Posted: by The Alt Editing Staff
To kick off Thanksgiving weekend, we got the chance to see The Story So Far live in Boston in support of their new album, I Want To Disappear. The acclaimed pop-punk group made their grand return with new music this year after touring the world with blink-182. Their break and the release of their first album in six years called for a complete overhaul of their live set.
“Blackout Wednesday,” the night before Thanksgiving in Massachusetts, typically calls for drunken bar fights at Kowloon and rowdy twenty-somethings yelling in the street as many are eagerly trying to blow off steam before their family reunions. Those not partaking in pre-holiday festivities packed in right after doors opened to catch relief from the cold weather. Lines for merch wrapped around the balcony in minutes. Those who skipped the merch line moved into the main hall to catch renowned grunge rock revivalist Superheaven open the night. They’re another band in a similar boat – took time off to explore side projects; came back better than ever – though there’s always a voice in the back of my head saying “play the Daylight EPs”. But hey, after they had “Youngest Daughter” break into mainstream consciousness ten years after its release because of TikTok, we’re just happy to see them get the recognition they deserve finally.
In a world of pop-punk bands churning out four chord rehashes, The Story So Far has always been a step above the rest. Even with their sonic transition from finger pointing pop-punk on Under Soil and Dirt to sing-along Oasis worship on Proper Dose, the band continues to keep moving forward in different ways. Kicking off their set with a taste of each of their last three albums, we got to hear “Big Blind”, “The Glass”, and “Out of It” which perfectly showcased all the bases the band can cover. But why stop there when kids are eager to crowd surf? With tracks like “High Regard” and “Roam” kids were off the ground and giving security a run for their money in no time.
By the second half of the set when they started to play “Proper Dose”, the crowd was ready to settle down for a couple minutes and catch their breath. We mentioned earlier their tour with blink-182, which seems to have worn off on Parker Cannon. Before performing the penultimate track from I Want to Disappear, Cannon exclaimed “this song is really hard to play, everyone shut the fuck up”. Those in the know recognize the call back to Tom Delonge’s infamous line before playing “What’s My Age Again”.
After powering through 19 songs, the band closed out their set with the lead single from their self-titled album, “Nerve”. Everyone got one last chance to crowdsurf and forget about seeing their problematic uncle’s the next day. In lieu of a proper walk off for an encore, The Story So Far dimmed the lights briefly while playing music over the house speakers so they could drink up before coming back out to play “Quicksand”. Seeing The Story So Far in Massachusetts is always an elevating experience (and maybe it’s to pay respect to the gone but not forgotten Tim Landers – spread the slug) and as they continue their tour across the country, we encourage you to go catch them at their best this tour. You can grab remaining tickets HERE and check out our pictures from the night until next time.
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Kyle Musser//