It was a night of nostalgia as Yellowcard brought their 20 Years of Celebrating Ocean Avenue tour to the YouTube Theatre in Inglewood, California- a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. This was the band’s first tour in over six years.
Supported by acoustic rock duo This Wild Life, alternative rock group Anberlin and pop punk veteran’s, Mayday Parade. The room was filled with feel good sing-a-longs and high energy tunes that everyone jumped to.
As the lights dim for Yellowcard to take the stage, the crowd’s cheers grow louder as each band member runs on stage. Lead singer and guitarist, William Ryan Key and lead guitarist, Ryan Mendez, are lit up with separately as they begin the riff to “Way Away”, the opening track on the band’s 2003 Ocean Avenue album. Not long after, the full band kicks in, exploding with a punchy, in your face pop-punk melodies while backed with a violinist, Sean Mackin, adding a unique and iconic layer to their rock sound that has helped them stand out.
After performing their new song “Childhood Eyes”, Key reminisces on the band’s unpredictable past of calling it quits twice until reuniting in 2022. Speaking humbly and feeling endlessly thankful about how rare it is for a band to have the same touring crew for the last twenty years, while acknowledging the driving force behind the band, the fans-
“you are the most important thing because you’ve been listening for the past twenty years”
The celebratory night consisted of a 19 song set list from various albums, including hits, “Lights and Sounds”, “Light Up the Sky”, “With You Around” and ending the show with their most notable songs, “Only One”, and “Ocean Avenue”.
What a way it was to end the night. I don’t think there was a single soul in the room who didn’t make the walls echo from belting out the energy driven chorus like it was everyone’s teenage anthem.
“If I could find you now things would get better, we could leave this town and run forever”