For more than two decades, Queens, New York punk-rockers Bayside has become a house-packing, energetic live act.
However, the band has also fallen victim to the rigors of excessive touring. Because of this, vocalist Anthony Raneri says the band has scaled back on its aggressive schedule.
“Over the last five to seven years, the band has been transitioning from touring all the time to doing one or maybe two tours a year,” Raneri says. “We were at a point where we were on tour for 10 months out of the year, but now we’re on tour for maybe 10 weeks out of the year, which is cool, because every time we go on tour, it’s super exciting and we’re ready to go on tour again.”
Conversely, Raneri says this has increased fans’ appetite to catch the band in person at intimate venues across the country — like the Nile Theater, where the band plays on Tuesday, February 14.
“As bands grow and progress in size, you have to change your strategy,” he says. “When we were growing in the early to mid-2000s, we had to sort of grind it out to develop the band. Now that we have the fans and the shows have gotten bigger and bigger, we have to leave space in between when we go to cities just to rebuild that hunger for the band.”
Although Bayside chopped down its tour itinerary, Raneri says the band still packs the same punch as it did back then.
“Somehow we’ve been a band for going on 25 years now, and somehow I think that we’re playing the best that we ever have — from a live perspective,” he says. “I think that we’re putting out the best music we ever have, we’re writing the best songs we ever have and I’m hungry to be better and we’re constantly trying to get better.”
Raneri says Bayside’s live shows differ from other bands’ gigs because of their communal nature.
“Our show feels like a communal thing where things are a little bit more collaborative,” says Raneri, whose band will tour with I Am the Avalanche and Koyo.
“We recognize that going to shows is a night away from your problems and that’s what entertainment brings to the world, that’s the purpose that we serve.”
Because of this, Raneri is excited to treat fans to new tunes like “Go to Hell” and “Strangest Faces” off 2022’s “The Red EP.”
“For the most part, we haven’t been able to play most of the new stuff yet (live),” Raneri says. “I’m especially excited to play ‘Go to Hell’ from what’s going to be our next EP.
“I’m excited to play that one because the fans have reacted strongly to it (via streaming) and it seems like it’s a new fan favorite, so I’m excited to see what the reaction to it live is.”
However, he expects to hear fans roar the loudest when he belts out the hit tune “Devotion and Desire” from the 2005 self-titled sophomore effort. It’s generally the closing track live.
“We’ve been closing with ‘Devotion and Desire’ since it came out, and that’s always when the set reaches the fever pitch,” Raneri says. “What’s cool about it is that we’ve been able to make that the last song for all this time because a lot of times it speaks to our catalog and how much our fans enjoy everything that we do.”
Altogether, Raneri hopes fans will feel rejuvenated when they leave the show.
“I always use this analogy of ‘recharging batteries,’” Raneri says. “I think what our show brings is a time of your night or your week or your month or however often you go to shows where it recharges your batteries and you’re ready to go back to regular life tomorrow.”
Bayside “Just Like Home” Tour with I Am The Avalanche and Koyo
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 14
WHERE: The Nile Theater, 105 W. Main Street, Mesa
COST: Tickets start at $25
INFO: baysidebayside.com, theniletheater.com
