Ocean Avenue 20 Year Anniversary Tour - Yellowcard - Skyline Stage - 7/11/23

It felt like a waking dream that one of the most iconic bands of the 2000’s era in the pop punk scene would come back for a reunion tour. They did Riot Fest last year to an overwhelming response in Chicago Park, followed by a stint at When We Were Young Fest and now a summer tour with a line-up stacked as if the Warped Tour gods themselves arranged this up. Now weeks away from their first EP since 2017, “Childhood Eyes” releasing on July 21st will mark the epic reintroduction of this band to the music world in 2023 and beyond. It was appropriate that the venues on this tour ranged from outdoor stages to club shows and everything kind in between. It was nostalgic for older fans to go back to a place where they felt a strong sense of belonging. And for the newer fans, it gave them something special to look forward to in the coming years as evidenced in a social media post by the band “If you keep coming, we’ll keep playing, okay?” (Yellowcard IG - July 13, 2023). The night was full of surprises and deep cuts and we were just so glad that we had the chance to listen to the songs that defined adulthood and helped champion me into my thirties. So thank you Yellowcard and see you all very soon. 

The time was 4:00 PM and I was driving through the winding expressway of I-76, listening to the band’s “This is Yellowcard” playlist on full volume. I tried to calm my nerves as I was pulling into the parking lot of the Mann Center. I had been here countless times before but why did this particular time feel like someone constantly spiking my anxiety. Several breathing meditations later, I emerged from my car still nervous but now with an increasing amount of adrenaline burning through my veins. (It could have also been the chorus of Surface of the Sun that fueled my energy for that.) Ticket acquired, bags checked. I was inside of the main promenade of the Mann Center and the smell of fried foods gave my nose a tickle. I heard soundchecking from above where I was standing and made my way up. The walk up those stairs was not kind but the employees at the top giving words of encouragement made it worth it. Finding a spot by a grove of trees that gave shelter from the beating sun. But I was surrounded by tons of people who loved Yellowcard just as much as I do.

Emo Nite Brooklyn took to the stages before the bands played their sets and gave the audience a mini emo dance party throughout the night. It was the first time I had experienced an Emo Nite and wasn’t sure what to make of it but from the sights and sounds of it (ha, see what I did there), it was like having a dance party with your favorite people. From looking around the audience I saw many kids glued tightly to their parents as they had mini picnics and danced to all of their parents favorite songs. I am reminded of the fact that the first time we heard these songs were two decades ago, and the last nearly a decade ago. So it is no wonder that fans are bringing their children out (ear protection and all, very important) to see something that was so special to their parents. It made me excited for future opportunities to do the same with mine. 

I had taken an intermission to hydrate myself, have dinner (chicken tenders and fries) and sit in the shade just soaking it all in. I had refilled my water bottle when I heard The Wild Life was taking the stage. They had played an energetic set that was fueled by fan singalongs and even covered a John Denver song “Country Roads, Take Me Home”. The last song If It’s Cool With You, I’m Cool Being Through to which we saw the Long Beach, CA duo (Kevin Jordan on vocals, and Anthony Del Grosso on Guitar) giving the crowd a high octane performance of a beloved song. If this tour was held in the amphitheater of the TD Mann Center, the roof would have been completely smashed. 

Let me set the story of the first time I had ever heard of who Story of the Year was and how picking up one CD from the record store changed the trajectory of my life. It was a breezy autumn day in Provo, Utah and most of my roommates had plans to do things that didn’t interest me. (It was mostly group dates and finding dresses for the formal.) I had decided that since I needed something new to listen to so I had hopped on the bus headed towards the mall. I think it was 45 minutes to the mall, and another hour back. But I had my walkman (a portable device you can listen to CDs on) and it had enough battery life to keep me occupied on my journey to the mall. Getting off the bus I had no idea what I was getting myself into or just how much money I would inevitably spend on music in the next two decades to come. But there I was walking into a record store and perusing the selections and I must have looked mildly confused because the store associate asked if I needed any help. Finally someone had asked. So I told him the kinds of bands and music I was into and he suggested a few favorites and noted that Linkin Park was one of his favorites too. He handed me a few selections, pointed me over to the listening stations with said albums already in it, and told me to take my time. The albums in my hand that he had recommended to me would become a classic and a favorite of mine for the rest of my life. And in the pile was an album called “Page Avenue” by a band named Story of the Year and let me tell you I WAS HOOKED and knew I needed it for my ride back to my apartment that night. It was love at first listen. 

Fast forward to 20 years later, probably close to the date that I had gone on that mall trip, and I was standing in the middle of a field with a bunch of millennials and gen x fans. Waiting to hear from one of their favorite bands and it was the first time that I was seeing them play live. I had gone 20 years listening to their discography but had never had the opportunity to run and see them live. So I had stretched and made sure that I was limber enough to even move my feet. But sure enough, my feet and memory found their way back and I was dancing and singing along to their set. Throughout the show - the band made it a point to recognize each and every young fan that was in the crowd and may have said “parenting, you’re doing it right!” There was one moment in the show where I kind of had a teary smile going as I looked around the crowd and went “someday, that will be me”. I wasn’t sure of the exact wording as I was having an outer body experience and needed to process what was going on in the moment. Jokingly, I had said to a friend that I needed 3-5 business days to process the show and its core memories being made but that for now I just wanted to embrace it fully. 

