BY Sabrina Bollinger | August 26th, 2025
Coheed and Cambria duo headline with Taking Back Sunday at Kemba Live, bringing along Foxing as an opening act to an unforgettable night for longtime fans.
With this job, there comes a special moment where you’re standing on the concrete floor of the photo pit with your gear in your hand. You’re closer to the stage than ninety percent of attendees. Counting down the minutes until showtime with the most ridiculous foam plugs sticking out of your ears, and your blood is alive. Beating to the bassline that hasn’t even started yet. But then suddenly you’re in it before you even know what’s happening. People screaming, bands walking onto the stage, and you’re ready to capture the moment. It’s a moment I have the privilege of experiencing quite frequently, but came on particularly strong this past weekend at Kemba Live.
With a lineup of Foxing opening for Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria, it’s hard not to feel that rush of excitement. If you went back in time and told fourteen-year-old me that in less than a decade, I’d be photographing these bands, I wouldn’t believe you.
That being said, it was my first time experiencing all three artists live, and it was a perfect evening. Foxing opened the night loud and proud with two members with scream vocals, which really intrigued me. They played a killer set of weirdly alluring songs that left me wanting more. Not to mention, as the first band of the night, they had perfect lighting and an entertaining energy that made everyone stop and watch. Landing them as the newest addition to my “On Repeat” Spotify playlist.
The next band to saunter onto the stage was none other than the infamous Taking Back Sunday. It’s practically impossible to listen to any emo classics remix or playlist without running into at least one Taking Back Sunday song, and that’s where my love for them first originated. Taking Back Sunday has been an active band since 1999, and they have an extensive discography with eight studio albums. This is a band that’s been around the scene for a while, and you can tell in the way they perform. They know how to entertain the crowd and keep people engaged. But I think my favorite part of their set is when they stopped mid-song to get someone out of the pit. After they were safely out, lead singer, Adam Lazzara, mentioned how awesome it is that we all take care of each other (in the crowd), and in return take care of the band as they take care of us. And I thought that was a wonderful anecdote to leave us with. That, and getting to see them play under a rainbow for a couple of songs, was also very cool.
But after that thrilling set, Coheed and Cambria came out and dominated the stage with an intensity like no other. The crowd went wild—especially a person in the front row with a pizzabox signed by the band. Which I will admit was a first for me, but made me chuckle. Coheed and Cambria have been killing the game since 1995 and haven’t stopped since. With eleven studio albums since their start, the band has been grinding with no stop. It was a special honor to see Coheed and Cambria and to see so many of my own friends and acquaintances show up for this show. If anything, this is one band that brings people from all walks of life together to have a killer night full of heavy sounds and killer beats.
To someone who’s not in this industry, it’s nearly impossible to explain the feeling of capturing a live show and becoming part of the reason people remember a night that can mean so much to so many people. But with each show, each review, and each gallery, I feel like I get closer and closer to being able to share with you all how life-altering live music can be, and this show was certainly no exception. Even sitting on the grass in the back corner, it was a beautiful night full of joy and laughter and memories that fourteen-year-old me will never forget.
