Fifteen years after their last co-headlining tour, Motion City Soundtrack and Say Anything have teamed up once more, bringing their fall and winter tour to elder emos across the US. On Tuesday, December 9, the bands took the stage at Marquee Theatre in Tempe, AZ, a stage very familiar to both bands, but that they each have not graced in nearly a decade. Fans packed the room early, and while it was expected that the room would be filled with millennials ready to relive the nostalgia of their adolescence, a surprising number of young fans filled out the crowd. The emo/pop-punk bands of our youth are making their comebacks, and along with that has come a new generation of emo kids. Joining Motion City Soundtrack and Say Anything for the fall leg of the tour was alternative/indie rock band Oso Oso.
Indie/alt rock band Oso Oso, the project of Jade Lilitri, warmed things up, delivering a tight performance and bringing feel-good vibes that set the tone for the night. Lilitri traded vocals with the bassist throughout the set, performing tracks from nearly every record in their discography, including their 2024 release “life till bones.” Between tracks, fans could be heard meowing, which caught the attention of the band, prompting a competition between dog and cat lovers to see who could bark and meow louder. Moving forward, many fans barked or meowed to show their support for the music. As their set came to an end, the band ramped up their energy with fan favorite “gb/ol h/nf,” a track that held the crowd’s attention and had everyone dancing along. Oso Oso recently celebrated a decade as a band with their “$10 Bill Tour,” aptly named for its ten dollar ticket price. With this show marking their last support date on the tour, it’s unclear what they’ll do next. Give them a listen and check them out next time they take a stage near you!
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Fans were exceptionally rowdy for a Tuesday night, and that energy only accelerated as Say Anything’s Max Bemis took the stage, singing the opening verse of “Spores” without any instrumental support. Although Bemis shared he was feeling a bit under the weather, you never would have known it. His signature blend of gritty and clean vocals sounded better than ever, and the passion he put into his performance didn’t miss a beat. Moving into the chorus, Bemis was joined by the rest of the band. Notably missing from the stage was guitarist Fred Mascherino, who had to skip out on this performance to join Taking Back Sunday for their annual Holiday Spectacular shows out on the east coast. Despite Mascherino’s absence, the band put on a flawless performance.
Bemis and bassist Alex Kent took time between songs to reminisce with the crowd, even sharing what they referred to as a “deep cut” story about the time they shared the Marquee stage with Paramore, inviting Hayley Williams to the stage, only to find that her mic was broken when she tried to belt her part of the song. They laughed, noting their excitement to perform with her given how iconic she is, only for it to end very anticlimactically. Bemis also shared they were having the most fun they’ve ever had on tour in 20 years, and that was definitely evident in their performance.
Interestingly, the setlist did not feature any tracks from “The Noise Of Say Anything’s Room Without…,” the band’s newest album, released less than a week prior to the show at the Marquee, nor did Bemis mention this new release. Instead, the hour and fifteen minute long setlist focused heavily on their earlier work, including tracks primarily from “…is a Real Boy,” “In Defense of the Genre,” “Say Anything,” and “Anarchy, My Dear.” One track from their 2024 release, “…is Committed,” did make the cut, as well as a couple of tracks from their “Is A Real Boy…20th Anniversary The Demos” release. While I particularly enjoy getting to experience the evolution of the bands from my youth live, belting the lyrics to favorites like “Every Man Has A Molly” and “Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too” was a great trip down memory lane. The set ended with a collective singalong of “Alive With the Glory of Love,” the crowd singing with such fervor that Bemis pulled away from the mic for an entire verse, simply basking in that moment. Bemis climbed down into the pit as the last notes rang out, passing out setlists to a couple of the young fans that lined the barricade, something those fans are sure to remember for years to come.
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While Say Anything’s set focused heavily on music of the past, Motion City Soundtrack came to celebrate the music of their future. “The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World,” Motion City Soundtrack’s newest album, released in September, was the star of their setlist, featuring six of eleven tracks from the new record. The release was their first in over a decade and maintains the signature MCS sound that we all know and love while also demonstrating the evolution of their sound.
The band took the stage with an explosive energy, opening the night with “Some Wear a Dark Heart,” the opening track from their new album. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Motion City Soundtrack live a dozen or more times, including a handful of times over the last several years, and this was by far my favorite performance from them in years. Frontman Justin Courtney Pierre is back in full swing after a significant spinal injury that required surgery and months of rehabilitation and impacted not only his ability to play guitar, but perform with the same energy and enthusiasm fans are used to seeing from him. While they still put on a hell of a show during his recovery, it was so great to see him back to his normal self, matching the high energy his bandmates pour into every set.
Among the new songs featured in the setlist were all of the fan favorites, including tracks like “My Favorite Accident” and “Everything Is Alright,” the latter of which transports me back to high school, dancing in my best friend’s living room while screaming the lyrics, living my best life. The crowd went absolutely feral during “L.G. FUAD,” dancing and singing those iconic lyrics at the top of their lungs. A couple of tracks from “My Dinosaur Life” also made the setlist, something that had fans cheering with excitement. As the set came to an end, guitarist Joshua Cain made his way into the crowd, shredding the guitar surrounded by fans as the wrapped things up with “The Future Freaks Me Out.”
This evening’s show marked the end of the fall leg of their tour, but Motion City Soundtrack and Say Anything are set to return to the road on January 23 for the winter leg of their tour, kicking things off in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Joining the bands as support for the next leg of tour will be indie/alt-rock band Sincere Engineer. This is a tour that fans won’t want to miss! Grab your ticket here.
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