After two cancelled tours, Anberlin is finally back out on the road.The band hit the stage at the Montclair, NJ historical Wellmont Theater this Friday, September 17th with a renewed passion and energy that was evidently reciprocated by every loyal fan in that audience.
I have had the pleasure to attend most of Anberlin’s local shows since I discovered them back in 2014, and the pattern has always been the same: positive vibes and a whole lot of fun. That hasn’t changed. I was admittedly concerned to hear that frontman Stephen Christian had been sick with Covid a couple of months ago, but watching him perform Friday night, I totally forgot all about it. He not only delivered his usual high-energy performance – not once stopping still any longer than a few seconds at a time – but also sounded great. That held note during “The Unwinding Cable Car” was enough to give me chills and I don’t think I was the only one.
The tour continues tonight in Nashville, TN and will wrap up in Atlanta, GA on September 24. It’s a short run, but I can’t imagine Anberlin will be away for too long.
The band has been playing a brand new song, “Two Graves” and has teased that they’ve been hard at work in the studio, with five songs already down, and a few more to follow once they return. We can probably expect an album announcement in the next few months.
I’m excited to see where Anberlin takes us next.
Photos of New Jersey natives, The Early November:
All photos taken by Ana Santos
in Montclair, NJ on September 17, 2021
Setlist:
01. We Are Destroyer
02. The Resistance
03. Paperthin Hymn
04. Impossible
05. A Day Late
06. Someone Anyone
07. Armageddon
08. The Unwinding Cable Car
09. Inevitable
10. Dismantle.Repair.
11. Two Graves
12. Self-Starter
13. Never Take Friendhips Personal
14. Godspeed
Encore:
15. Feel Good Drag
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