Recently resurfaced pop emo kings Motion City Soundtrack relied on true friendship this weekend as frontman Justin Pierre was ordered bedrest by his doctor following an illness exasperated by chronic asthma.
The recently reformed (don’t call it a comeback) band were due to play at Yacht Club Festival in their home state of Minnesota when they got the news around 48 hours prior. This wouldn’t be stopping the band as the well members had arranged some stand ins. These one night only replacements were so hush hush that even Justin himself was not told of their identities for fear of leaks.
Now, I was never going to make this show… I’m an ocean away. But let me tell you about my relationship with MCS so that I could perhaps illustrate this news from a fan perspective. It was around ten years ago when I knew who they were and had heard the albums. One quick catastrophic break up and nervous breakdown later and the music suddenly made sense. As I found myself in my gym at 4am running on a treadmill for hours I’m a semi catatonic state, listening to every song, it was like Justin was in my shoes. Every song about love and loss and self medication; self doubt and the compulsion to romanticize every event in your life; the yearning to get better. You’ve not seen desperation until you’ve seen a fat man on his tenth mile holding back tears as he’s running on the spot overlooking the Clyde, desperate to fall in. Suddenly, I wasn’t alone.
So as a fan – now sporting the adorable “wrecks” dinosaur tattooed on his elbow – I was devastated for all of the other fans who share that connection and had to know that their friend wouldn’t be there. Some will have never seen MCS live before thanks to the hiatus that lasted three long years and this was their chance. Who could possibly replace th man who has stared into the eyes of the same demons as us?
Indie pop singer Ber fills in on a couple of songs mid set, as does Nadi and Kathy from Gully Boys. Both formidable acts if you know them. But for the lions share, the friend we forgot they had, Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy stepped into the fray. With Patrick’s super stardom, it’s easy to forget his guest vocals on ‘Everything is Alright’ and not know that he’s featuring on the track ‘Particle Physics’ on upcoming album ‘The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World’. But he’s the kind of friend to step in when it’s your hour of need and here he is.
What would have been an anxiety inducing set, a dread filled preamble of how disappointing the show was going to be, had instantly turned into a “O was there” moment. Working his way through the hits such as ‘LGFUAD’ (which even the man who is in a band with Pete Wentz says is too wordy) and ‘The Future Freaks Me Out’.
This show was proof that with the right friends, you can overcome anything. And tonight, Motion City Soundtrack made core memories.
Now just imagine how good it’ll be to see them with Justin back at the mic!
‘The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World’ is out September 19th
Catching Light Photography
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