Phoneboy returns to Syracuse with vulnerability and fun on ‘Heartbreak Designer’ Tour

Before FeverDream guitarist Zach Kile ever knew Phoneboy, his friend highly recommended he check out the band. Now, he’s a big fan of their music.

“Now I’m opening for them,” Kile said ahead of his band’s guest set at Phoneboy’s return to The Song & Dance on Tuesday evening.

Openers FeverDream and fellow Syracuse University artist Sammy Curcuru set the tone for a night headlined by Phoneboy, an evolving indie-rock band on a national tour for their third album, “Heartbreak Designer,” released in April 2025. The show marked Phoneboy’s second Syracuse performance since early 2024, featuring band members Wyn Barnum, Ricky Dana, James Fusco and Jordan Torres.

The lineup drew a lively, younger crowd that mirrored their own energy. For three hours, the high-powered performances charged the room. Even older couples seemed to shed years as they danced along.

FeverDream, made up of Emerson Carracedo, Zach Kile, Nate Kile and Aidan Norton, immediately lit up the stage with their opening set, featuring covers of hit songs like “Basket Case” by Green Day and “Beggin’” by Maneskin. As vocalist Carracedo started introducing their debut single about reconnecting with oneself, a fan shouted “Boston! Boston!” and erupted in wild screams, before Carracedo revealed the title: “Back to Boston.” Carracedo’s soulful voice conveyed the sentimentality and vulnerability underlying the song’s pop punk sound.

Photo by Jenna Sents

FeverDream playing their debut single “Back to Boston.” (L-R: John Lakeman, Zach Kile, Emerson Carracedo and Nate Kile).

“I’m one of those people who thinks that vulnerability can go along with fun,” Carracedo said.

Showing vulnerability was also part of Phoneboy’s growth with their new album, “Heartbreak Designer,” which blends ‘90s pop-punk influences with somber subject matter, singer-guitarist Dana said.

Amid the chaos of moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn, Phoneboy channeled their stress into music, transforming it into fun, high energy, and a release, singer-keyboardist Torres said before the show.

Following FeverDream, Sammy Curcuru captivated the audience with his velvety, pop-inflected vocals, natural stage presence and warm interactions. His ‘I’m-looking-right-at-you’ gestures and eye contact with the audience when singing “Look@u” electrified the room.

Photo by Jenna Sents

Student musician, Sammy Curcuru, brought stadium-sized energy to the Syracuse standing room venue.

Throughout the show, fans never stopped showing their love. By the time Curcuru closed his set of originals and covers with his hit, “im down if ur down,” their voices were hoarse from screaming, as if they’d forgotten to save any energy for the headliner.

That worry proved unnecessary: the energy erupted the moment Phoneboy took the stage. Their song, “Wayside,” featured in the new album, sent the room into a boil, and that’s just the opening — the temperature never went down.

Adding to skillful and devoted performance, Phoneboy proved themselves masters of fan engagement — leading the crowd to clap along to the rhythm of “Ferrari,” squat down and jump up during “Open Up,” and wave their hands high in the air for the finale, “Hey, Kid!”

Photo by Jenna Sents

Phoneboy closed out their set with “Hey, Kid!,” a staple indie-rock song in the band’s catalogue.

During Phoneboy’s over-hour-long set, the audience lost themselves in the pounding beats, infectious riffs, and dynamic vocals, singing along, jumping, and head‑shaking nonstop. Curcuru and FeverDream joined the crowd, jumping to the beat as well.

As the show wrapped up, fans queued up to take photos and chat with Phoneboy outside the room. Being a longtime fan of Phoneboy and attending their show for the second time, Michael Swiderski said he finds many of their songs relatable, and chooses “Runaway” as his pick-me-up song whenever he feels down.

“Both times I’ve seen them, they’ve been some of the best live performances I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “And I’ve seen Green Day in person, and I think they’re right on par with them.”