Growing up, if you were into pop punk, emo, mid-western, or otherwise, there were a few quintessential things one had to have: a variety of Dickies pants or shorts, your flavor of skate shoes, and a copy of Something to Write Home About by The Get Up Kids in your Case Logic. The album was a must-have, and once you hear it, you understand. It’s wall-to-wall bangers that pushed a genre forward and has influenced some of music's biggest bands, including but not limited to Fallout Boy, Blink 182, and even Coheed and Cambria. Hailing from Kansas City, The Get Up Kids, led midwestern emo’s “second wave” and solidified a sound and lyrical styling still found today. I think the lyrics still hit hard, even after I’ve swapped my teen angst out with adult anxiety. I jumped at the chance to cover the 25 Years of Something To Write Home About tour, if only to gain the nostalgia of belting out the lyrics to “Ten Minutes” in my friend’s ‘98 Ford Taurus. The Get Up Kids drew a sold-out crowd that packed the Music Farm and came down like a swarm of locusts at the bar and merch tables, while two giant recognizable robots peered out over the stage. I was ready, and the audience was ready, eagerly anticipating the coming show.
The Hot Rod Circut opened the show with the amped-up track “Radiation Suit” from 2002’s Sorry About Tomorrow. Admittedly, I could not remember if I had heard the four-piece before, but when Andy Jackson (vocals, rhythm guitar), Casey Prestwood (guitar), Jason Russell (bass, vocals), and Mike Poorman(drums) launched into the track “The Pharmacist,” a core memory was unlocked. I had not only heard that song, but I also had the distinct memory of burning at least 3 mix CDs with that song on them. I could smell the Sharpie I used to crudely label the ancient artifacts. When they went on to play “Flight 89 (North American)” from If It’s Cool With You, It’s Cool With Me, it also took me back to a time of Tower Records, and Sam Goody. Times when you would just hear a song in a store and ask the aloof cashier, “Who’s this?” and walk out with something new and exciting. I had walked out of a store with If It’s Cool With You, It’s Cool With Me just like that. The Hot Rod Circut was the perfect opener to get me in that nostalgic head space. They gave one hell of a performance, rowdy and high energy, leaving the crowd charged and ready for more.
Matt Pryor (lead vocals, guitar), Jim Suptic (lead guitar, backing, and occasional lead vocals), Rob Pope (bass), Ryan Pope (drums), and Dustin Kinsey (keyboards) took to the stage. Jim’s Telecaster screeched out and Matt’s vocals cut through with the lyrics “What became of all the friends I used to know!?” The crowd erupted, recognizing “Holiday,” let out an ear-piercing cheer, and I kid you not, sang the entire song, verbatim, at full volume. Jim’s response afterward: “You guys are f*cking loud”.
Keeping up the moment, The Get Up Kids, launched into “Action & Action,” “Valentine,” and “Red Letter Day”. I was incredibly impressed by the energy the band presented. Rob worked the sold-out crowd, leaning over the edge, beckoning to the front row. Jim leaped through the air, not missing a single chord.
The audience was at a 10, and we were only on the fourth song. Matt picked up his acoustic guitar, and I knew what song was coming: “Out of Reach”. A slow but powerful ballad that made me notice something. Matt’s voice is still as melodic as ever. While there is no doubt his voice has matured, it has still maintained that youthful throaty bite he was known for, even 25 years later. He sounded exactly as I remembered him. It was a bit uncanny.
Rob’s kick drum snapped the audience to attention when he laid down the drum lead into one of my favorite songs, “10 Minutes”. Hearing Jim’s fuzzy power chord riff instantly transported me to my youth. I sang along with the crowd just out of reflex.
They continued into the set with “The Company Dime” and “My Apologies.” I began to appreciate the new flow of the tracks that were obviously in a different order than the album I had committed to memory. The new order was somehow better! The peaks and valleys in momentum the band orchestrated with the setlist were phenomenal.
The ninth song of the set was another favorite of mine, “I’m A Loner Dottie, A Rebel”. An amazing song title (of which they have many) and a great song. A song that, to me, represents being torn between a current life and the possibility of a different path, a different life. It’s familiar; it's something we’ve all had to face and may still be facing. It’s a song I still hear bands influenced by. It still resonates, and the dense crowd, packed shoulder to shoulder against the bricks of The Farm, proved that as they again sang every word of the song at the top of their lungs.
The set continued with “Long Goodnight,” a slow burn of a song that pulls you in with Dustin’s lofty keys and Matt’s signature croon before smacking you with a beefy breakdown. The audience rippled and churned like the ocean bracing for a squall. The piercing lyrics “If it all ended tonight, you know what?” “I wouldn't mind.” “Back to the good old times” rang out. I swear I felt a vibration in the foundation, and in a flash, the crowd lost their minds. I witnessed as they just as quickly snapped back into the slower, somber energy of the song's closing.
Bringing the energy back up, the 11th song of the set was “Close to Home,” before closing it out with fan favorite “I’ll Catch You”. Dustin’s dreamy piano floated you down to Matt’s bittersweet vocals. The audience swayed, silently captivated, and sang out the chorus, “Don’t Worry I’ll Catch You,” like a professional choir. This is The Get Up Kid's most “romantic” song, but don't be fooled. It almost lulls you into a trance and then perks you up when Rob’s deep bass, Jim’s guitar, and Ryan’s drums cut through, sending chills down your spine before disappearing back into the background for the dreamy piano melody to return you to Matt’s voice. The final note rang out with sustain and the crowd cheered continuously, never wavering as the band left the stage and returned for a spectacular encore.
This was a real treat. While the tour is the 25th anniversary of Something To Write Home About, fans of the band's other catalog entries were not left out in the cold. The band came back and delivered a great eight-song encore, starting off with “Campfire Kansas” and “ Let The Reigns Come Loose” from the band's 2002 alt-rock entry On A Wire. We also got a taste of their newer stuff, like 2019’s “The Advocate” from the album Problems. This song was more reminiscent of their early work. I had never heard it, but I dug it a lot. While Something To Write Home About is considered their best work, odds are you didn't own that album without owning their debut album 4 Minute Mile, another absolute banger of an album that was a little rougher around the edges. The Get Up Kids did not forget about the deep cuts, and they performed some of my favorite tracks from 1997’s 4 Minute Mile, “Stay Golden, Golden Pony Boy,” “Better Half,” “No Love,” and “Don’t Hate Me,” which was an all-out sing-along that I reflexively and unashamedly joined in with.
The Get Up Kids 25 Years of Something To Write Home About tour is worth every penny. The OGs of emo ripped on stage. The setlist was well crafted and executed. These legends leave it all out on the stage and put on a performance that leaves you with no doubt as to why these guys are so highly regarded. Their music is still finding new fans too. It was awesome to scan the sold-out crowd and see how multigenerational it was. They delivered a 20-song live performance and they killed it from top to bottom. Do yourself a favor and go see The Get Up Kids!
