Taking Back Sunday And Coheed And Cambria With The Story So Far At The Walmart Theater
Coheed and Cambria / Taking Back Sunday / The Story So Far Walmart AMP - Rogers, Arkansas About 2 hours prior to the show, I decided to grab some food near the venue at Fuzzy’s Tacos. I’ll never forget getting out of my car and hearing the vocals of Parker Cannon (The Story So Far) carrying for about a mile across the highway during the band’s soundcheck. This was particularly surreal for me being a huge fan in an area where these shows aren't the norm. The Story So Far started the party with riffing guitars and passionate vocals. Parker’s stamina and energy left me quite impressed considering his style of singing. I’ve been critical of other bands in the past that seem to favor their vocals or pitch down, but this was not the case here. Parker’s presence on stage is looking a lot like Liam Gallagher of Oasis with his tambourine and “cool as a cucumber” stature. Their new single “Let It Go” was a hit with the crowd which can be found on their upcoming album release Sept 21st, 2018.
Taking Back Sunday took the next slot and the nostalgia and surrealism continued through this performance. After seeing TBS over 10 years ago, Adam and company are just as entertaining, if not more. Lazzara’s microphone technique is one of a kind, swinging the cable and mic around with precision. Eventually wrapping around his neck and strangling himself to really give it that Taking Back Sunday feel. Although the band’s lineup has gone through some changes, they are truly dialed in to deliver a great show.
Coheed and Cambria took the stage as the headliner next. Claudio’s guitar skills took the cake this evening as they promoted their upcoming album “Vaxis - Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures”, set to release Oct 5th of this year. I’d also like to award him with “Best Hair” for the night as that do is truly an asset to this band’s movement on stage. Impressive is an understatement for someone who can play guitar like a legend, sing with incredible projection, and keep that hair looking as healthy and voluminous as ever. Coheed’s shows resemble more of an “experience” with all the backing track transitions between the songs, never leaving their fans with a dull quiet moment.
Photos and review by Ryan Coursey