Coheed and Cambria & Taking Back Sunday Light Up the Greek Theatre

Posted on September 21, 2025 by Rockstar Culture in Concert Reviews // 1 Comment

▣The Greek Theatre | Los Angeles, CA ▣Wednesday, September 17th 2025
▣Photographer/Journalist: Jason Jackson

September 17, 2025, at the Greek Theatre felt like a checkpoint in time. Two bands that helped define a generation of Alternative Rock shared a stage. Not as nostalgia acts, but as artists still pushing forward. I first saw Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sunday at Warped Tour in 2003. Back then they were already commanding huge crowds. Last night proved that their grip has only tightened.

The evening opened with Foxing, a band whose balance of delicacy and intensity made them a fitting prelude. Their set was a study in contrast. Conor Murphy’s vocals floated over shimmering guitars one moment, then broke into cathartic release the next. Songs shifted from fragile textures to surging crescendos that demanded attention. Foxing did not lean on big hooks or spectacle, yet they held the audience rapt. It was a short set, but it left an emotional weight in the air. Set the stage for what was to come. Foxing Kick Off the Night with Depth and Atmosphere.

Taking Back Sunday followed with authority. Their setlist read like a love letter to longtime fans while still giving space to new material. “A Decade Under the Influence” and “Set Phasers to Stun” hit early and ignited the crowd. Later, songs from 152 like “S’Old” and “Amphetamine Smiles” sat naturally alongside staples. The finale of “Cute Without the ‘E’ (Cut From the Team)” into “MakeDamnSure” closed with intensity and unity.

The real story of the night was Fred Mascherino’s return on guitar and backing vocals. His harmonies restored the layered sound that once defined the band. His guitar work gave Adam Lazzara the space to deliver his best vocal performance in years. Adam sounded strong and precise, singing with a control that sharpened the emotion rather than muting it. I have seen these guys more times than I can count, and this was the best they have ever sounded. Taking Back Sunday looks stronger than ever.

When Coheed and Cambria took the stage, the Greek shifted into something larger than a concert. They opened with “Goodbye, Sunshine” before moving into “Shoulders.” Quickly hit their stride with classics like “Blood Red Summer” and “Everything Evil.” By the time “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3” arrived, the entire venue was a choir. Every word was shouted back at Claudio Sánchez with passion.

Claudio’s vocals were immaculate. His falsetto soared and his grit cut through with clarity. Travis Stever’s guitar work locked everything in place, adding both bite and color. The setlist blended eras with confidence. Vaxis-era songs felt essential, not obligatory, and the closing encore of “Welcome Home” was as cathartic as it was inevitable.

The production matched the ambition. Coheed layered their performance with lasers, projections, and lighting that elevated the narrative arc of the music. The mix carried every detail cleanly through the amphitheater. It was spectacle that never distracted, only heightened.

This was not a night for nostalgia. It was proof that these bands have grown stronger with time. Foxing set the tone with atmosphere and emotion. Taking Back Sunday, with Fred back in the lineup, sounded revitalized and precise. Coheed and Cambria, in the headlining role, reminded everyone why their universe inspires such loyalty, with a crowd that sang as if the songs belonged to them.

For fans who have been there since 2003, the show was not just a memory trip. It was a reminder of why these bands still matter. Why these songs still echo, and why we will keep showing up to sing every word. Coheed and Cambria put on a triumph performance that all of us will remember.

Check out our contributor photographer, Jason Jackson photos now!