Taking stage next, Bayside would only speed up the momentum of the Matches’ frenetic set, matching the energy of their near-rabid audience. While fans were clearly most stoked over older musical gems, there was still a clear appreciation for new material off the band’s latest album, Shudder, most notably the gang-vocal infused “Boy” and “The Ghost of St. Valentine.”
Maintaining their honest and raw instrumentation behind the clever, sometimes poignant wordsmithery of frontman Anthony Raneri, the members of Bayside have taken the next step and created anthemic songs that truly reflect the importance of them and their songs. Now how many bands can say big, slick studio production made them more credible?