An all-time favourite band out of the 2000s era with Chris Carrabba (vocals), Scott Schoenbeck (bass), Arnon Jay (Guitar) and Ben Homola (drums & percussion) as its members, Dashboard Confessional made their appearance in Singapore last Saturday (9th September 2017) at D’Marquee @ Downtown East. This is their first time in Singapore – as a full band that is. Next up on their 2017 Summer Tour is a visit to Australia – Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
Opening the night with perhaps their most famous hit from Spider-Man 2’s soundtrack, ‘Vindicated’, the audience took a walk down memory lane as Dashboard Confessional performed songs from their old albums – The Swiss Army Romance, Dusk and Summer and more. Playing it up with a mix of tempo, the group put on a lively show with a line-up including ‘Don’t Wait’, ‘Screaming Infidelities’, ‘As Lovers Go’, and even a cover of ‘Love Yourself’. Mid-way through the concert, Chris Carrabba took the stage for himself as he did three solos, making for an intimate moment with the fans.
The band also revealed that they’re working on a new album – this will be their first in 8 years. Concert-goers were in for a treat as they showcased two originals off their latest work, one of which got the audience singing along with the lyrics “Let your heart beat here”. The gig ended with the crowd-pleasing ‘Stolen’, and encored with ‘Hands Down’, leaving the fans satisfied and with post-concert blues.
Dressed in their punk t-shirts and jamming in their long rocker hair, I was brought back to the zeitgeist of the 2000s emo-pop scene of Avril Lavigne, Green Day, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance. The audience were mostly in their 20s or older, depicting the musical generational gap and disconnect with today’s youngsters. The intermittent splashy lights synchronised with the climaxing lyrics reminded me of the carefree, impulsive youthful days. As Dashboard Confessional introduced their upcoming works, the revival after a hiatus was a case of old meets new – all while retaining their style and individuality.
It was a night of Chris Carrabba’s impressive vocals, the band’s musical talent and nostalgia of teenage days.
