Motion City Soundtrack Says Goodbye to KS

There’s something bittersweet that comes with seeing bands part ways. Motion City Soundtrack’s So Long, Farewell Tour brought together fans sharing a common connection and a hunger for nostalgic glory. The band’s Lawrence, Kansas stop on May 21 provided the packed house with a final reminder of just how good Motion City Soundtrack really is.

microwave
Microwave

Atlanta-based band Microwave opened the show, proving they are worthy of more than just one listen. Microwave started their set with “Trash Stains”, one of the more upbeat songs off of their 2014 album Stovall, followed by “Work It Out”. The band shared with the crowd that catastrophic events had plagued previous visits to Kansas. Once the roof of the venue fell in, and the next show was without electricity. Despite some difficulty connecting with the crowd, Microwave put on an amazing show.

The Spill Canvas
The Spill Canvas

It was interesting to see the crowd physically loosen up little by little as each band played that night, and it was immediately noticeable when The Spill Canvas came out. Their set prompted that feeling of MySpace-era nostalgia as they opened with “The Truth” and one of their more popular songs, “Staplegunned”. The eight-song set was made up of songs from their earliest albums, the oldest being released in 2007. It was quite the throwback, and it was enjoyable getting to watch those in their early twenties hum along to “Staplegunned” and “All Hail The Heart Breaker”.

The most anticipated, but equally dreaded, part of the night followed after The Spill Canvas when Motion City Soundtrack came out, after, of course, teasing the crowd by killing the lights and the music that played between sets.

Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack

There was nothing but pure love for Motion City when they took the stage. There was something amazing about just standing in the photo pit and getting to feel the warmth and excitement radiate from the crowd. The performance was full of smiles and gratitude from both the band and the audience. Their noteworthy set began with “Back To The Beat”, “Cambridge”, and “Capital H”, and there wasn’t a moment during those three songs that a pair of feet were planted on the floor. It didn’t matter the age of anyone in the crowd- everyone was jumping and everyone was singing along, without fail.

Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack

The night consisted of many, many trips down memory lane with each song that Motion City played, especially with “L.G. FUAD” and “Everything Is Alright”. The band also included several stories about their previous experiences in Lawrence, which were also met with enthusiasm. All-in-all, the atmosphere of this show felt like a chance to catch up with old friends. Even though the turnout was fairly large, it still felt like one of the most intimate shows that this writer has had the pleasure of attending.

Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack

After the set Motion City Soundtrack hadn’t even gotten a chance to get halfway across the stage before the crowd began their request for an encore. The band returned to fulfill that request and gift Lawrence with their final encore. The three-song encounter consisted of “Anything At All”, “Even If It Kills Me”, and a version of “The Future Freaks Me Out” that seemed to be more crowd than band, much to everyone’s fascination. The crowd was even given the chance to help with the bridge, and it was one of the most brilliant audience interactions this writer has ever witnessed. Thirty seconds later, it was over.

To say goodbye to such a wonderful band as a lifelong fan is something that can’t even be fathomed. Motion City Soundtrack paved a path for so many bands and inspired so many others. The So Long, Farewell Tour was something of a dream, and it was so great to be able to witness so much passion in one room. Motion City Soundtrack and their talent is, without a doubt, going to be missed by many people.

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