st. louis - june 29, 2024

Music lovers of Maryland Heights braved the heat, humidity, and light rain to spend their evening at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre for the Summer Gods Tour. Yellowcard, American punk rock band and second act of the night, took the stage and instantly caught the crowd’s attention with “Lights and Sounds” from their fifth studio album.

Before leading into “Transmission Home,” lead vocalist William Ryan Key took a moment to express deep gratitude and excitement for this tour and being back in St. Louis. “We haven’t had a chance to play these songs in ten years… tonight, we’ll dig a little deeper with the setlist and have some fun up here with some songs we don’t normally get to play.” From the hits of over ten years ago such as “Lift a Sail” and “Cut Me, Mick,” to the title track of their most recent EP, “Childhood Eyes,” Yellowcard was able to cumulate a setlist that gave listeners a glimpse of their entire career.

Across the venue, I found people singing along to every word and taking in every moment. It was difficult to keep your eyes away from the talent on the stage—not only does Yellowcard maintain the energy through their catchy hits, but they bring a different level of visual elements to their performance. The band moved around the entire stage, switching spots throughout the set and working opposite sides of the crowd. Maybe you had your eyes on violin-wielding Sean Mackin, or the ever-changing LED screen displaying Yellowcard’s name, or maybe even the drummer elevated on top of said screen. The experience was one to remember, and the audience took in the music in every way. Dancing, singing along, cheering between each song. As I made my way to the lawn of the amphitheater, I saw people standing and jumping along as if they were in the front row. I even noticed a few lying in the grass, soaking in the music.

People can enjoy a Yellowcard show any way they want because they can feel how the band enjoys performing. Key shared briefly about the band’s hiatus that began in 2017—one they thought would be for good—and expressed gratitude for Third Eye Blind, for the fans, and for each other that they can be back touring again. Every ounce of energy onstage that night was put into creating the best set possible for St. Louis–and the reciprocation from the audience did not go unnoticed. “Thank you so much… it looks like we’re going to be coming back time and time again now. We’re not going anywhere.”

“Ocean Avenue” proved to be the perfect close to the evening. The nostalgic song called everyone back to the moment when they first heard it—not a soul in the room was still sitting by the time the chorus hit. Over 20 years later, Yellowcard is still drawing in crowds and making for nights to remember, and it’s clear that this will continue for years to come.