ALBANY, N.Y. – The pandemic clearly affected people – including artists, musical or otherwise – in a multitude of ways; some positive, others downright tragic. In the case of Bayside and Thrice, who recently stopped in the Capital Region to co-headline Empire Live, the two-year quarantine seemed to have only strengthened their resolve, while reminding the crowd of just how sorely both bands have been missed.
In that magical time before anyone even knew what the word COVID-19 meant, Thrice and Bayside were two of the hardest working, consistently exceptional acts of the punk/post-hardcore scene, enjoying remarkable longevity over the last two decades. Now that they’re both back to doing what they do best, it almost seems as if they haven’t skipped beat. It’s a revelation that wasn’t lost on the audience.
Opening act Anxious, hailing from Fairfield, Ct., set the tone for the evening early on, bringing an infectious energy to the stage that almost immediately won over onlookers. Despite their youthful appearance, the group ripped through their 30-minute set with both the exuberance of hungry up-and-comers and the confidence of seasoned pros. Focusing on material from their latest release, Little Green House, Anxious’ classic melodic hardcore was pleasingly familiar, but updated with a fresh new face.
Then with the crowd good and primed, Bayside took the stage with the poise and command of returning champions, first ripping into the ever-powerful, especially fitting “Walking Wounded.” Nothing has stopped Bayside since the band’s inception—not lineup changes, or tragedy, and certainly not a virus—thus the show felt like another milestone for Bayside; a sing-along celebration of the band’s long-awaited return. They didn’t disappoint.
Fans loved the band’s hits-heavy set list, which was grounded primarily in classic-era Bayside material off the 2005 self-titled album (“Montauk,” “Devotion and Desire,” “Tortures of the Damned,” “Blame it on Bad Luck”) and 2007’s The Walking Wounded (“Duality,” “Carry On,” “They’re Not Horses, They’re Unicorns”) and even a special appearance by “Phone Call from Poland,” off their grossly underrated 2004 debut, Sirens and Condolences. (Admittedly, it would’ve been nice if they’d found a way to include this gem in the set without sacrificing the beloved Sirens opener, “Masterpiece,” which is typically in its place.)
The balance of the set drew mostly on 2011’s Killing Time (“Sick, Sick, Sick,” “Already Gone”) and Bayside’s more recent (and quite compelling) work from 2019’s Interrobang, plus “I’ve Been Dead All Day” off Vacancy (2016). Bayside also premiered their newest song: the metallic, churning “Strangest Faces,” which just dropped in May.
Perhaps what’s most striking these days about Bayside is lead guitarist Jack O’Shea’s full blown long-haired rock god presence on stage, from the Gibson Explorer guitar and Testament t-shirt he rocked, to his ever-inventive riffing and blistering solos, complete with finger-tapping and twin harmony leads (i.e. “Prayers,” off Interrobang). The set provided the ideal showcase for O’Shea, as well as his magnetic connection with singer-guitarist Anthony Raneri.
Throughout the set, the tandem demonstrated both their intricate dual guitar lines and powerful vocal harmonies, while bassist Nick Ghanbarian enthusiastically brought the low end and handled much of the between-song chit chat. Raneri took a moment to share a funny anecdote about local promoter Ted Etoll (of Step Up Presents), while O’Shea recalled an evening spent sleeping at the Albany bus station, but otherwise the two opted to hang back and shred. Drummer Chris Guglielmo—now the longest tenured Bayside drummer by far—kept things tight and on time all night, while sporting a massive pair of headphones that made him look like a punk rock Keith Moon.
And then came the perpetually relevant Thrice—closers on this particular evening—whose ongoing lyrical search for truth and compassion in a world gone wrong seems more desperately needed than ever in these troubled times. From the sheer sonic thunder of their performance, to the mesmerizing light show, to the physical intensity of their stage presence, there was an undeniably epic quality to the group’s set. Blasting forth with the pummeling opener “Firebreather,” off 2007’s The Alchemy Index Vol. I, there was no question that Thrice came to conquer, rolling straight into “Black Honey,” the haunting and thunderous standout from 2016’s To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere.
From there the band delved heavily into the moody, atmospheric, musically expansive work of later releases, including three tracks from their excellent 2021 album Horizons/East: “Still Life,” “Summer Set Fire to the Rain,” and the single “Scavengers,” which is an almost impossibly great song for a band this far into their career. Thrice also touched upon some fan favorites—notably “Stare at the Sun” and “The Artist in the Ambulance” off the eponymous 2003 release, and closer “The Earth Will Shake,” off Vheissu, their 2005 masterpiece. As a live treat, the band frequently busts out a scorching cover of The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter,” and this night was no exception. It’s a surefire crowd pleaser that rocks just as hard the first, or tenth, time you see it.
What makes Thrice such a compelling live act is rooted in what makes them a great band: Each of the four members is a master at their given role in the group, and they bring that comfort and power to the stage. Singer-guitarist Dustin Kensrue regularly blows minds with the force and clarity of his vocals, cutting like a knife through a towering wall of sound. Lead guitarist and keyboardist Teppei Teranishi has long enjoyed guitar wizard status, and one could spend the whole show just watching him, wondering how he makes it all look so damn easy. And then, of course, you have the rhythm section of brothers Ed Breckenridge (bass) and Riley Breckenridge (drums), who for this reviewer’s money, are as good as any in the genre, if not the best. Eddie’s current bearded, wild-haired look only underscores the quiet intensity that he brings to every performance.
All that was arguably missing from Thrice’s set, interestingly, was maybe a track or two off the beloved The Illusion of Safety, which turns 20 this year. Perhaps another tour celebrating that landmark album is just around the corner? We can only “hold fast hope.”
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All photos by Kylie Spinelli and Jon Monaghan. For more of their work, visit Kylie’s IG and Flickr and Jon’s IG.
Anxious – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/8/22 (Photos by Jon Monaghan)
Anxious – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/8/22 (Photos by Kylie Spinelli)
Bayside – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/8/22 (Photos by Jon Monaghan)
Bayside – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/8/22 (Photos by Kylie Spinelli)
Thrice – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/8/22 (Photos by Jon Monaghan)
Thrice – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/8/22 (Photos by Kylie Spinelli)
