I Can’t Stop Talking about Anxious on Citizen’s Halcyon Blues Tour

Anxious proved why they’re quickly becoming a staple of the melodic hardcore scene with a high-energy set in Boston supporting Citizen’s Halcyon Blues Tour

by Olivia Dans
Photographer: Olivia Dans
Publishing date: Sep, 15, 2026

In late August, Midwest rockers Citizen brought their Halcyon Blues tour to Boston. The show delivered a melodic hardcore sound to Big Night Live, a venue better known for its EDM programming and club atmosphere. While the venue was an atypical setting for this kind of show, the performances were impeccable, particularly that of direct support act Anxious.

Photo by Olivia Dans

Originally formed in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 2016, Anxious is a high-energy blend of emo, pop-punk and hardcore. Fronted by vocalist Grady Allen, the band has toured with acts including Hot Mulligan, Drug Church, and The Wonder Years. With two full-length albums, as well as a handful of singles and EPs under their belt, Anxious have been steadily establishing themselves as a staple of the contemporary melodic hardcore scene.

Photos by Olivia Dans

The Sunday evening show marked my first visit to Boston’s Big Night Live after the show was relocated from the House of Blues. Upon entering the venue, I immediately noticed its club-like atmosphere, with much of the space occupied by VIP booths and tables seemingly better suited for bottle service. Despite the venue’s unconventional setup for a hardcore show, fans of all ages filled the space, with many heading straight for the GA floor, ready to mosh.

Photos by Olivia Dans

The show opened with LA-based outfit Rocket and Will Anderson’s ever-evolving group Hotline TNT. Both performances helped prepare the crowd for Anxious’ high-energy set. The extremely narrow photo pit was slightly daunting, especially given the audience’s affinity for crowd surfing, but at around 8:30 p.m., Anxious came out with a bang, opening with Don’t Move, the group’s latest single, which had been released just two weeks prior to the show.

Photos by Olivia Dans

Neither the band’s nor the audience’s energy wavered throughout the entire performance. With each song, the crowd grew increasingly engaged, with a seemingly never-ending stream of crowd surfers making their way toward the front of the stage. Frontman Grady Allen matched that energy, running back and forth across the stage and even making his way onto the barricade at the end of the set, all while maintaining an impressive vocal performance. The rest of the band delivered a stellar performance as well, with bassist Sam Allen and guitarist Tommy Harte feeding off each other’s energy throughout the night.

Photo by Olivia Dans

After an intense, movement-heavy set, Allen briefly slowed things down before the final song, reflecting on his move to Boston and his struggles with anxiety. He spoke about the positive impact that making music has had on his mental health and thanked the crowd for coming out. Anxious closed their set with “Counting Sheep,” the biggest single from their album Bambi.

Overall, Anxious’ performance was incredible, and the enthusiasm from the crowd was palpable. Their set served as the perfect prelude to Citizen’s headlining performance, and I left the venue already looking forward to seeing Anxious play again.