The Get Up Kids @ The Metro, Chicago, IL

Live Reviews | Oct 26th, 2009

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Date: October 21st 2009
Band Link: www.myspace.com/thegetupkids

A lot can be said about bands that decide to reunite to tour. Of all the reasons why, I can think it is safe to attribute the main cause to nostalgia. According to Merriam-Webster, Nostalgia is a noun and has two meanings: 1. the state of being homesick 2. a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some past period or irrecoverable condition. Touring in support of the tenth anniversary of their album, Something to Write Home About, The Get Up Kids evoked feelings of nostalgia in Chicago last Wednesday night.

Opening with “Come Clean” and transitioning straight to “Action & Action” the boys, or men, did not waste any time getting the show going. Looking at the band, that vigor and excitement carried through “I’m a loner Dottie, A Rebel” and even their slow song “Overdue.” And just two chords into “Campfire Kansas,” the crowd erupted into applause. Not having any set list of songs to play, they huddled several times to decide what to play next and just to talk. They were talking to each other like friends. This was just another fun day with friends jamming out. Every member has a personality and they let their personalities shine. This isn’t Matt Pryor’s band, like some would attribute The New Amsterdams to be. This is The Get Up Kids.

Seeing TGUK on stage Wednesday night I was in a bit of shock because they are men now. They weren’t exactly boys when they last played together but you could see the years on their faces. That just made the night even more of a delight because they played with the energy of boys playing together for the first time. I think that kinship they shared on stage was a treat for the all ages crowd that night. This was definitely the first time (and maybe only time) a group of teenagers saw them. The younger crowd seemed to take in and relish this opportunity to see the proto emo group do their thing. For that night, it seemed that TGUK did not care about their emo title or anything that eventually led to their end. The Get Up Kids garner appreciation for their music from people who were under ten when Something to Write Home About came out.

The banter they shared onstage transferred off the stage for everyone in the audience to enjoy. They came out for their encore and dedicated it to a band they said they last played The Metro’s stage with, Braid. Playing “Holiday,” “Don’t Hate Me,” and finally closing with “Ten Minutes,” the band made everyone feel like they were ten years younger. The most disappointing part of the night was seeing that the venue wasn’t packed to capacity and that just be that the 21+ crowd was probably waiting for the next night. It’s a shame too, because TGUK took us all back to familiar place, they took us home. For the audience old and young, we were all kids that night. Thank god for nostalgia.

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