Carrabba thrills UVSC crowd

DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL, BRAND NEW, David O. McKay Events Center, Utah Valley State College, Orem, Monday.

OREM — Dashboard Confessional skipped Utah on its last theater tour. But based on the reception Chris Carrabba and crew received Monday, it would seem unlikely the band will make that mistake twice.

"I can't believe how many damn people are in here," exclaimed Carrabba at one point during the show as he looked out at the several thousand fans who filled the arena.

The band's latest release, "Dusk and Summer," was a switch to a fuller, more pop-and-rock sound for Carrabba. That change in sound was also reflected onstage as Dashboard Confessional delivered a large-scale arena show with impressive lighting, video and even adding a violin and extra guitar player to complement the music.

The crowd of mostly high school-to-college age fans was loud — very loud — all night. Shrieking in anticipation as soon as the lights went down and at times drowning out the band during the mass sing-along sessions encouraged by Carrabba, the energy level in the arena stayed high throughout most of the show.

Starting off with "Don't Wait," Carrabba and crew stuck with that more upbeat sound early, and even on older material, such as "Bend and Not Break."

The up-tempo songs came off best for this type of show, especially on "The Secret's in the Telling," ("A love song about a girl I met in Park City," according to Carrabba), "Vindicated" and the more poppy sound of "As Lovers Go."

But it was the softer, more "emo-ish" songs, if you will, that got the audience singing loudest: "The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most," "Stolen," "Dusk and Summer" and "Screaming Infidelities" had widespread audience participation.

"You're already officially my favorite crowd of all time," Carrabba told his screaming allegiance of fans, who at times also lit the venue in a sea of cell phone lights.

Not everything Carrabba tried, however, worked well in concert. The show hit a short lull when he sat down at the piano for "So Long, So Long," and went into "emo thick" with a very extended and odd "Remember to Breathe."

But overall it was a most satisfying concert. And those who prefer the days of the stage filled with nothing but just Carrabba and his acoustic guitar got a special treat Monday ... at least those who showed up early enough.

Carrabba actually opened for the regular openers, Brand New, with a three-song acoustic set: "Ghost of a Good Thing," "The Best Deceptions" and "Swiss Army Romance."

New York-based Brand New opened with pounding guitars that at times made for a good rock show, and at other times turned into sensory overload with screaming vocals, guitar feedback and continuous flashing lights and digital screens hanging in the rear.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com