Underoath @ Stubb's - Austin

November 18th, 2024: Underoath - They're Only Chasing Safety 20th Anniversary Tour @ Stubb’s - Austin, TX

Underoath | Photos Courtesy of: Bernadette Castillo

Underoath brought a sold-out show to Stubb’s for the 20th anniversary of the release of their album, They’re Only Chasing Safety. The vocalist, Spencer Chamberlain, referenced this as a dream of his since the album was released back in 2004 (and seeing mainstays Coheed and Cambria play a sold-out show in the same venue). 

The set started with a really beautiful, slowed-down rendition of “Some Will Seek Forgiveness, Others Escape,” with drummer Aaron Gillespie singing as the rest of the members joined him on stage, one by one. That was the slowest song of the entire set; once they started playing “Young and Aspiring,” everyone's energy was non-stop and relentless. As I was standing in the photo pit, I was just completely mesmerized by being that close to guys of this calibre of musicianship… especially witnessing Gillespie drumming and being able to hear every beat he was playing, along with hearing Chamberlain’s powerful and effortless vocals. I was also reminded of how at the time this album was released, it was the heaviest thing I had heard on the radio as a young teen and how it blew my mind. Hearing singles from this band off of They’re Only Chasing Safety and Define the Great Line on Christian radio all those years ago was formative for me, so getting to photograph this band all these years later was truly something special.