I had the pleasure of attending Dashboard Confessional’s Fall Tour 2024 with special guests Boys Like Girls and Taylor Acorn at the last minute. Had I realized I’d be attending this, I would have brushed up on who Taylor Acorn and Boys Like Girls are. Maybe being unfamiliar with them was beneficial, though? No expectations to live up to. But I was excited for Dashboard Confessional since I loved them in high school. Old National Centre was surprisingly busy for a Sunday night, and that got me more excited for the show.
Prior to this show I’d never heard of Taylor Acorn, so I went into it not knowing what to expect. Even without expectations, somehow her music wasn’t what I expected, if that’s possible. She had a very upbeat vibe. Pop rock. Maybe inspired by Paramore? Also a hint of country, especially when she brought out the acoustic guitar. She stayed connected with the mostly seated crowd by interacting and showing her appreciation often. In one instance she described how she used to sing Boys Like Girls and Dashboard Confessional songs on TikTok and couldn’t believe she was sharing the stage with them. She has a great voice and stage presence, as well as fun and catchy songs. I’m glad I discovered her and look forward to seeing where her career goes.
So, I had heard of Boys Like Girls but wasn’t at all familiar with them before this show. I’m a little upset by that because I know my high school self would have loved them. They got popular in 2006 and the height of my pop punk addiction was like 2001-2004. Damn, I just missed them.
They put on a great show from the bright pink and blue lighting to their catchy, upbeat songs. They had fun leather jackets and stayed engaged with the crowd the whole show. All three mic stands were equipped with guitar picks for everyone except the drummer, obviously, to toss into the crowd. I was surprised by how much they smoked cigarettes on stage while playing, but it was kind of fitting with their Greaser outfits. Lead singer Martin Johnson commented multiple times about the venue being a weird Phantom of the Opera theater and how this was a weird seated show, but hey, I appreciated having a seat. And they brought out Taylor Acorn to sing “Two Is Better Than One” with acoustic guitars. It was nice. I actually did recognize their final song of the evening, “The Great Escape.” I’m pretty sure it played on MTV pretty often when it came out.
They kept the audience on their feet and singing along pretty much the whole time, so I’d say they put on a great show. I’m still kicking myself for not knowing them because this would have been a great mid-2000s nostalgic show.
Dashboard Confessional is one of those bands I really got into in 9th grade right when they came out. At the time, Chris Carrabba’s voice had a way of making me feel completely heartbroken despite not having been through any major relationships at that age. And after this show, I’d say he still has it.
The stage wasn’t overly flashy or as bright as the previous acts, but the DC light logo looked really cool and framed the drum set beautifully. The stage setup was understated for how much energy and excitement followed.
They opened with “The Best Deceptions” which is my personal favorite, but also possibly everyone else’s as well considering the entire crowd sang every word. But then again, everyone sang along to pretty much every song after that.
Chris stayed engaged throughout the set by telling stories about his life and daughter, which makes sense since his songs are very story driven. He joked about MTV and the younger generation not knowing how it was originally. He also joked about his age and how we’re all old now. He seemed very grateful to still be performing, and he generally just seems like a kind person. He smiled throughout the whole show, enough for me to notice anyway.
I would absolutely see them again after that show. I don’t know what I expected since I had never seen Dashboard Confessional live before and associate them with high school heartbreak that I never experienced. It was surprisingly energetic, and I was surprised by how many songs I knew. The crowd stood the entire time, even during the more mellow songs. After “Saints and Sailors” it mellowed out as Chris sang “Remember To Breathe” without the band backing him. He also brought out lead singer Martin and drummer John from BOYS LIKE GIRLS to play their recently released collaboration of “Watch The Fire.” They ended the night with “Screaming Infidelities” and “Vindicated” before doing an encore of “Hands Down.” And it was hands down a great show.