RALEIGH, NC | Some fans waited 20 years for this night. On Wednesday at The Ritz in Raleigh, Saosin played their 2006 self-titled album from start to finish, with Cove Reber back on the mic, for a room that mixed day-one fans with kids who weren’t old enough to crowd surf when the record dropped. Add three hungry openers, a light show I’m still blinking from, and a closing singalong two decades in the making, and this was a night that earned every bit of its nostalgia.
The night started early. The crowd was trickling in slowly, as a mix of people getting out of work and throwing on their black band tees joined a younger crowd. By the time the first band hit the stage, you could feel both generations waiting for the same thing.
The first band to play was Save Us, a newer act on its first tour. The transatlantic trio, fresh off the October release of their debut album, Death To Something, came out much like the crowd, slowly warming up to louder, more pounding melodic tones. They had the unenviable job of playing to a room that was still filling in, and they did an excellent job of getting the crowd ready while gaining a new audience.
Next up was Like Moths to Flames, and their frontman didn’t want anyone standing still. The Columbus, Ohio metalcore band came out with a fury, and their light show matched the chaos—I don’t think I’ve seen that mix of colors before. Every breakdown landed harder than the last. They got the crowd moving and set the tone for everything else to come.
Next up was Silent Planet. Quite frankly, there is nothing silent about them. Their frontman and guitar player were both hair-flipping, with high-octane energy to match their music, while still engaging and connecting with the fans in the audience. That connection is what set them apart. They really kicked off the crowd surfers and the pit, and by the end of their set, security was working as hard as anyone in the building.
Closing out the night, Saosin needed no introduction. Some people never got the chance to see them 20 years ago, and I was one of them. By the time their self-titled album hit my ears, I had missed my window. Standing in The Ritz, it was clear I wasn’t the only one making up for lost time. They played the full album and a couple of their other popular songs, like “Seven Years,” and the crowd sang along to nearly every line.
Watching the younger fans who weren’t around from the jump crowd surf was a notable moment. The band called out one young surfer’s joy, saying how much they loved to see her smiling face and wondering aloud whether it was her first time crowd surfing. They also thanked the security team for taking good care of the surfers and the crowd. It was the kind of moment that reminds you why these songs are still around.
They closed out the night with “You’re Not Alone,” with fans new and old singing every word. Some had waited 20 years for that moment, and the band was really feeling it. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait 20 more years to do it again.
SILENT PLANET
LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES
SAVE US
