Mark O’Connell, left, and Matt Rubano of Taking Back Sunday perform in Alumni Hall Nov. 14. Taking Back Sunday performed with All American Rejects and Akon at the Naval Academy concert. USNA photo by Midn. 4/C Dominic Montez.

‘‘It was great to have that break in the usual routine, to take my mind off classes and just have some fun for a few hours,” said Midn. 4⁄C Dominic Montez. ‘‘Everyone I talked to in the Brigade really loved it.”

Taking Back Sunday joined two other bands, All American Rejects and Akon, in an exclusive performance open only to Academy Midshipmen, faculty and staff.

‘‘I saw the show was here and I figured it would be open to people in Maryland,” said Matt Rubano, bass guitarist and backup singer for Taking Back Sunday. He was surprised to find out the concert was open only to the Academy community.

‘‘I think it makes it really special for us. It gives us kind of a break from the typical environment that we’re used to,” he said. ‘‘We’re excited to be here and honored that we have a chance to do something like this.”

The five-member band was formed in Long Island in New York about 10 years ago and has since recorded four albums, the latest of which is called ‘‘New Again.”

‘‘In the broadest sense, we consider ourselves a rock band because it gives us the most latitude to do whatever we want to do and take it wherever we want to take it,” said Rubano. ‘‘Anyone could listen to any of our records and tell that there’s a heavy emphasis on melody.”

The concert at the Academy was the band’s first experience performing for military personnel. They had hoped to do a military show in Kuwait on a previous tour, but there was a scheduling conflict and the show was ultimately cancelled.

‘‘I would love for an opportunity like that to come our way,” said Rubano.

Two of the band’s members have family in the military, one with a brother stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Rubano said that they frequently get asked when they’ll be performing for military personnel overseas.

The band also visits the military hospital in Bethesda every year to meet with injured service men and women. They scheduled one of these visits for the day after the concert in Alumni Hall.

‘‘Whether they knew who we are or not, they really appreciated the visit and it was fun interacting with them, hearing their stories,” said Rubano. ‘‘Our visit to Bethesda put a lot of things in perspective for me and made me realize that amount of dedication and that amount of honor really makes a man or woman a special individual.”

For that reason, the performance for the Midshipmen was a unique opportunity for Taking Back Sunday, and according to Rubano, one of the more special nights on the tour so far.

‘‘The times that we have met people who have either served or had loved ones who serve, those are the moments that really make what we do seem more than just indulgent. For someone in a really scary part of the world, when I can put a smile on that person’s face, it really enhances the power of what we do times a hundred,” said Rubano. ‘‘Moments like that make me feel a lot more human and a lot more important to somebody else’s life rather than just an entertainer. I’m glad to be able to be a part of that.”