When the Loveless world tour was announced earlier this year, Orlando’s show was one of the first to sell out.
At 6 PM, the doors of The Social opened to a line of Loveless fans that stretched down the street and around the corner, and by the time the house lights dimmed and opening band 408 kicked off the night, the floor was completely packed. Orlando was originally set to be the last date featuring support from Taylor Acorn, but a few hours before showtime a social media post notified fans that 408 would be covering the slot. Some fans of Acorn may have been familiar with the Orlando locals from her feature on their song “Backfire.” The ones that weren’t had surely been won over by their electric performance. Joined by Dashboard Confessional drummer Chris Kamrada, 408 delivered a lively set of pop-punk music that thoroughly pumped the crowd up.
The energy level only increased when Loveless took to the stage at approximately 8 PM. Guitarist Dylan Tirapelli-Jamail and drummer Stephen Haaker walked out onto the dark stage, followed by vocalist Julian Comeau. Screams from the crowd rivaled the band in volume as the first track “Haunting Me” began. Julian immediately and literally leaped into action, running from left to center stage and back, interacting with the fans in the front and jumping along with them. Crowd interaction was a definite highlight of Loveless’ set. Constantly, Julian could be seen grabbing an outstretched hand or taking a fan’s phone to record video from the stage.It was clear the audience was immersed in the performance, singing along lyrics to every song and screaming when a band member came close. While of course there were a few phones up here and there, with more coming out during the more popular songs, for the most part, the crowd was overwhelmingly present.
Loveless’ hour-long set featured tracks from both albums and, while the band has recorded and released many popular covers, the entirety of the setlist was original. The first few songs were non-stop action until about halfway through the set when Julian took a moment to address the crowd. The band took the opportunity to make a statement during one of the first shows of Pride Month after playing “Control.” While they love the state, Julian explained, the band made their stance on Florida’s governor known by leading the crowd in a chant denouncing Ron Desantis.
The set continued with “Everest” and fan favorite “Worst Case Scenario,” during which a disco ball above the pit added a new layer of ambiance. Later on, a sea of flashlights flicked on for “Lighthouse,” fully illuminating the packed venue and making the sold-out status especially noticeable. The band’s earlier message of love and acceptance persisted throughout the set as a small pride flag that had been attached to the mic stand was picked up and waved during “Someone Else.”
As soon as the final song, “A Thousand Reasons,” ended, cheers shifted to calls for one more song. Within a couple of minutes, Loveless was back onstage to perform an unreleased song titled “I Hope I’m Not Sick.” For the first time of the night, the crowd didn’t know the lyrics and stood silent, dancing along and taking in the new music. The band thanked their fans, said their goodbyes, and made their way off the stage. As they did, fans throughout the pit lifted up their hands to form hearts, thanking Loveless for an unforgettable night.
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