When it comes to music, Kansas City is generally not listed anywhere near the top of places that matter. Sure, in the 1930s, it pushed its way into the the forefront of a booming Jazz scene but, for the most part, Kansas City has always been that city bands drive through on their way from Denver to Saint Louis.
Tonight, however, the national focus was on Kansas City, as the band credited with changing the face of emo, Get Up Kids, reunited for the first time since 2005. Few realized how their formation in 1995 would shape not only music, but inspire the lives of both bands and fans throughout the world. So touched we’re those who followed the Get Up Kids that some traveled as far as 12 hours to attend the reunion. Groups began to gather as early as 4:30 in the morning to collect their admission ticket to the Record Bar. At approximately 7:00 pm, the doors swung open to the show, and a new chapter in the life of the band.
Opening energetically with “Holiday”, followed by “Action & Action,” the band took little time to brush the dust off themselves, presenting a very tight and chiseled sound. “Some of these songs are pretty easy, and some of them we’ve never really played,” Pryor huffed of “My Apology”, “this is one of the latter.” Yet, one would have a hard time believing this band had been apart for the better part of three years, had tours and albums from New Amsterdams, Spoon and Blackpool Lights not been surfaced as the hard proof.
The energy and chemistry belonged to the Get Up Kids of old. Watching Matt Pryor
and Jim Suptic candidly smile while preforming the set, consisting of their album Something to Write Home About, played in order, as well as a five song encore, was uplifting and inspiring in terms of hoping for a future for the band. “This is the healing show,” joked Pryor, regarding the tension between the members of the band towards the end of their careers. “I mean, I haven’t seen James (DeWees) in two years,” added Suptic later.
However, regardless of their past drama, misunderstandings or bruised egos, the band itself, as a whole, seems to be in unison again. “We’ll see you in next year,” Matt claimed as he walked from the stage, waving and thanking fans for coming to “their little party. It’s only the beginning of what is to come.”
Setlist:
Holiday
Action & Action
Valentine
Red Letter Day
Out of Reach
Ten Minutes
The Company Dime
My Apology
I’m a Loner Dottie…A Rebel
Long Goodnight
Close to Home
I’ll Catch You
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Campfire Kansas
The One You Want
Up On The Roof
No Love
Mass Pike
Walking on a Wire
The Get Up Kids: website | myspace
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