Editor’s note: The writer spent twelve hours shadowing Anthony Raneri of Bayside to write this story.
It’s 2:20 a.m. Saturday and I’m sitting in a booth at the Waffle House on Archer Road with Anthony Raneri, lead singer and rhythm guitarist of Bayside, and Brian Diaz, the band’s guitar tech.
Anthony is on his second $2 chicken biscuit.
In the booth adjacent to us, bassist Nick Ghanbarian, lead guitarist Jack O’Shea and Dylan Gibson, the band’s merchandiser, are finishing up their midnight meals.
Waffle House was the finale of my 12-hour shadow session of Anthony Raneri.
Bayside is an alternative punk band from Queens, N.Y., and I had the privilege of hanging with them before and after their free show at the Reitz Union on Friday.
The Reitz Union Board Entertainment paid the band $5,000 to play in the Rion Ballroom, said Bailey Parke, RUB bands director.
Flashback to earlier in the day as the band waited to play their set.
Blackberries in hand, Anthony and Brian updated their Twitter accounts and checked useless facts on Wikepedia. Who ever thought of putting chicken in buckets?
The backstage area didn’t scream punk rock. It barely whispered it. Vitaminwater, hummus and Spicy-sweet Chili Doritos. No booze. No drugs.
In fact, Anthony stays sober. Even at Common Grounds downtown, he sat empty handed as the rest of us sipped on beers. Though he’s never empty handed for very long—cigarette and coffee breaks are standard.
More than 500 showgoers crowded the ballroom, some lining up outside the venue as early as 4 p.m. to ensure entry in the show.
The performance began at 8 p.m. with All Your Friends Are Dead and Away With You, two Florida bands, warming up the audience for the headliner.
Bayside finally hit the stage at 9:45 p.m.
Music ripped from the speakers as the band members pounded away at their instruments. Fans belted out lyrics, and the occasional crowd-surfer landed on the stage.
Chants of “one more song” raved after Bayside had said its good-bye.
In what looked like a plotted encore, the band finished off with its most popular song, “Devotion and Desire.”
Once the equipment was loaded back on the bus, we squeezed Jack in the trunk of my Jeep Liberty and headed downtown for some cheap celebratory brews.
As the bars closed in Gainesville, the guys demanded Waffle House.
After indulging in a fatty midnight breakfast, they had only 2 hours before departing to Pensacola for their next show. I dropped them back off at their tour bus on campus, and headed home with mixed feelings—thrilled to have spent the day with one of my favorite bands but disappointed that it was over.
This was not the first show Bayside has played in Gainesville, and I’m sure it wasn’t their last. They’ll be back. If not for the fans, then for the $2 chicken biscuits at Waffle House.
