On October 27, Dashboard headlined a show at the Allstate Arena that boasts a seating capacity of nearly 20,000 and as a result, Dashboard lost its major selling point: the intimacy between musician and music aficionado.

Prior to their current tour to support their latest release “Dusk and Summer,” Dashboard has always relied on the intimate atmosphere and loyal fan base to create the unique aura at their shows. Dashboard lead singer Chris Carrabba has always fostered an emotional and personal connection with the audience—so what the hell was Dashboard doing playing Allstate?

The Oct. 27 show was the antithesis of an intimate, coffee-shop-esque concert experience. Atypical Dashboard-style production, plastic-bleacher style chairs, athletic jerseys hanging from the rafters and thousands of shrieking teenagers were all ingredients for a Friday night disaster.

Synonymous with “Dusk and Summer’s” shift to a ‘rock-ier’ sound, Dashboard added an extra guitarist and a violinist to the show’s lineup. Although this step away from the traditional four-man-band further alienates Dashboard from the minimalist approach, the new sound was chock-full of layers and texture, lending a fresher and more powerful spin to some older favorites like “Bend and Not Break.”

For those in-attendance there was a confusing dichotomy of high points in the evening representing the old sound versus the new sound. When the other five musicians killed their instruments and Carrabba took center-stage and crooned Say Anything’s erotic and sensual lyrics, “I called her on the phone and she touched herself, she touched herself, she touched herself…..,” Carrabba, if briefly, recaptured that intimate personal feel that the fans crave.

However, the ‘new’ Dashboard closed the night with the encored “Vindicated,” the pop-rock hit from the Spiderman soundtrack that had the audience vibrating with energy and enthusiasm giving the audience its second and last climax of the night.

In parting, just because a band can ‘book it,’ doesn’t mean they should ‘play’ it. When choosing a concert to attend, a discerning music fan should always check that their particular artist is playing in a venue befitting the desired sound and feel of the music. Next time Dashboard comes to town, hopefully they will hit the Vic or a similar venue because at the end of the day, Dashboard’s sound is best represented by one man, one guitar and all the love-trials and tribulations that a soul can sing along with and relate to.

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