The new indie-rock powerhouse known as Say Anything made their way back to Houston on Tuesday, April 8 at Warehouse Live on their most recent headlining tour, with Manchester Orchestra as direct support.
Although most of the crowd was there to see Say Anything, the group played what seemed like an uninspired and less-than-stellar set. They trolled through fan favorites like "Alive With the Glory of Love" and "Woe," along with songs from their latest full-length album, In Defense of the Genre.
One can see, however, how fans of the group become like a cult. Max Bemis, Say Anything’s highly eccentric front man, has a tight grasp on their fan base, and has the ability to have the crowd sing on cue as he stands front and center, like the conductor of an orchestra. The man also has an undeniable knack for writing, brainwashing their fans, giving them the ability to recite the songs in their sleep.
The defining moment of the set was their take on the Smashing Pumpkins’ 2000 hit, "Stand Inside Your Love." By no means was it a replacement of the original, but Say Anything did a solid cover. Sadly, it fell on deaf ears as the majority of the crowd had not the slightest idea what was going on, because they were too young to care.
The group ended their hour long set with a lively three-song encore, inviting members from all of the openers on stage to sing along to flagship songs like "Belt" and "Admit It!"
The first opener of the night was Weatherbox. The pop-rock group from San Diego played a generic set, which was to be expected.
Eli Reed and the True Loves went on next, and this group was by far a standout on the tour. Heavy in jazz and soul influence, their lead singer and mastermind, Eli Reed, sounded like a modern day Marvin Gaye. He had a very impressive vocal style comparable to your standard classic Motown artist.
Manchester Orchestra was definitely a gem on this tour. The group must be a personal favorite of Say Anything, since they opened for them on their spring co-headline tour with Saves the Day as well. The group flew through songs from their debut LP, I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child, and even treated the fans to two new songs from their upcoming album, which is set to release this fall. The band ended their set with a revamped version of "Where Have You Been?" a song about front man Andy Hull’s quest for spirituality.
Overall, the show was an entertaining way to spend a Tuesday evening, giving students another reason to put off doing any schoolwork.
