Concert review: Brand New at the Uptown Theater

Because I was at the library trying to learn how to be a better writer, I missed anything that happened before Brand New performed at the Uptown Theater last night. But four-and-a-half hours inside an overpacked theater with emo kids probably would have been too much, anyway. The room smelled like gym socks.

In the moments before Brand New played, a wave of impatience swept through the sweaty swarm on the floor, which viewed from the balcony, seemed to move as one big organism rather than a thousand young people about to undergo a cathartic rock experience.

Brand New kicked off promptly at 9:40 p.m., emerging against a blank backdrop that in color and texture reminded me of suede. Backlit, the band remained in the shadows, green lasers seemed shoot out from the disco ball above the stage and the bassline began for “You Won’t Know.” As singer Jesse Lacey picked up the lyrics, every voice in the room seemed to chant “hey, hey, hey” along with him.