On Monday, October 28th, Underoath took the stage at Marquee Theater in Tempe, AZ, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of their most beloved albums, a record that was the soundtrack of the teenage years for so many in the crowd; They’re Only Chasing Safety. The sold-out audience packed the room, eager to relive the nostalgia and angst of those formative years, many bringing their children along for the ride. 

A pair of old school TVs equipped with embedded VHS players began to display images of static, along with video scenes and lyrics as Static Dress took the stage. The post hardcore band from England opened the night, bringing an intense energy that was instantly matched by the crowd. Vocalist Olli Appleyard never stopped moving, keeping an impressive stamina while not missing a beat vocally. They engaged frequently with the crowd, encouraging circle pits and for everyone to make friends (or enemies) by keeping it moving. They expressed gratitude for being part of a tour for an album released two decades ago, when they were small children, noting that they aspire to be able to do the same one day. The band is relatively new to the scene, having formed in 2018. Since their formation, they have released two albums, Prologue… (Comic Book Soundtrack) and Rouge Carpet Disaster (Redux). 

As the set changed over in preparation for Underoath to take the stage, a living room scene was revealed, complete with a couch, mini fridge, and lamps, situated in front of a large TOCS backdrop. Smoke filled the air and the lights slowly dimmed until the only light that remained was from a lamp beside the couch. Drummer and co-vocalist Aaron Gillespie took his place on the couch beneath the light for a solo performance of the final track off of They’re Only Chasing Safety, “Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape.” The remaining members of the band took the stage, and Aaron took his place behind the drum set before launching into the play through of the remainder of that album. The energy of both the band and the audience was next level from the start. With the opening notes of “A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black and White,” a constant stream of crowd surfers kept security on their toes. Singer Spencer Chamberlain took a break after “The Impact of Reason” to say that this show was on its way to being his favorite show of the tour. The band invited a family to the stage to take a seat on the couch for “Reinventing Your Exit.” This family had two young children, who shared that they became fans of the band because their songs were on their bedtime playlist. Gillespie expressed that he loves how the band has become woven into people’s lives through gestures like this, and he thanked the crowd for allowing them to be part of their journey. Chamberlain joined the pit on the barricade for “Down, Set, Go” which took the energy of the crowd up even higher. As the band played the final notes of that album, a wall of light appeared from the front of stage, shielding the audience from anything happening behind. After several minutes passed, the curtain of light dropped, revealing that the living room setup had been removed from the stage. The band then treated the audience to a number of other favorites, beginning with their new song “Teeth,” and including a song that had not been played in Tempe since 2004- “When the Sun Sleeps.” They noted that they have released some new songs, which means a couple of things- “Our band is alive, happy, and well- we have another excuse to come back to Tempe.” The set came to a close with a performance “Writing on the Walls” which saw another explosion of energy from the crowd, with a few final crowd surfers and a giant mosh pit. “See you again sometime next year,” said Chamberlain while wrapping up the set. 

Catch Underoath on tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of They’re Only Chasing Safety through December 16 when the tour comes to an end in St. Petersburg, FL. You won’t want to miss it! Tickets can be purchased here. 

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