for legendary bands, but that’s certainly not the case for Winona Fighter.
Coco, Dan Fuson (lead guitar), and Austin Luther (bass) exuded confidence like no other. Songs like Wlbrn St Tvrn, Johnny’s Dead, and You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridgers had the crowd going wild. From the first note till the last chord rang out, we were hooked and wanting more. I see very big things happening for Winona Fighter in the future!
Next up are no strangers to the New Jersey music scene, Armor For Sleep. As someone who grew up in the local punk/emo scene of the early 2000s, it was such a full circle moment seeing them perform at Starland Ballroom after all these years. Fronted by original singer/guitarist, Ben Jorgensen, Armor For Sleep jumped right in with Remember To Feel Real from their acclaimed 2005 album What To Do When You Are Dead. Nash Breen (drums), Chad Sabo (bass) and Erik Rudic (guitar) were locked in the whole set and the driving force behind each tune.
There was no shortage of nostalgia with songs like Williamsburg, Stay on the Ground, and my all time favorite, Car Underwater, which closed out the set and had crowd surfers flying over the barricade right in to the loving arms of Starland’s security team. If you haven’t had a chance to see these guys live, this tour is an excellent opportunity because they’re firing on all cylinders.
Coming to us all the way from Temecula, California is your favorite post-hardcore band, Finch. Taking us back to the heyday of Drive-Thru Records, Finch unleashed their tried and true classics and even tossed in a few new songs for the crowd. Nate Barcalow (vocals) delivers a powerful performance with every word, while the band hit us full force in the chest with their bone crunching sound.
Some of the highlights of their set included Letters To You, Post Script, and the ever popular What It Is To Burn, which had the building shaking. Their songs hit just as hard today as they did when they first came out! The tone for the evening was perfectly set and it was finally time for the moment we were all waiting for.
I’ve been going to Bayside shows for almost two decades now and they just keep getting better each time. Coming in hot off their latest album release, There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive, this tour is everything a Bayside fan could ever want.
The band stormed the stage and launched right in to Pigsty and Montauk, which had the crowd going wild instantly. Anthony Raneri (vocals/guitar) is a true master of his craft, delivering his signature powerful vocals and guitar riffs. Amongst all the classics, the band also played several new songs including How To Ruin Everything (Patience), Castaway and The Devils.
Jack O’Shea (lead guitar) is a fretboard wizard with his blisteringly fast guitar solos that he plays so effortlessly. There should be a disclaimer before the show about standing close to him because your face might melt. Nick Ghanbarian (bass) is an excellent hype man, getting the crowd moving while seamlessly holding the rhythm section down with Chris Guglielmo (drums) who doesn’t miss a beat.
The set list was the perfect blend of old and new that took us on a journey of the bands discography and growth over the years. The encore of Devotion and Desire took the last remaining energy I had along with my voice as I screamed along to every word. At the time of this writing, the tour is just getting started with tons of dates ahead on their website. I urge you to run to wherever you get your tickets from and secure one immediately. I promise you won’t regret it!
As the old saying goes, three things are certain in life – death, taxes, and Bayside putting out absolute bangers!
