Their voices were the soundtrack of our summers, and to celebrate the songs that defined those summers, Boys Like Girls took their first two albums on the road to play in their entirety. The Soundtrack of Your Life Tour commemorates the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut album and the 17th anniversary of their sophomore album, Love Drunk.

On a cool night in Chicago, the band played in the Spanish courtyard that is the Aragon Ballroom. Underneath the twinkling lights and clear sky painted along the domed ceiling, the audience was transported back to the nights that felt so important yet so inconsequential.

“I don’t know if you love Chicago, but I love Chicago enough for the both of us,” lead vocalist Martin Johnson said to the crowd. “It’s good to be back at the Aragon.”

The stage was lined with dozens of CRT television sets, displaying anything from lyrics and countdowns to music videos and static noise. The lighting made for a vibrant atmosphere, and the maple floors shook as thousands of people bounced along to the beat.

Slowing it down for songs like “Two Is Better Than One” or “Holiday” gave the audience a chance to feel the emotion as much as the energy of the night. Both records were written when the band was in their late teens to early twenties, and basking in the moments of them two decades later must have felt surreal.

Johnson told the crowd, “I love my life. I love my best friends. I love this band. I love you guys the most.”

Listening to an album front to back for the first time is an experience unlike anything else. It becomes something deeper, allowing the listener not only the chance to understand the artist but to also give their own interpretation. From physically holding an album and reading the liner notes to downloading a not-so-perfect file via copyright infringement (“How many people stole this record?” Johnson asked in between playing songs from Boys Like Girls.), it was hardly ever just a single song that made such an impact. Hearing that same album, in a live setting surrounded by others who felt the exact same way the first time they heard these songs, has become something beyond words.

A generation of music lovers took hold of artists like Boys Like Girls and gave them zero chance of fading into obscurity. Instead, they’ve introduced the music to a new generation; sharing how and why they loved this music so much.

“As long as you show up, we’ll keep doing this,” Johnson said at the end of the night.

After one last chance to sing “The Great Escape” and “Love Drunk” at the top of their lungs, thousands of people made their way down the grand staircase and into the chilly night. It’s nowhere near summer yet, but for two hours it was. For two hours, it was 2006 again, and everything felt alright.