(Photo by Keeyahtay Lewis)
The weather is getting colder, the days are getting shorter, and my socks are getting thicker, and this can only mean one thing: the warm weather is gone! It’s okay, I tend to still leave the house in the cold and I don’t usually hibernate until late winter. That being said, while I still can, I have been attending a lot of shows lately, and this week I want to review one that stuck out. As you all know, Starland Ballroom is a venue that is always on the top of my list, and this time around it was no different.
A few weeks ago I went to see Mayday Parade at Starland, with special guests Real Friends, This Wild Life, and As It Is (on Oct. 16 to be exact). This was there seventh time playing there, naturally to a sold-out house. I had the chance to chat with lead singer Derek Sanders, and he expressed so much gratitude for New Jersey and its insane amount of Mayday Parade fans. There is truly something about New Jersey and this band, because the fans go absolutely nuts. My thoughts were proven as I watched them perform, and anyone who was there I am sure could agree.
The first people got online around 9 a.m., with smiling faces. Not long after 4 p.m., when school got let out, the line was around the building, as thousands of fans waited to get inside to see their favorite band. All of the openers were on point, keeping the crowd’s attention the entire time. Real Friends also have a solid following around here, as I just saw them at the same venue with Every Time I Die a few months back.
By the time Mayday took the stage around 9 p.m., these kids could barely contain their excitement. The screams were so loud it made me smile, because I understand the excitement upon seeing your favorite band. They played an awesome variety of old and new, and of course their infamous hit about the Garden State, “Jersey.” Even though their new album had only been out for less than a week at this point, everyone in the crowd knew each and every word, which was also pretty damn cool.
Derek told me backstage that Starland Ballroom is “his favorite place in the world” and that he “really looks forward to playing here every time,” and I could tell he wasn’t just feeding me those words. Derek truly meant that, and I could see the emotion in his face when I asked him about this market. He even admitted that only on the third date of the tour, he knew this would be the best one. That’s a pretty bold statement, but I am sure it was true considering how the night went. You could feel the energy in your veins and the music in your blood, because this was a night to remember; Mayday Parade.
I highly enjoyed their performance, and although I may have been a bit old in the crowd, it took me back to my youth of waiting on lines for hours and singing every word to my favorite band, no matter what the situation was. Mayday Parade brought the house down at Starland Ballroom, and I will be sure to save the date on my calendar for when they return for their annual sold-out show there. To anyone who was there, I am sure you had just as good as time as me, so let’s let them know!
Until next week, my friends, I will do my best to bring you some “live show” action, as well as some artist spotlights. See you on the flip side!
