Yellowcard are currently touring across the US after a 6 year hiatus. The tour “20 Years of Ocean Avenue” is not only a celebration of their hit record, but also a collective of some of Florida’s notable punk acts: Tallahassee’s Mayday Parade, Winter Haven’s Anberlin, and Orlando’s Magnolia Park. 

July 23rd’s show at The Yuengling Center in Tampa opened with a short set from the “Hot Topic Mumford and Sons” a.k.a. This Wild Life. The trio performed their hit “Catie Rae” as well as a cover of Blink-182’s “I Miss You” to get the crowd singing along very early in the night. They were followed by punk legends, “Story of The Year” who had the crowd chanting from their first track, “Tear Me to Pieces,” all the way through their electric set which ended with one of their most notable songs, “Until The Day I Die,” which brought up the energy in the entire stadium.

Soon after, Mayday Parade hit the stage, pumping out hit after hit. Lead singer Derek and drummer/ back-up vocalist Jake made sure the audience was engaged in their set by giving them their own harmonies, as well as letting the crowd sing the intro to “Piece of Your Heart” on their own. Mayday Parade stands out not only because of their crowd engagement, but also because Derek brought out his baby Leo to say hello to the crowd.

To close out the night, Yellowcard returned to the spotlight by playing through their 20 year old album “Ocean Avenue” from cover to cover. The audience’s restlessness was cured when they finally ran out and opened with “Way Away” and “Breathing.” The stadium of over 10,000 people were met with the familiarity of a classic Yellowcard set. With the full band back together, it seems like they never went on hiatus because of how well they still play together. Although they aren’t as active on stage as they used to be, the band members can still perform their tracks like they did 25 years ago. Yellowcard’s “Ocean Avenue” is the perfect example of an album that deserves praise for its impact that is still lasting decades later.

If you want to see this amazing show celebrating one of the most popular pop punk albums of all time, tickets are on sale now!

Review & Photos by: Emily Tonnessen

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