Taking Back Sunday Headlines Hofstra Fest

Long Island rockers Taking Back Sunday shared the stage with ’80s rock legend Joan Jett and hip-hop moguls Salt n Pepa and Rick Ross at Hofstra University’s second annual fall festival last Saturday.

Taking Back Sunday, a five-man rock group with Nassau County roots, returned home early in September after a summer tour through Europe.

"We grew up ten minutes from here, it's always cool to come play at home," said drummer Mark O'Connell, a Long Beach resident and 1999 graduate of .

Formed by current guitarist Eddie Reyes in 1999, the band skyrocketed to fame with their first full album Tell All Your Friends, released in 2002 by Victory Records. In the late 1990s, Reyes stood as a pioneer of the Long Island hardcore music scene.

"Long Island had a really special scene around the time Eddie Reyes started,” O'Connell said. “We knew something special was about to happen. It's nice to be apart of it and still being able to play shows and be relevant."

Reyes first approached current guitarist and vocalist John Nolan and Levittown native Jesse Lacey, the now frontman for Brand New, to be a part of his new Taking Back Sunday venture. After enduring many ups and downs in its starting years, the band now stands with Reyes, O’Connell, Nolan, bassist Shaun Cooper and lead vocalist Adam Lazzara.

After their latest stint through Europe, Taking Back Sunday was scheduled to headline a night in Long Beach, where both O'Connell and Cooper currently reside. The was set to house by the City of Long Beach after the damage caused by Hurricane Irene.

"We were so excited about the Long Beach show," O'Connell, a native of Rockville Centre, explained. "I convinced everyone else to rearrange our tour from Europe. We really wanted to do it for the city of Long Beach. With the skating, motocross and so many awesome bands like the Flaming Lips, we would've been so proud to do that show in our hometown."

Though disappointed about the nixed concert, Taking Back Sunday knew they had an opportunity to play for their hometown crowd at Hofstra on Sept. 24.

The band will head out on a fall tour across the United States starting this week in Texas. Shortly after Saturday's show, Taking Back Sunday announced they will return again to Long Island on Dec. 27 at the all new Paramount Theater in Huntington.