The band had a new record out and was sharing a few moments in between their set to talk about it and Dan Marsala even apologized for how angry the song “War” sounded live.  “Tear Me To Pieces” was released on March 10, 2023 and was announced to be their sixth studio album since the band’s inception. I couldn’t help but sing along while in the photo pit as seeing this band live with another one of my all-time favorites was a musical dream come true.  Story of The Year played a fantastic setlist that spanned their long career and regardless of how short their set was. They made the most of it by engaging with the audience and making sure every fan, new and old, leave with a great night behind them. Marsala jokingly said that they were a low grade version of Motley Crue but I personally think that they are in a league of their own. Having formed in 1995, and having six studio albums to date – they have made an imprint on the music world that bands coming up in this day and age fully respect. Despite having lived full lives off-stage, they managed to keep the energy and momentum going as they played hit after hit and ended the night with “Until The Day I Die” to which the crowd screamed every last word. 

If you were to ask 19 year-old Meg, living in Utah, if she would ever reach 37 years-old and seeing a band from her college days live after all this time. She would probably tell you that you are crazy and that you should seek help. But here we are – looking for tour dates for a headlining tour while a sleeping cat sits next to her purring loudly. And just feeling content with the core memories made from a week ago as this summer heat hangs on for dear life. If you get asked why you love a specific piece of art so much that you’d do anything to have a piece of that artwork in your possession. Just tell them that you’re not only boosting the economy but your own serotonin and that of others that were present in the moment with you. 

So thank you Story of the Year for giving my 19 year-old self a moment to fully embrace being young and carefree this past summer. You’ve no idea how much that moment meant to me.

Mayday Parade definitely lived up to the Kings of Emo status as they made a lot of fans tap into their emotions as a form of music therapy. They had played an eight song set list consisting of a few songs off of Anywhere But Here and A Lesson in Romantics; with a few from their self-titled as well as Sunnyland. One of the amazing things that I love about tours like this is that these are the bands that have grown up with each other as peers, and friends. They have experienced life alongside one another and as Key mentioned later that night - have given each other chances and opportunities to continue to play music for a live audience each and every day. Mayday Parade have stood the test of time and will continue to mark a path for themselves. 

As the sun was beginning to set, I had remembered the last time I had seen Yellowcard in person. It was March 25, 2017 and their final show was set in Anaheim, CA at the House of Blues. I had cried extensively then because they meant so much to me and my adulthood. I had seen Ryan Key a few times since the final show as he toured solo under his full name. His music was the kind of music that was all about growth, and finding acceptance and the grieving process after the final show and final band appearances. But tonight, they were united, and with Jimmy Brunkvist at the helm of the drum kit. They would give Philadelphia a show they’d be talking about for days to come. And it was a glorious night that had my heart still pumping out of my chest. 

I went into the night not knowing the set list and wanting to truly be in the moments that were to come. Should you get a chance to see this show, it is best to do the same. The set list pays homage to Ocean Avenue and the landmark impact it has had on the music world. But there were a bunch of fan favorites and deep cuts that made the crowd feel extra charged. 

Throughout their set, you can feel that this was an extraordinary tribute to their hit major label debut album Ocean Avenue but the extra love that was put into this set was like a dose of nostalgia to the heart. The band played the album straight through, with songs from Lights and Sounds, Southern Air and Paper Walls mixed in to pay homage to a career cataloged by the albums that defined a generation of music lovers. Who in turn have brought the next generation, their own kids and those that are in need of familial love, safely to the pit. With blankets strewn across the lawn of the Mann Center, kids were dancing around with ear protection in place, to the songs their parents, aunts/uncles and guardians had played for them growing up. The title track to their sophomore album holds a special moment for me that night because it was the song that post hiatus. I resonated with. “Hello you, how was the rest? You made it through, but nevertheless…” rang out and the crowd sang in unison with Ryan Mendez shredding it on the guitar solo. If you are going to one show, or many, on this tour. Embrace those moments. The violin solo intro to many of your favorite songs. The synchronized jumps with Ryan Key at the center and Josh Portman on the bass just lighting up smiles as far as his eyes can see. The band enlisted Like Torches member Jimmy Brunkvist to helm the drum kit, as the tour makes their way through states. 

I can wax poetic about how special the Ocean Avenue 20th Anniversary Tour meant to me and many fans alike but it is a wonderful feeling to get to see the songs you’ve grown up on and associated many road trips, and sleepless nights with. On stage surrounded by a sea of voices that will live rent free in my mind for a really long time. And it is no surprise that every night, these fellas (and the rest of the bands on the lineup) get a standing ovation and infinite “one more song” chants because these guys defined a really special moment in time for many of its fans. Generations to come will remember this moment as the moment that feels almost as special as passing an Olympic torch during the opening ceremony.