Bayside in Austin: A Quarter Century of Defiance and Devotion

Bayside

Emo’s Austin

Austin, TX

June 27, 2025

Photos and Review by Roy Vergara

Bayside brought their “25 Years of Bayside: The Errors Tour” to Emo’s on June 27 for night one of their Austin stop. The venue filled early, and the night opened at 8:25 pm with Chicago’s Smoking Popes, who delivered a short but striking set blending punk rhythm with romantic melancholy. Preparing to release their new album Lovely Stuff, the band opened with a dreamy cover of “Pure Imagination” and reminded the crowd how they’ve quietly influenced decades of emo and pop-punk. Josh Caterer’s smooth, aching vocals floated over distortion and power chords, setting an emotional tone without upstaging what would follow.

Bayside took the stage at 8:54 pm and opened with “Montauk,” launching into the set with purpose. The energy was sharp and immediate, especially during the opening riff when Anthony Raneri and Jack O’Shea leaned into their guitars as if trying to crack open the stage. Jack’s signature jump shots and hair flips punctuated key breakdowns while drummer Chris Guglielmo performed with sweat and precision. Emo’s lighting crew complemented the performance with strobes and color fades that made silhouettes pop across the crowd. From the photo pit, you could witness entire choruses illuminated by raised hands and glowing screens.

The band leaned into the heart of their early discography, pulling from The Walking Wounded, Shudder, and their self-titled album. Songs like “Masterpiece” and “Blame It on Bad Luck” weren’t just fan favorites. They were emotional anchors, and the crowd gave them back with full volume. Bird tattoos and worn-out tees moved in unison as fans screamed every lyric like it still hurt.

Midway through the set, just before launching into “The Walking Wounded,” Raneri paused to reflect. “We wrote this song back in 2006 or 2007 while working on our third album,” he said. “Back then, we were just four kids with no money, no connections, and no luck. It felt like the system was rigged and we weren’t going to make it.” He looked out over the crowd and smiled. “But 25 years later, turns out we were wrong and we made it. We’re here fucking together now.” The room erupted with cheers, arms in the air, voices rising in victorious agreement.

Later in the set, Raneri picked up an acoustic guitar and the room shifted as the first notes of “Don’t Call Me Peanut” rang out. The energy turned inward. Couples leaned together, a few fans mouthed the lyrics through tears, and the room sang as one. It wasn’t quiet. It was connected. From the back of the pit, silhouetted arms stretched toward the stage, lit by the soft glow of house lights in deep blue and red.

The main set ended at 10:17 pm, then the band returned just a minute later for a three-song encore, starting with “Landing Feet First.” The crowd’s energy hadn’t dipped. If anything, it spiked. Each note felt sharper, each lyric louder. They closed with “Devotion and Desire,” their defining anthem, and the entire room seemed to explode. Jack O’Shea threw his whole body into the final breakdown while Anthony stepped back and let the crowd carry the chorus one last time. It wasn’t just a performance. It was a full-circle moment.

The Errors Tour features a two-night format at each stop. Night one showcases Sirens and Condolences, Self-Titled, The Walking Wounded, and Shudder, while night two highlights Killing Time, Cult, Vacancy, Interrobang, and their latest album There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive. Austin’s first night transcended mere retrospection—it pulsed with vitality. Bayside performed with the urgency of a band still hungry to prove themselves, backed by fans who’ve long since become believers.