Bayside

Article by Ashley O’Mara

Punk legends, Bayside, brought their Errors Tour through the iconic Nile Theater in Mesa, AZ, on June 24th and June 25th, the second to last stop of the second leg of their tour. The tour, no doubt a playful take on the cultural phenomenon The Eras Tour, celebrates 25 years as a band and takes fans on a journey through all the eras of their storied career. Stops in each city include two back-to-back dates in which the band showcases hits and deep cuts from each of the albums in their discography: night one featuring tracks from their first four albums, and night two featuring their last five.

The line wrapped around the building as over a hundred eager fans arrived early for night one. They braved the heat for a chance to ride the barricade for what would be an epic sing along of fan favorites from Bayside’s early albums. Fans buzzed with excitement, ready to experience the nostalgia that comes with re-living the songs that were the soundtrack to their youth. Fans have stuck with the band for a quarter of a century although their music has evolved over the years. Unlike many other bands, Bayside has still been able to maintain the sound that their following knows and loves. Parents also brought along their children, continuing the legacy of the band by raising the next generation of fans.

The room was packed as Chicago-based pop-punk band Smoking Popes took the stage with a setlist spanning their extensive discography, including tracks from their newest album released in April, Lovely Stuff. The band’s energy was reciprocated by the crowd, setting the tone for what would be an unforgettable trip down memory lane. Bayside took the stage by kicking off their 22-song set with ‘Montauk,’ and the excitement from the crowd was palpable. While it’s common for fans to sing along while watching a show, what took place in that venue each night was next level. Every single fan in the room sang along to every last song with such a passion that they were often louder than the band. Fans didn’t let the heat in the room stop them from pouring out every last ounce of their energy. Dripping with sweat, mosh pits opened, crowd surfers constantly poured over the barricade, and everyone screamed the lyrics at the top of their lungs. This evening’s setlist featured tracks from Sirens and Condolences , Bayside, The Walking Wounded, and Shudder. Tracks were not featured in order, nor were they grouped by album, but were presented in a way that flowed with the energy of the night. After performing ‘(Pop)Ular SciencE,’ the band expressed what an important song it was to them. It reminds them of where they came from: four kids who felt the system was rigged with the mindset you couldn’t make it just by wanting it bad enough. Now they are standing here 25 years later. The band closed out their set with ‘Devotion and Desire,’ a song they recently re-recorded to reflect how it is played live. Energy from the crowd was through the roof during the last song, and fans left the venue exhilarated and ready for round two the next evening.

Bayside returned to the stage at The Nile on June 25th with a completely different 22-song setlist, featuring tracks from Killing Time, Cult, Vacancy, Interrobang, and There are Worse Things Than Being Alive. The crowd was filled with familiar faces from night one, returning for a second night of nostalgia. The band joked with the crowd, asking how their knees and backs were holding up after a night of relentless energy. Despite the crowd being filled with folks of a certain age, everyone rallied and matched the energy from the night before. Following an acoustic performance of ‘It Don’t Exist,’ Bayside treated the audience to that evening’s deep cut, ‘Indiana,’ a b-side from the band’s Cult album which they noted they will probably never play live again after this tour. Energy ramped up during this track and only continued throughout the last seven songs. Fans opened a giant mosh pit during ‘Pigsty,’ which included even some of the crowd’s youngest fans. Frontman Anthony Raneri praised their enthusiasm, and encouraged everyone to look after one another. Fans sang along even to the new tracks, after which the band expressed their gratitude and how uplifting it feels to hear everyone singing along to brand new songs from a 25 year old band. An explosive performance of ‘Sick, Sick, Sick’ marked the end of their impressive two night spectacle. The band proved that after all these years they’ve still got it, and they do not appear to be letting up any time soon.

The Errors Tour is one you won’t want to miss! Although the second leg officially wrapped in Austin this week, the band will take the tour back on the road in September kicking off in Orlando, FL with support from The Sleeping. Tickets can be purchased separately or as a 2-night pass, and the band offers three different VIP packages. Each package contains different perks at each level from early entry, merch, and soundcheck viewing to a meet and greet, individual photos with the band, and side stage seating for part of their set.

Night 1

Night 2

Smoking Popes

The Nile Theater in Mesa, AZ on June 24, 2025 & June 25, 2025

Photos by Ashley O’Mara