Photos + Review: Taking Back Sunday & Coheed and Cambria @ The Armory (Minneapolis, MN)

Taking Back Sunday (Amityville, NY), Coheed and Cambria (Nyack, NY)
August 30, 2025
The Armory in Minneapolis, MN

Taking Back Sunday have been one of the constants in my concert going career. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve seen them now. One of my first First Avenue shows was them. I’ve seen them at the Metro in Chicago at midnight before getting into a serious car accident the next morning. The first concert my soon to be future wife and I went to together was Taking Back Sunday…at First Ave (still one of my favorite shows I’ve shot).

I’ve even seen this same tour before! Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria played the Armory in 2018, and again last week.

But this time around may have been my all around favorite. At the very least it easily beats out the 2018 edition of this tour for me. I went from a casual fan of both bands the first time to a die hard Louder Now stan, and even more recently, Coheed and Cambria’s most recent release The Father of Make Believe opened the floodgates for me in getting into more of their vast discography.

Taking Back Sunday is always a good time. Hearing a setlist full of the old mid-00’s I’ve grown to love over time is always great. Even if it’s usually a toss up if Adam Lazarra has a good singing night each time. This time around I left the night happy and impressed by Adam! He even seemed endearingly anxious or bashful some during their set, possibly because of the venues echoes, which did seem more present this time around.

Highlight of this Taking Back Sunday though was Fred Mascherino being back in the back for this tour! He’s been my second favorite of the band, apparent by how much I love Louder Now. I got to meet him early this year when he was going around doing his The Color Fred stuff. He was the most nicest, gracious person I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, and I didn’t think I’d ever have a chance to see him play TBS songs, as TBS. I also didn’t ever think I was going to ever be able to hear “Twenty-Twenty Surgery” live, my absolute favorite TBS song. Night made.

Thanks to enjoying the new Coheed album as much as I do, and them touring in support of it, this time seeing Coheed felt like the best well rounded setlist. Hit songs like “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3” and “A Favor House Atlantic,” were sprinkling throughout the set, with of course “Welcome Home” closing out the night. I couldn’t have done without the cover of “Mr. Brightside,” not that it was bad or anything, I just don’t think it really added anything to the night and would have rather seen another song instead. I appreciated the band allowing us photographers to stay in the pit to shoot for the first six songs.

I always say that the best concerts linger in your headspace for days, if not weeks, afterward. Various Coheed and Taking Back Sunday songs have dominated my head and my playlists. Would love to go see this tour again a third time.