Just miles from the location that inspired their hit song “Ocean Avenue,” Yellowcard headlined a two-night anniversary event celebrating the album of the same name.
Night two marked the exact 20-year anniversary of the album Ocean Avenue and it did not take long for the hometown show to sell out. As storms cleared over Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, FL, fans were let in just before showtime.
A short set of only five songs from This Wild Life kicked off the evening. The rock duo set the tone right off the bat, bringing back memories for all former or “elder” emos in the audience by plastering a big Hot Topic logo across the back screens. After opening with the 2023 release, “No More Waiting,” This Wild Life played a few more originals plus a crowd-pleasing cover of Blink-182’s “I Miss You.”
Between sets, Emo Night Brooklyn took over to provide entertainment; each 20-minute changeover was scored with classics from My Chemical Romance, The Killers, and Fall Out Boy.Story of the Year took the energy and turned it up a notch – immediately upon taking the stage, guitarist Ryan Phillips dropped down to do some push-ups while vocalist Dan Marsala did a few bicep curls with the microphone. As the crowd cheered at the display, the American rock band started their seven-song set with 2003’s “And the Hero Will Drown.” The parallels between Story of the Year and the headliner make them a perfect pair for this particular tour as 2023 also marks the 20-year anniversary of Story of the Year’s debut album, Page Avenue. The classic silhouette that first appeared on the cover of Page Avenue was displayed on the back screens and, although the orange hue closely matched their newest release Tear Me to Pieces, most of the set was from the 2003 album.
Once the sun set it was time for Mayday Parade. Vocalist Derek Sanders walked onto the dark stage, waving to the screaming fans while he sang the first lines of “Oh Well, Oh Well.” For the rock band from Tallahassee, Jacksonville is as close to a hometown show as they can get, Sanders explained as he thanked the crowd after the opening number. For such a popular band, the eight-song setlist felt a little short, but a good balance was struck between older, cherished tracks and a few new releases. Both songs from 2023’s Got Me All Wrong appeared along with mid-2000s emo classics “Miserable at Best” and “Jersey.” One of the band’s most popular tracks, “Jamie All Over,” ended the set on a high note. After one final appearance from Emo Night Brooklyn, the stage dimmed and fans screamed in anticipation for headliner Yellowcard. “Way Away,” the opening track of Ocean Avenue, was a fitting start to the very special evening. The hometown crowd was rearing and ready, and longtime fans, friends, and family had shown up to celebrate. In a sweet moment between songs, violinist Sean Mackin took a moment to address his mom in the audience and thank her for always fostering his passion.In honor of the album’s anniversary, the band played almost the whole thing. Included in the set were “Life of a Salesman” and “Only One” along with deeper cuts like “One Year, Six Months,” which had been played for the first time in five years at the last Riot Fest. At that show, vocalist Ryan Key explained, the connection and energy felt between the bandmates led to the creation of a five-track EP titled Childhood Eyes that was released only one day before. Even the newest tracks had the crowd cheering and singing along, but once “Ocean Avenue” started, the amphitheater came even more alive. Dressed in a custom Jacksonville Jaguars jersey for the encore, Key belted along with the roaring of the fans to close out the night.
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MAYDAY PARADE
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STORY OF THE YEAR
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THIS WILD LIFE
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