By Shari WeissPLAY Writer
Chris Carrabba’s loyal fans might say Dashboard Confessional’s Oct. 27 concert is further proof of his immense talent – they couldn’t be more right.
Carrabba made his backup band permanent Dashboard members on his latest release, Dusk And Summer. Opening the set at the Allstate Arena with “Don’t Wait,” the first single from his new album, he sang the song’s opening “oooohhhhs” from behind a white sheet. The crowd went wild, echoing “oooohhhhs” back.
Carrabba created a set list with tracks that spanned across his previous albums and big hits. He sang “Screaming Infidelities,” the song that gained him mainstream fame in 2001, and, at one point, broke into Say Anything’s “Wow, I Can Get Sexual, Too.”
The concert was testament to how well he can translate a flawless record into a flawless live show. His tattooed arms gestured to the crowd, urging them to sing louder – which they did, drowning out Carrabba’s voice to the point that he stepped away from the microphone to let the audience finish the song.
When a heckler threw something on stage, fans booed and waited for Carrabba’s response. “It’s alright – he’s entitled to his opinion,” he said. Carrabba paused and added: “I know people stay just to fuck with us but I make no apologies.” With that, the show continued.
Openers Brand New wowed the crowd with four old favorites and several new songs from their upcoming album, The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me. The quartet from Long Island played a 45-minute energetic set, leaving the crowd chanting “one more song!”
The show’s bill only had Brand New and Dashboard Confessional, giving fans exactly what they came for: two great bands who love their audiences. “This is the best day I can ever remember,” Carrabba sang to the crowd as he closed the show.
– Shari Weiss