Earlier this month post-hardcore collective, Underoath announced that they would be hosting a series of virtual shows for fans. With the global pandemic bringing the possibility of live shows to a screeching halt, Underoath decided to get creative. Observatory was created out of necessity – the need to perform, the need to be heard, the need to rock everyone’s face off. For three weeks, Underoath would perform live for everyone all around the world to see – tackling three monumental albums from their discography. The first week featured Lost In The Sound Of Separation, while week 2 showcased their iconic Define The Great Line. For Observatory’s final week in show, we go back to the beginning – the album that birthed the Underoath we grew to know and love, They’re Only Chasing Safety.

Originally released in 2004, They’re Only Chasing Safety is the first album that features current [and permanent] harsh vocalist, Spencer Chamberlain. After parting ways with founding member and original vocalist, Dallas Taylor, in 2003 – rumors began to spread that a breakup for the young band was on the horizon. To put a silence to the whispers, Underoath embarked on a tour with Atreyu with Matt Tarpey manning the mic – yet something didn’t quite feel right. In the fall of 2003, Underoath took over the streets of NYC during the CMJ Fest, but this time with Chamberlain leading the forefront. Chamberlain had previously toured with Underoath as apart of one of the opening acts and at one point, been roommates with keyboardist, Chris Dudley. With the history of good vibes, it was almost a no-brainer to sooner make Spencer a key member of Underoath. Drummer, Aaron Gillespie explained that before Chamberlain joined, the rest of the members “didn’t really get along”; however, after Chamberlain joined “everything was just normal, we clicked.”

They’re Only Chasing Safety soon became Underoath’s “do-over” – their new start into a scene that was already so pumped about them. Selling 218,000 copies during its original release and an additional 279,000 copies with its re-release [in just the US], They’re Only Chasing Safety solidified the musical impact that Underoath would have on this industry. When it came time for picking a single, Aaron noted to Alt Press, “’A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black And White’ should have been the single and it wasn’t. That’s the most downloaded song in Underoath history and it was not the single from that record.”  When asked why it wasn’t Aaron expressed he didn’t know while Spencer jumped in saying, “They didn’t want to push something that heavy back then.” “That was heavy [back] then,”  chimes in Aaron, “in 2004 that was like heavy as balls for some odd reason. But [the label] wanted ‘Reinventing Your Exit’ to be the single, which was not – in my opinion – not the right choice. And I don’t know if any of us knew what the right choice was at that juncture of our lives.”

With this Friday being the final installment of Observatory, fans can speculate about how incredible it will be. Without a live audience’s energy to feed off, Underoath originally had some [understandable] doubts about this whole experience – how to play with the same [if not greater] intensity as a live show, if fans would be receptive, and of course getting through any technical issues that may arise. But as the brainstorming built so did the passion for wanting to make this the most ironic moment in Underoath history. Together with a crew, they build a metal octagon, rigged with plenty of lights and sound equipment – using a multi-camera setup, Underoath went through hours of rehearsing to deliver unforgettable shows more outrageous than the last.

This final performance will take place this Friday, July 31, at 8pm EST/ 5pm PST – still for only $15. As always tickets and bundles can be found below. Don’t forget – you can still stream the past two shows along with Friday night’s show with a ticket up until August 31. Get ready to rock your faces off – it’s gonna be a wild one.

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