Check out my photos and review in Pittsburgh Music Magazine!
Hey guys, back again! Been a while since I had some new photos to share with you.
This time we have some photos and a write up from the Mayday Parade Sunnyland Tour stop in Pittsburgh. It was quite a show to say the very least.
It was a chilly Tuesday evening, here, and once we got in line, I was antsy to get my pass and go inside and warm up. Everyone else seemed to be just as chilly because everyone was making a run for it once doors opened. For Stage AE, it was an unusual show. They had the top completely blocked off except for anyone who was sitting in the premium seats. Everyone else was to stand on the bottom floor, which I thought was kinda cool. It was a seemingly intimate show, with all the merch tables in one area and most every band coming to meet fans after their set.
Mayday Parade brought along a good mix of popular acts on their tour. All of them fell under the pop/punk category, so fit the demographic very well.
up first, we had Oh, Weatherly from Dallas, Texas. I had heard of them before, but never seen them live. I actually followed their bassist on Instagram a while back and never realized it until this show. I thought for an up-and-coming pop rock band, they were very good and very comfortable on stage. People were dancing and singing along to their songs. They even talked a bit about the importance of mental health. You can check out my Pittsburgh Music Magazine article to read more about their set as well as the other bands, but overall I really enjoyed them and so did the crowd. I was surprised to see how many fans they had in the audience, and they made a few more from this show.
Next up, William Ryan Key came out to give the crowd a relaxing acoustic set, which I really enjoyed. As the former vocalist for Yellowcard, Key has been trying to kickstart his solo career since the band called it quits. He couldn’t play to a crowd of pop/punkers without playing one Yellowcard hit. He played an acoustic version of “Ocean Avenue” to satisfy the long-time Yellowcard fans in the audience. Key also brought along a multi-talented drummer to accompany him and his acoustic guitar. His new album, Virtue is out November 30th and I highly recommend checking it out. I am currently obsessed with his single, “Vultures” from the album.
The act to which Mayday was going to follow up, was acoustic band, This Wild Life from Long Beach, California. I had heard of them before through my sister but didn’t realize I would love their sound as much as I did. For a band of two bulky-looking guys with sleeve tattoos, they weren’t at all what I was expecting. Lead vocalist, Kevin Jordan, used his guitar and ukulele, and guitarist, Anthony Del Grosso (who I discovered is from Pittsburgh), played the drums as well. For a band of just two guys, they make some great music. The lack of members doesn’t seem to hinder their success or be an issue in creating a great sound to back the relatable lyrics. During their song, “Puppy Love” (the one I actually knew), they even encouraged fans to show them photos of their dogs, after a fan behind me randomly decided to do so. I loved them and found their set to be captivating.
Last, but not least, Mayday Parade. I’ve shot them before when they played the Four Chord Music Festival last year. So when I came across this show, I was excited to see how I’d improved since then. As expected, they were all over the place. i found myself having a hard time focusing on one member at a time, to be sure I get a good amount of shots of everyone, because they just kept moving! The stage set up, as mentioned in my review in Pittsburgh Music Magazine, was super cool. They had 2 platforms at the front of the stage, which made for some cool shots for the members that used them. They also had a starry-like backdrop and eerie looking trees surrounding the drumset. Their set was an emotional but fun and upbeat way to get out all the stresses and emotions everyone in the room had been going through. Pop/punk music tends to do that for people. I find it awesome to watch because I know how much music means to me, so to see the emotions of those around me as they watch their favorite band play, makes my heart happy. That was certainly the case, this night. It was a smaller crowd, but that didn’t even make that much of a difference. Everyone enjoyed themselves, and got to escape reality for a bit.
If you get the chance to check out Mayday Parade on the rest of their Sunnyland Tour, definitely recommend. With a lineup of various bands that make you feel all kinds of different ways, to the release of emotions, It is a show to see for sure.
Below I included some of my favorite shots, and the rest are on my Flickr page!
Abigail McNatt Photography 