Taking Back Sunday Wishes All Of New Jersey A Happy Holidays At Their 11th Annual Holiday Spectacular Show on 12/12/25

Photography & Review by Alyssa Arroyo

‘Tis the season! Arguably one of the best times of the year has come back around; Taking Back Sunday celebrating the festive season once again at The Starland Ballroom in Sayreville New Jersey. This year made 2025 the 11th annual performance and with this show’s lineup of Kayleigh Goldsworthy and Origami Angel, it definitely was one for the books.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To start off the night, singer and songwriter, Kayleigh Goldsworthy brought just the right amount of light and cheer to the crowd. This was my first time seeing Kayleigh perform as a solo artist and I was truly captivated by her performance, stage presence, and genuinely just by her
overall. I really enjoyed her more intimate and slower songs being our entrance into the night. In between songs, Kayleigh bantered with the crowd, gave insight into the backstory behind each song, and even shouted out her mom. All in all, thanks to Kayleigh’s incredible performance, the night started off strong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carrying the excitement and high energy further into the night, D.C. pop punk band, Origami Angel made their way onto the stage. As someone who has been to quite a few shows in her
time, I thought I have seen it all when it comes to entrances. However, Gami managed to surprise me by coming out to the 2010’s class, Clarity by Zedd. If there’s one thing I love in the scene, it’s a band full of silly guys who make amazing music; and that is exactly what Origami Angel is. These guys kept the crowd moving, surfing, and screaming at the top of their lungs all throughout their set by playing hits such as Back To Life and 24 Hr Drive-Thru. This being my first time seeing Gami perform was truly moving and I can definitely say they are high on my list of ‘Favorite Shows of 2025’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Finally the time had come and it was Taking Back Sunday’s moment to rock our holiday socks right off. The band took the stage and immediately got the audience to move by starting off with What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost? From the Christmas trees (yes, there were multiple) set up on stage to the lights wrapped around the drum kit, everything about this set was perfect. Adam Lazzara kept up his high energy throughout the entire performance even with his Christmas sweater and suit combination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The smile on my face would not leave once they started playing one of the most all time classics in emo culture; Cute Without The ‘E’. With the entire room screaming along, the holiday spirit in the air, and nothing left to worry about, this show proved to be one of my soon to be annual
traditions.