Fans ‘Not Sad Anymore’ As The Wonder Years Celebrate Anniversaries of The Upsides and Suburbia, I’ve Given You All And Now I’m Nothing
Nostalgia (noun) – A sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
When The Wonder Years made their way through Rams Head Live in Baltimore, Maryland to celebrate the anniversaries of their albums The Upsides and Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing, there was no more perfect descriptor for the evening than pure nostalgia. From the stage set pieces to the opening bands, every aspect of this tour seems hand-selected to transport fans back to 2012 for a night of reconnecting with old favorite songs, old friends, and the memories we all have tied to the music that was awaiting us.
The evening got off to a jumpstart with the first opener, Save Face. Donning red jumpsuits and a whole lot of attitude, the band tore through their setlist with the kind of recklessness that screams rock and roll. The musical drama and manic stage presence harkened to a vibe very similar to fellow New Jersey natives and scene legends, My Chemical Romance. A consummate performer, vocalist Tyler Povanda paraded across the stage while delivering an engaging and masterful performance. Much of their set was comprised of tracks from their 2021 release Another Kill for the Highlight Reel and wrapped up with fan favorites “Preoccupied” and “Bad.” All in all, Save Face did its best to start the night off with a bang and was ultimately successful in doing so.
Next up was Origami Angel, the philosophical opposite in terms of approach to being a band when compared to Save Face. The two-piece outfit hit the stage and, from the first notes of their set, delivered a sonic assault blending emo, math rock, easycore, beatdown, and even pop songwriting sensibility into something that is truly unique. The duo of guitarist/vocalist Ryland Heagy and drummer Pat Doherty is certainly blazing new musical trails to the delight of anyone within earshot. The live performance also gave listeners a little something extra as well, with expanded arrangements of their recorded material such as incorporating more punishing breakdowns into their closing number “XD Gale of Darkness.” Origami Angel seem set to take listeners on a musical journey with varied scenery throughout, and they guided the sonic excursion masterfully.
In the direct support slot were L.A.-based Spanish Love Songs. Fans of The Wonder Years most definitely are familiar with this band as they have toured in support of The Wonder Years on previous tours and seem to have developed a relationship with the band over the years. Spanish Love Songs proved once again that they are a perfect fit into this support slot, taking to the stage with the kind of command and comfort that is usually seen in top-tier bands. Their sound carried a weight that was fitting for the subject matter contained in their songs but with a driving and persistent energy that inspired circle pits and crowd surfers alike. The ringing and haunting guitar and keyboard sounds from Kyle McAulay and Meredith Van Woert, respectively, gave an atmospheric quality that glued the musical texture of the group together. During the final song of their set, “Brave Faces, Everyone,” vocalist Dylan Slocum’s voice seemed to cry out in desperation. The band faded away until his voice was all that was left to be heard, sounding as if every lyric would be the last he would be able to sing. The set came to a reverent close and provided the perfect mood for the set that would follow.
When the house lights went down, the crowd became electric. Above the hum of anticipation, a recording of a reading of Allen Ginsberg’s poem America began to play. As this intro died, a moment of silence hung in the air only to be cut by the ringing octave guitars that alerted everyone that The Wonder Years set had officially begun with their classic track “Came Out Swinging.” The crowd erupted as the opening lines of the song were sung by frontman Dan “Soupy” Campbell and from that moment on, everything about the evening’s energy was turned up a notch. The inside of the venue echoed with voices joined together singing along, in some cases for songs that haven’t graced this band’s setlist in nearly a decade. As the band navigated their way through their first set, playing their sophomore full-length Suburbia, I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing in its entirety, there were moments throughout when Campbell took time to talk about the songs and the context behind them. One such case was for “I Won’t Say the Lord’s Prayer,” in which the singer explained that the song had been misconstrued as being anti-religion when in reality it was against the perversion of religion for less-than-noble causes. He took another opportunity before performing “You Made Me Want to be a Saint” to explain why the song had never been in regular setlist rotation and to also plea with folks who were struggling with addiction and substance use to get help for their own sake and for the sake of their loved ones.
As the first set came to a close, the band took a moment to breathe off stage and give the crowd a moment to collect themselves before returning to the stage for their run-through of The Upsides. From the moment the first notes rang out for the opening track, “My Last Semester,” the crowd was on a one-way trip back to 2010 with the rawness and aggression to match the songs. Choruses rang out throughout the venue to favorites like “Logan Circle,” “Melrose Diner,” and “Washington Square Park” and pits spun at breakneck speed to deep cuts like “Dynamite Shovel” and “New Years Eve With Carl Weathers.” At one point, Dan Campbell took a moment to share some sentimental feelings toward the denim jacket he had donned on stage which had been with him during the release, promotion, and touring for The Upsides 12 years ago, and reflect on the value of such a relic and the memories it held for him. To end off this set, The Wonder Years welcomed members of each of the three support bands for a rowdy rendition of the album’s closing track, “All My Friends Are In Bar Bands.” After another brief moment offstage, The Wonder Years returned to play a three-song encore consisting of “Brakeless,” a new track released to celebrate the anniversary of these records and recorded in the spirit of The Upsides, “My Life as Rob Gordon,” and “Living Room Song.”
Every aspect of the evening’s experience seemed meticulously chosen and crafted to maximize the fan experience in every respect. From the stage design featuring artwork that seemed to be straight out of the album jacket to the reprinting of original merch designs from their respective eras to a roster of support bands that perfectly encapsulate the same kind of energy and emotion of a classic era of The Wonder Years’ history, this anniversary celebration was most certainly an experience that none in attendance will soon forget. While it’s important to live in the present and not get lost wanting for the past, a little hit of nostalgia to remind you where you come from can do a lot to connect you to your roots and propel you further down the path you’ve set out on. This show proved to be a strong testament to that idea in every way imaginable.
