TAKING BACK SUNDAY play Observatory North Park Oct. 19, Fonda Theatre Oct. 20, Observatory Santa Ana Oct. 21; photo Ryan Russell
Taking Back Sunday, matching a powerful revival with an even more powerful album Tidal Wave, is set to play at The Observatory North Park Oct. 19 and The Observatory Santa Ana Oct. 21 with a stop in between at the Fonda Theatre Oct. 20.
Tidal Wave is the band’s third release since the return of vocalist Adam Lazzara, guitarist/vocalist John Nolan, guitarist Eddie Reyes, bassist Shaun Cooper and drummer Mark O’Connell. Following is the Concert Guide Live interview with Nolan following the release of their previous album Happiness Is.
“I think that the lyrics are less cryptic than a lot of Taking Back Sunday’s lyrics have been,” Nolan said. “A lot more of what is being said is direct and still very personal. When you’re saying something that is very personal and you don’t have that mysterious sort of phrasing behind it, you don’t really have anywhere to hide, so I think that’s the biggest way it’s more vulnerable.”
While writing this album, the song that truly stood as a new style for the band was “We Were Younger Then”. This song captured the band’s experiences while touring throughout the Middle East army bases.
“The song called, “We Were Younger Then”, has been one of my consistent favorites. It’s pretty different sounding for a Taking Back Sunday song,” Nolan said. “It’s pretty interesting subject matter and interesting stylistically, so it’s definitely been one of my favorites.”
During their tour through the Middle East, the band played shows in a variety of places, from Kuwait to Djibouti. Not only did they experience different places, but different stages as well.
“We actually landed on an aircraft carrier in a plane and stayed overnight and played a show in the morning,” he said. “It was just really surreal. There was also just going out into Kuwait, just driving miles out into the desert and there’s just this army base out there and we’d set up on the base and play a show and meet the people. It was really unlike anything else I’ve experienced in my life. It was definitely one of the harder tours we’ve done, but it was the most unique and interesting. ”
Although their 2011 self-titled album truly captured the band’s rekindling and helped create their new, but memorable sound, it was also their first step back into the music world together. They were reconnecting and found the turning point through the song, “El Paso”.
“I think just growing up and having some life experience on the road and in the music business really helped,” Nolan said. “When we came back together we were a lot more ready to work with each other and support each other through all the difficult things we have to deal with.”
While touring, the band not only has the opportunity to relive their classic line-up, but also to play in their hometown of Long Island, New York.
“It’s a little bit of a different energy [in Long Island],” Nolan said. “There’s a connection that people feel there with the band that people might not feel in other places. You have people in the audience on this tour that have seen the band in like 2000 at a bar with like 20 people there. When the roots of the band and the fans go that far back, it makes for a different feeling.”