MAYDAY PARADE PERFORMS AT HISTORIC OPENING WEEKEND OF STATESIDE LIVE! IN PHILADELPHIA

PHOTOS & REVIEW BY AMBER BINTLIFF

What better way to celebrate the $20 million expansion of a multi-experience entertainment destination than with a free show featuring some of the biggest names in pop-punk? Stateside Live! officially opened its doors to the Philadelphia community on May 29 with performances from Taking Back Sunday, Mayday Parade, and Bayside. The massive event space now features the 5,000-capacity Coors Light Stage for outdoor concerts along with a two-story AVA rooftop bar, Blue Moon garden, Stateside Crush cocktail bar, and PBR Backyard. 

Since the release of their 2007 debut, A Lesson In Romantics, Mayday Parade has continued to stand as a defining voice in the pop-punk/emo scene over the last two decades. I started listening to the band when I discovered the genre for the first time as a middle-schooler nearly ten years ago (it never really is a phase, is it?). I’ve been lucky enough to catch them live numerous times since, with this recent show at Stateside Live! being my fifth time in a crowd of theirs. 

There’s a reason why people still continue to show up for Mayday Parade twenty years later. Their shows weave together a sentimental ode to the past and present of their music, creating an environment where fans can reconnect with songs they grew up listening to while embracing what’s to come. Recent singles including “Blame It On The Youth” and “By The Way” already come across as setlist staples while older classics such as “Jersey” and “Anywhere But Here” brought Philadelphia back to the teenage angst of the late 2000s. 

The feeling of being in the crowd at a Mayday Parade show is almost indescribable. Whether you find the most enjoyment in crowdsurfing, getting thrown around in a mosh pit, or standing off to the sides with a beer, there’s never a dull moment once the night begins. Mayday Parade is a once in a lifetime act that continues to commit to their community, delivering a live show packed with nostalgia and catharsis. In the aftermath of “Jamie All Over,” three things will always remain true at each show: I’m exhausted, sweaty, and left with memories that’ll never fade. 

Stateside Live! picked an incredible inaugural lineup to celebrate its expansion. Mayday Parade will spend the rest of their summer headlining a few shows before their appearance at Vans Warped Tour in Long Beach on July 26. Tickets and information for all of the band’s upcoming dates can be found here. 

bayside

TAKING BACK SUNDAY