Article & Photos by Kyle Ostrander
Brooklyn, NY – There are some bands when you see them live, you understand why they’ve had such an accomplished and decade-spanning career. It became abundantly clear on Sunday night why The Get Up Kids are one of those bands. The group is currently on the road celebrating the 25th anniversary of their sophomore album Something to Write Home About, and Sunday was their second of two nights celebrating at Warsaw in NYC.
Despite the weather being cold and rainy, an eager crowd of fans ready for this special night of music packed the venue. The Get Up Kids arrived on stage, and after a brief introduction dove right into “Holiday”, one of their signature songs and the first track off the aforementioned album. The halls of the venue echoed the words “Say goodnight, mean goodbye” as the entire crowd sang the song’s chorus with the band. The first half of the show consisted of Something to Write Home About being played in its entirety. The live versions of each song were the perfect mix of the best parts from the recorded versions, along with just enough live variation to add a refreshing splash of color to the already outstanding music. The group’s musicianship was also on full display, not missing a single beat, while excitedly jumping around stage to accent the upbeat energy.
The second half of the set consisted of more cuts from across the group’s catalog, including “Campfire Kansas”, “Mass Pike”, and “Overdue”. “We know it’s a Sunday, but you guys are going so wild you must think it’s Friday! Thanks for being here tonight!” said the band during the show. The Get Up Kids continue the North American leg of their tour through mid-October, after which they’ll go overseas for some international dates starting in May. The full list of upcoming shows can be found on the band’s website.