I first saw Dashboard Confessional in 2001 with a handful of Mass Art kids in a sweltering, soulless gymnasium. We had just suffered through some awful hardcore punk bands, which made Chris Carrabba's earnest, emotional songs of heartbreak that much sweeter. Like every Dashboard Confessional concert from 2001 to 2010, Carrabba’s presence was somewhat unnecessary. The choir of kids decked in hoodies and converse simply required his guitar to accompany their heartfelt recitation of Carrabba’s wordy lyrics. Catharsis at its purest.
Elated from that glorious sing-along, I hopped on the green line with some of my fellow show-goers. One kid turned to the silent car and asked, "What's the line about 'picture frames facing down'?" Collectively we pieced together the lyrics from "The Brilliant Dance," a subway car of strangers discussing another stranger's strained relationship.
A decade later, watching Carrabba walk onto the House of Blues stage in front of a few thousand fans, grab his guitar and launch into, "So this is odd/the painful realization that all has gone wrong," I was sweetly reminded of what it meant to be a Dashboard Confessional fan back then. At the same time, it felt a little bizarre. A lot has changed in ten years. For starters, we're all, uh, older. Personally, I haven't had relationship drama since 2001, so catharsis, other than its general purpose of enabling one to feel something, brings little joy to my life. Second, we can all drink alcohol. While that sounds stupid and petty, going to shows when you're underage is simply a different experience (yes, I once was one of those self-righteous pit kids scoffing at the “fake” fans hovering by the bar).
All this to say, after a decade of writing and touring, Dashboard Confessional’s performances - perhaps simply from the passing of time - are dripping with self-awareness. Dutifully singing old favorites like "The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most" and "Screaming Infidelities," Carrabba’s pained expression seemed to stem from (self?-)loathing rather than sincerity. And if my interpretation is correct, who can blame him? Ten years ago, I barely could sing with a straight face “As for me, I wish that I was anywhere with anyone, making out,” let alone today, happily married for seven years. That being said, he sang his heart out of "Best Deceptions," the most passionate sing-along of the night.
Also over time, these shows reveal a touch of weariness. Between songs, Carrabba told two stories - one describing a kleptomaniac girlfriend who inspired "Thick as Thieves" and another about kissing a girl from Massachusetts under the Williamsburg Bridge - which were the same two stories I heard him tell three years ago. The night also brought some painfully off vocals - "As Lovers Go" and the new single "Belle of the Boulevard" particularly suffered.
But enough whining. Chris Carrabba is hands down (ha ha, get it?) the most charming, sweet, gracious performer I’ve ever seen. He can do no wrong (well… I could’ve done without the psychedelic jam-session version of “Remember to Breathe"). He never fails to give his fans that catharsis they want. Case in point, when the band had to cancel their Fall 2009 tour due to a family emergency, Carrabba and John Lefler performed a 13-city acoustic tour to make up for it (download the entire tour here). Further to the band’s graciousness, they continued their tradition of covering a band that's helped them over the years, inserting a verse from Counting Crows' "Angels of the Silences" into a song.
Though we’ve lost the original joy of those early Dashboard days, we’ve gained a mature, happier, self-aware musical experience. That’s why “Hands Down,” Dashboard’s biggest hit, is the perfect show closer. With jubilant expressions, the crowd was able to sing about “the happiest day of my life,” as Carrabba put it - no longer lamenting love lost, but celebrating young love at its sweetest.
