The Cab Rises From The Ashes on The Back From The Dead Tour in San Diego: Live Review
- Mikaila Storrs
- Jun 1
- 3 min read
More than ten years may have passed since The Cab last graced a stage together, but judging by the atmosphere in the room, fans had been counting down the days. The band's Back From The Dead Tour marked a long-awaited return, bringing together a crowd eager to relive old memories and make some new ones.
As the stage glowed red, Alexander DeLeon, Alex T. Marshall, Joey Thunder, Chantry Johnson, and Dave Briggs emerged to the opening notes of "Locked and Loaded." The choice couldn't have been more fitting. Exploding out of the gate with infectious energy, the band wasted no time reminding fans exactly what they'd been missing all these years. Flowing seamlessly into "Temporary Bliss," the band kept the momentum going before Alexander DeLeon paused to deliver a declaration the crowd had been waiting years to hear: "Guess who's back from the dead?" The venue erupted as they launched into the single from their most recent album. Throughout the performance, The Cab fed off the crowd's enthusiasm, matching every ounce of energy thrown their way and making it clear just how much this return meant to them.
The nostalgia kept rolling as The Cab tore through fan favorites like "Bad," instantly transporting the crowd back to their teenage years. Every word was shouted back at the stage, with fans singing along as if no time had passed since they first blasted the song through their headphones.
The energy only intensified with tracks like "ih8yourgutz," giving everyone a chance to let loose before the band switched gears for one of the night's most entertaining moments. DeLeon recalled the first review The Cab ever received, which described them as sounding like a "boy band with guitars", a label the band took as a compliment. Leaning into the joke, they launched into a medley of "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)," "One More Time," and "It's Gonna Be Me," turning the venue into a full-blown early-2000s dance party.
Laughing between songs, DeLeon shared that at previous tour stops, many of the boyfriends in attendance had taken the medley as their cue to head to the bar. In San Diego, however, he was thrilled to see them sticking around and singing along right alongside everyone else. Judging by the crowd's reaction, nobody was about to miss that moment.
The band took a breather with heartfelt favorites "Vegas Skies," "I'll Run," and "Endlessly," creating some of the night's most emotional moments. With phone lights illuminating the venue and fans singing every word, it was a reminder of just how deeply these songs have resonated over the years.
Not one to stay mellow for too long, The Cab quickly shifted gears and brought the energy right back up with "Take My Hand" and "Bounce." The latter featured an impressive drum solo from Dave Briggs that had the crowd roaring before the band seamlessly worked in Kendrick Lamar's "HUMBLE."
To close out the main set, The Cab launched into "Living Louder." Before the song, DeLeon reflected on the friendships that music creates and the connections that can last a lifetime, sharing that a conversation with a fan earlier that day had reminded him of the powerful sense of community that surrounds the band. As the crowd sang along to the lyrics, "If today's the day I go / Gonna drink with all my friends / Gonna laugh until we cry / As we talk and reminisce," it felt like the perfect soundtrack to that sentiment. More than just a set closer, the song served as a celebration of friendship, nostalgia, and the shared experiences that brought everyone into that room in the first place.
After a brief pause, The Cab returned to the stage for an encore that showcased both their versatility and heart. They kicked things off with a cover of Justin Bieber's "YUKON," putting their own spin on the track before moving into the fan-favorite "Endlessly."
For the final song of the night, the band chose the anthem many fans had been waiting for: "Angel With a Shotgun." Before launching into it, DeLeon shared that the song was dedicated to a fan's mother, Angel, who had recently passed away. The touching tribute added an extra layer of emotion to an already powerful moment, as the crowd sang along to every word.
As the final notes rang out and the band gathered at center stage one last time, it was impossible not to think of the tour's theme. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, The Cab has emerged from a decade-long absence not as a band chasing the past, but as one embracing a new chapter. What could have been a simple reunion felt instead like a rebirth—fueled by nostalgia, strengthened by time, and carried by a fanbase that never stopped believing. If this tour proved anything, it's that The Cab's story is far from over.
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