Anberlin was ready to bring the party to Chicago this past week and celebrate 20 years of their quintessential album, Never Take Friendship Personal, which permanently solidified their place in the scene.
What made this show special was that a week before the show, Anberlin re-released a special edition of their celebrated album called Nevertake, with this being a re-recorded version that fit their new lead singer Matty Mullins. Matty joined the band in 2024 as former lead singer Stephen Christian stepped down to focus on community and his family.
Anberlin started off by playing Nevertake front to back. Matty brings such a refreshing sound to Anberlin's catalog that was unexpectedly fitting.
Everyone in the crowd was eager to sing along to tracks like, "Feel Good Drag" and "Paperthin Hymn." There were a few surprises as well, such as "High Stakes," which was one of the first songs that Anberlin released after Matty officially took over the role of lead singer.
As a long time Anberlin fan myself, I absolutely loved how Matty did not try to replicate Stephen's singing, but instead put his own style on it that hes perfected over the years in Memphis May Fire. Matty brings harsh screams, clean vocals, and an incredible range that perfectly complements Anberlin's vision. The stage presence from the band is something that I admire greatly, from interacting with the crowd to fist bumping and shaking fans hands, Anberlin is truly a band of the people and you can tell they are just honored to have fans show up every night.
The highlight of the night for me was Matty taking a few minutes to thank everyone who came out to the show. Ranging from a younger crowd to the older "Elder Emos," everyone came out to show the love they have for the band. The House of Blues filled with cheers, a clear sign of the crowd's admiration for the band's dedication for their fans. Matty took a few minutes as well to thank the band for having him. Matty expressed being honored to take up the role as lead singer to Anberlin, the band that he said was an inspiration to him to follow his extensive career in music.
Let‘s not forget the incredible talent supporting Anberlin on this tour from Copeland and The Dangerous Summer. For Chicago specifically, the tour had MunRoe, a Chicago-based band to also open up for the fans. This tour is definitely a celebration, not just for Never Take Friendship Personal, but to the band. Being able to follow their passion of creating music regardless of any hardship is an achievement in itself that also deserves to be celebrated.
COPELAND
THE DANGEROUS SUMMER
MunRoe
