Patron saint of growing pains lets fans rekindle their emo youth
FOR emo kids in the early Noughties, South Florida songwriter Chris Carrabba was practically the patron saint of growing pains. Hopelessly romantic and prone to solemn introspection, he channelled all his hopes and doubts into the diaristic songs of Dashboard Confessional. In doing so, he forged an i n t i ma te b o n d w i t h impressionable listeners, and influenced a slew of future stars, including Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves and Hayley Williams of Paramore.
Witnessing the outpouring of love for classics like Saints And Sailors and Screaming Infidelities last night at Koko, it was clear that fans’ passion for the project remains undimmed. In fact, there was scarcely a line that wasn’t bawled back at the band.
Sensing the thirst for collective nostalgia, the five-piece ensured that the lion’s share of the set was taken from those early records, rather than from February’s poorly received LP Crooked Shadows. Full-band versions of fanfavourites Stolen and Hands Down soared, while Carrabba delighted with a solo acoustic interlude that included renditions of This Ruined Puzzle, Carry This Picture and The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most. Almost two decades since his debut Dashboard Confessional record, Carrabba’s voice remains as youthful as his appearance. Still prone to over-emoting, and still lacking in subtlety or any real grasp of dynamics, he showboated by bellowing out single notes for bars at a time without breaking into a sweat.
Whether teaching the audience antianxiety exercises, or declaring in awed tones, “What a glorious night; what a glorious memory to keep,” the singer’s between-song patter was as earnest as his songwriting.
Last night there was simply no space for cynicism, as the band offered fans an all-too-rare opportunity to embrace bittersweet memories of youth.