Sadly, seeing Underoath this past weekend in the very last concert I have on the books since Omega X canceled just two weeks ago. I’m bummed. That concert high is over for the year, and so far 2025 is looking sparse. I know there is plenty of time for more shows to pop up, but this being the last show of 2024 maybe felt a little more melancholy than joyous.
Perhaps it also felt that way because I wasn’t one of the first hundred people in the door. I attribute that to some post-traveling tummy issues that I was working through, but still. Even though the Agora has great views almost anywhere in the venue, being seated up top just isn’t the same as being close on the floor. To my pleasant surprise, the crowd was heavy for this show, so fighting for a decent view after missing the first opening band definitely wasn’t even a possibility for me. And if I’m being honest, I wasn’t really looking to take that spot away for diehard fans of the album Underoath was touring this time around.
On this lengthy tour the band has been celebrating 20 years of They’re Only Chasing Safety, which was just a bit before they really came onto my radar. That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate tracks off the album like, “A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White” and “Reinventing Your Exit.” I did not know that the latter was actually their first music video, so that was cool to learn. Aside from playing that album the whole way through, there was a lengthy encore featuring more well-known hits, with my favorite always being “Writing on the Walls,” but the crowd also seemed to find “In Regards to Myself” as their personal favorite of the evening.
We were also treated to a live debut of “Survivor’s Guilt.” I personally had never heard the song before, but I like that they’ve added some variety to the set along the course of the tour. I was excited to hear a brand new song from them that will get an official release in December called “Generation No Surrender.” It also seems very likely that the crowds showing up to this tour just might be featured in the music video for the song, also set to be released in December. This is all leading up to a new album from the guys in 2025, though I couldn’t tell you exactly when to expect it. I’m looking forward to new stuff, but I also hope to hear more tracks off of all of their discography the next time I see them. Which if I’m lucky, will be at the one day I’ll be at Sonic Temple next year.
All in all, Underoath always put on an incredible show. Not only do they sound great, but they have an insanely high-energy show for a bunch of dudes in their early 40s. It was nice of Spencer to remind the crowd that any amount of success they’ve encountered over the years was thanks to the fans that keep showing up to see them live and I know plenty of other emo and hardcore bands from that era that tour constantly who would probably share the same sentiment. Having met them briefly at the very last Warped Tour, I think it’s also because they’re just nice guys. Nice guys who make some damn good music.