It’s never a quiet night in Tampa’s Ybor District, and Saturday, February 12th was no exception. With the Gasparilla Night Parade getting ready to barrel down 7th Avenue, The Ritz Ybor was opening its doors for Mayday Parade’s sold out show for their 11th Anniversary Tour of their self-titled album. The band was accompanied by pop-punkers Magnolia Park and Real Friends for the North American leg of their tour.
Kicking off the night was Orlando based pop-punk band Magnolia Park. The group first formed in 2019 and consists of lead vocalist Joshua Roberts, guitarists Tristan Torres and Freddie Criales, bassist Jared Kay, drummer Joe Horsham, and keyboardist Vincent Ernst. The band wrote their first singles back in 2018 and 2019 as they were still forming, and have since released several more over the past few years. Their first album, Halloween Mixtape, was release last year and followed by another single this year, “I’ll Give You The Stars”.
As the band emerged from the shadows, the lights were dimmed as Roberts came flying onto the stage and kicking straight into their set. Roberts rocked across the stage with their first several songs and soon moved into a cover of “Sugar, We’re Going Down” by Fall Out Boy. The band closed out their thirty minute set and quickly headed off stage.
Following Magnolia Park was another pop-punk group by the name of Real Friends. The band first formed in 2010 in Tinley Park, Illinois and consists of a current lineup of lead vocalist Cody Muraro, guitarists Dave Knox and Eric Haines, bassist Kyle Fasel, and drummer Brian Blake. The group released their first EP, This Is Honesty, in the spring of 2011. In 2014, their debut album Maybe This Place Is the Same and We’re Just Changing was released, gaining them heavy recognition from critics and boosting their rise to fame.
Under a purple haze, the quintet made their way onto the stage and started off with “Me First” from their 2018 critically acclaimed record Composure. Up on the balcony, an older fan began jumping up and down in sheer joy as he reminisced of younger days growing up with the band’s music. The five-piece soon began to close out their set with “From The Outside” from their 2018 album.
In the winter of 2005, Mayday Parade began their journey when two local Tallahassee, Florida bands merged together, Kid Named Chicago and Defining Moment. From Kid Named Chicago came vocalist/guitarist Jason Lancaster, guitarist Alex Garcia, and drummer Jake Bundrick, with Defining Moment bringing vocalist Derek Sanders, guitarist Brooks Betts, and bassist Jeremy Lenzo. The group’s lineup still remains the same, save for Jason Lancaster who left in 2007. They released their debut EP Tales Told by Dead Friends 2006 and sold over 50,000 copies without any support from a label. In January 2007, the band began recording their gold-certified debut album A Lesson in Romantics, which was released later that year on July 11th. The band released six more albums since their debut, with their self-titled album releasing on October 4th, 2011.
As the stage was cleared, the set was soon being filled with faux stained glass windows and several full sized candelabras. With the venue now packed wall-to-wall, a purple-blue glow illuminated the stage with the silhouettes of each member traveling through the mist. Sanders moved to the microphone and opened up with the lyrics to “Oh Well, Oh Well” with the crowd quickly joining him in harmony.
Finishing their opening song, Sanders announced they would be playing the album in full to a roar of applause. The five man group then moved to the next two songs on the roster, “No Heroes Allowed” and “When You See My Friends”. As they moved through their set, Sander’s piano was moved from behind him to the center of the stage for the performance of “Stay”, with a single blue light shining on him, before opening up bright when the rest of the band joined in. Throughout the show, Garcia, Betts, and Lenzo would move around the stage, trading places and jumping on the risers above the crowd on either side of Sanders.
Nearing the end of their set, Mayday Parade closed out with “Without The Bitter The Sweet Isn’t As Sweet” and “Happy Endings Are Stories That Haven’t Ended Yet”. Slipping off the stage, the lights were brought back on for a short time before they reemerged for the encore. Having finished playing their full length album, they ended the night with throwbacks to some of their biggest hits ever. Opening the encore was “Kids of Summer” and “Golden Days” from last year’s What It Means To Fall Apart. Halfway through, Sanders and Bundrick stayed on as the lights lit up a bright orange, with Sanders moving to his piano and Bundrick grabbing his mic and standing up behind his drum set. Immediately, they started into “Miserable At Best” fromthe 2007 album as everyone’s phones were swiftly raised.
With their final song, the band brought it all out with their hit song “Jamie All Over” from the 2007 record. Once again, the crowd went wild in excitement as many sang out for the entire song.The band closed out their show waving goodbye to fans of all ages, as the doors reopened and the crowd poured out into the night and into the aforementioned parade.
Setlist:
Oh Well, Oh Well
No Heroes Allowed
When You See my Friends
You’re Dead Wrong
Priceless
Stay
Call Me Hopeless, Not Romantic
A Shot Across The Bow
Everything’s An Illusion
I’d Rather Make Mistakes Than Nothing At All
Without the Bitter the Sweet Isn’t as Sweet
Happy Endings Are Stories That Haven’t Ended Yet
Encore:
Kids of Summer
Golden Days
Miserable At Best
Piece of Your Heart
Jersey
Jamie All Over
