Say Anything and Saves the Day Tonight at Stubb's

When Say Anything was just starting out, frontman Max Bemis was a huge fan of Saves the Day. When Say Anything became a phenomenon among fans of emotionally charged punk, Say Anything secured an opening slot on a Saves the Day tour. But Bemis had to cancel when he checked into a Houston clinic citing psychological issues. Now that Say Anything has signed with J Records, an offshoot of Sony, Bemis and Saves the Day frontman Chris Conley are close friends, and Saves the Day is now opening for Saves the Day on a national tour for the second time.

It’s no wonder that the two songwriters have such close ties - the cathartic sincerity of Saves the Day’s music has become a cornerstone for much of today’s popular music. Say Anything adds to that sound a menacing anger and incisive criticism that have deconstructed the holier-than-thou attitudes of elitist punk fans.

But what really seals these songwriters together, and what will be most evident at tonight’s show at Stubb’s, is their knack for innovative songcraft. From Through Being Cool, a raw ride through the urgency of Saves the Day’s younger years, to Say Anything’s self-titled album, you can hear that Conley and Bemis know how to bend song structures and lyrical phrases to their most poignant forms. And word is, they’ll be taking the stage together at one point to play a song by Two Tongues, the band they formed and co-wrote songs for.

Motion City Soundtrack co-headlines the show, playing their irresistibly catchy brand of Moog-based pop punk.

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