REVIEW: Bayside @ the Sinclair 12/06

By Jarrad Levy

When Bayside announced an acoustic tour along with the release of their new album, Acoustic Volume 2, a record of reimagined acoustic songs from their huge catalogue of music, I expected them to be playing in the concert halls that bands like them usually play in, like the House of Blues or Brighton Music Hall. Thus, when I entered the Sinclair to secure my spot in what I thought would be a corded pit, I was shocked to see that the floor pit was barely three times the size of my dorm room with so few people that I probably could have counted them. I didn’t think about it before the show or when listening to either of Bayside’s acoustic albums, but everything about Bayside’s acoustic album and tour can be described in one word: intimate.

Throughout the show I literally had my elbows on the stage the entire time. The fact that there was no divide between the stage and the crowd aside from a four foot lift really added to the warm atmosphere of the show. The first time the band took a break from their set, bassist Nick Ghanbarian told the crowd how long he’s wanted to visit the Sinclair in some capacity and told a story of how he had been kicked out of a show at the venue a few years ago. This brings up something that I found so amazing about this concert; I’ve never been to a concert where an artist or band felt so real. Lead singer Anthony Raneri was having conversations with various members of the audience throughout the night, giving me a big thumbs up and a warm smile when he jokingly bashed the city and I told him I was from New York, the birthplace of the band. Lead guitarist Jack O’Shea told stories of growing up in Boston and how much he loves his hometown. Quite simply, Bayside did not seem like a band on that december evening; they felt like friends excited to show you some songs that they wrote because they care about their music and even more so, your opinion.

I have seen the band twice before—once five years ago at Warped tour where I accidentally discovered them, and the other four years ago on their 15th anniversary tour, during which they played an energetic and exciting show. While Bayside has seven excellent studio albums, there is something special about their acoustic songs. A majority of the band’s songs stem from love and heartbreak, and while many artists do a great job of releasing the anger and irritation they feel with roaring guitars and pounding drums, Raneri has always had a more tender and sad tone in his music that presents a really interesting juxtaposition between sadness and anger in his music. However, the acoustic renditions of songs like “Blame it on Bad Luck” and “Landing Feet First” really shine a new light on the songs, making listeners realize how depressing the songs actually are. This does not take away from the music however, as Raneri’s lyrics are poetic and stunning. There are few artists whose lyrics I truly marvel and Bayside is one of them. The way he is able to so cleary put an image in the listener’s head and describe his feelings with metaphor is so impressive and makes me upset that Bayside has never gotten the recognition they deserve in the punk rock community.

Overall, the show was heartwarming, the band was friendly and sociable, and the music was extremely heartfelt. I have missed many of Bayside’s previous tours due to me not paying the band enough attention over the last several years, a mistake I plan to never make again. The band members’ personalities and charm has truly won me over and while I would have called myself a casual fan of the band in prior years, I can definitely say that they have fully won me over. Bayside said that they would not be doing another tour like this for a very long time, so if you have the chance to catch them when going home, I cannot recommend going enough. At the very least, do yourself a favor by getting cozy, making yourself a hot chocolate, turn the lights off, and listen to their acoustic albums—you won’t regret it.