When Say Anything comes to Philly, they come big and they come strong. This time around they came out swinging early with a mid-afternoon acoustic sound check reminiscent of their acoustic MySpace Secret Show back in 2006 at the North Star Bar. This was considerably smaller—only a lucky 50 fans made it in.

It’s always good to see a band out of their element. And while Say Anything has a number of songs that would do the acoustic genre justice, this is a band that is known for filling the room with a booming intensity, due in part to singer Max Bemis’, let’s say, serious commitment, to his vocals. Believe me when I say that an acoustic Say Anything is anything but a sleeper. It is as though they’ve never been unplugged.

After that small taste, everyone couldn’t help but drool for more. The wait was almost unbearable, but opening bands Weatherbox, Biffy Clyro, and Manchester Orchestra helped the night along.

In a word, Weatherbox is weird. Singer Brian Warren proclaimed that the band feels like they've “been cast out of every tribe” and accordingly, wrote a song about it.

Weatherbox performs with a simple elegance—not too flashy and not obnoxious at all. And my favorite characteristic: they don't ramble on unnecessarily! Laugh if you will, but as an avid concert goer who has been in this “biz” for years, I appreciate it greatly. It’s not about the politics or what merch you're hawking. All that matters to me is the music. As a small band that needs to sell a lot of swag just to put gas in the van, I respect Weatherbox for simply letting their music sell the band.

Not only does the band not talk, but sometimes they don’t sing either allowing for fun sections of lyricless instrumentation on songs like “Adam’s Smash.” With sensitive lyrics, I felt Warren’s voice a little too powerful and overbearing for the subject matter. But it worked in comparison to the way the band stagnates their sound creating a fantastic dramatic scene.

Their album, American Art, showcases their superb music arrangement and individuality quite well. The closing track, “Tripping the Light Fantastic” was a psychedelic elongation with a stabbing finale. It was as if they cold-cocked you, backed off so you could recover, but then immediately hit you again. And with the moonlighting of Say Anything bassist Alex Kent, I think—dare I say it—that Weatherbox began to sound a lot like a baby version of the headliner of this tour.

One of my favorite things about the TLA is the random assortment of filler tracks during set changes. I’ve always had my suspicions that they’re either part of a playlist from the bands on the bill or the personal concoction of whoever might be running the sound board that night. This time around was a treat: John Lennon’s greatest hits. I wasn't aware that we were at a grade school dance, but a number of couples decided to slow dance like it was 1997 to “Imagine.”

But that just goes to show what kind of atmosphere Say Anything creates. Their fans tend to be a true mix from high school to college, trend followers to trend setters, and an artsy conglomeration in the corner distinctly separate from the masses. Regardless of the eclectic nature of the crowd, they are some of the best fans I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with, third only to those of My Chemical Romance and Story of the Year. Pleasant and friendly, there is a feeling of real family in the air and you can’t help but make at least a handful of fast friends in this crowd as soon as you set foot in the door.

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