“Denver!” Vocalist Jon Simmons called excitedly to the crowd, “Thank you so much for being here - this is the biggest show we’ve ever played headlining.” The band was obviously excited to be sharing one last night with their fans in Denver. They found their places on stage to the sound of thunderous applause and immediately gave fans the music they wanted to hear. While the openers put on a crowd-pleasing show, the real highlight of the evening for fans in the audience came when Balance and Composure took the stage. When their energetic set came to a close just after 10 p.m., the crowd was ready to party with Balance and Composure one last time. They played a longer set than their predecessor, ensuring fans had an opportunity to hear songs from some of their earliest albums. Tigers Jaw finished the job of warming up the audience, which mewithoutYou started an hour earlier. While it’s always sad to see a good thing come to an end, it was clear that this farewell show would not be a time for tears - but rather an opportunity to celebrate the good times.
Vocalist Adam McIlwee even took time to note how honored the band was to join one of their favorite bands and close friends on some of their final tour dates. The crowd was excited, and it was clear the band was as well. When Tigers Jaw took the stage shortly after 9 p.m., Summit Music Hall was filled to capacity. By the time mewithoutYou’s set ended, everyone with a ticket was in the building, PBR in hand. It seemed that the majority of the audience knew nearly all of the words to every song - and were excited for the stacked line-up that Balance and Composure organized for their final shows. With an impressive music repertoire spanning nearly 20 years, the post-hardcore group played a surprisingly short set - but that’s not to say they didn’t put on a good show. When mewithoutYou took the stage promptly at 8 p.m., audience members were still waiting in a line that wrapped around the block to get in. mewithoutYou and Tigers Jaw joined Balance and Composure for the final Denver show as well as a handful of their upcoming farewell shows. A prominent figure in the emo and post-hardcore scene, Balance and Composure made arrangements for a variety of friends from their home state of Pennsylvania to join them for their farewell tour. Many fans feel a strong connection to Balance and Composure as a band they have grown up with - the members were all in their late teens or early twenties when the group formed. Photo Courtesy of mewithoutYou on Facebook Whatever the case, these final shows were clearly a must-see for emo and post-hardcore fans. Perhaps it was the thought of never seeing Balance and Composure again, or maybe it was the stacked line up that the band billed for their final shows. Tickets for the final shows sold out quickly following the announcement that the band’s career would be coming to a close - tickets sold so quickly that the band ultimately added additional dates within a week of the announcement.
In mid-January, the band announced via their social media that they would be playing “six shows this Spring to say goodbye.” They kicked off their brief farewell tour with a sold-out show in Denver last night - and the fans in the Mile High City gave them a proper send-off. More than a year ago, the band hinted to fans that the end was near - and earlier this year they confirmed nearly a years worth of those suspicions. After more than 10 years of making music, Pennsylvania based band Balance and Composure took the stage Thursday night at the Summit for the last time.