Girl at the Rock Shows

I’ve been seeing a lot of new-ish music lately. Whether it has been new bands or just new-to-me acts that I didn’t know much about, I’ve been swimming in new rabbit holes to go down and new obsessions to get lost in. Thursday was a change of pace as, instead of discovering something new, I went on a trip down nostalgia lane as I celebrated 20 years of Mayday Parade among a completely sold-out crowd at First Avenue. It was a lovely trip and one that was so needed with the insane week I’ve been having.

Although the headliner and two of the supporting acts were more nostalgic for me, the opening act, Like Roses, was another new band that I instantly wanted to know more about after seeing them play. Like Roses’ time on stage was short, as this was a stacked line-up and an all-ages show that had to adhere to curfew laws, but that didn’t stop this Berkeley, California-based band. Although the feelings that came from this emo-drenched set were familiar, the overall vibe of their fresh take on a classic sound was revitalizing and made for the perfect way to kick the night off. Although it was clear that the sold-out audience was at this show for the headlining act, Like Roses was turning heads with every song, making them a band that I expect to see a lot more of in the coming years.

The last time that I saw the next act, Grayscale, was all the way back in 2017 when they were on tour with Four Year Strong and a slew of other acts. Although I enjoyed their set that night, they didn’t really stick with me. That being said, I’ve connected with their music again, so seeing them on Thursday night was definitely a highlight for me. Like Like Roses, Grayscale has a fresh take on a nostalgic sound. They are definitely an emo-leaning pop-punk band, but they have an attitude and stage presence that reminded me a bit more of bands like The Story So Far and Neck Deep. Although it took a few songs for the band to warm up and get to that point, when they did, it was a thrill to hear their emotionally-charged songs come to life. When I covered them in 2017, I mentioned that I wouldn’t be surprised if I started to see Grayscale headlining bigger shows in no time. Although it breaks my heart that I still haven’t seen them have that moment yet, even after the grinding that this Philadelphia band has done, seeing them absolutely kill it on Thursday gave me the same feeling. Bands don’t get a specific timeline when it comes to blowing up and jumping to that next step, and I’m truthfully surprised it hasn’t happened for Grayscale yet, but it’s coming. I can feel it in my bones.

Microwave is one of the most underrated bands out there right now. There, I said it, and I’m not apologizing for it or taking it back. Microwave was the final supporting act on this stacked tour and was the main reason for my excitement over the night (don’t get me wrong, I was excited to see all of the bands performing, but Microwave is my band right now). There’s a tenderness that comes from Microwave’s sound, but also this intensity that makes their sound so addictive to me. Think Brand New’s emotional edge mixed with the pop-punk intensity of bands like The Story So Far and Havey Mercy, but with a stage performance that lives and breathes heart and fire. Although given ample time on stage (especially when compared to the two previous openers), it was enough time for me. The Georgia-bred band powered through their ten-song set, leaving no survivors. Okay, that’s a lie. Honestly, only a handful of people clearly understood this band’s talent and importance. They could be seen shouting every word to every song back to the band while everyone else around them just stood there, trying to take it all in. There’s a complexity to Microwave that made them stand out on this full bill. It may have gone over some of the audience’s heads, but for me, it was pure bliss, and their time on stage on Thursday night was the first time all week when I felt a true sense of clarity and peace.

What were you doing twenty years ago? Were you even alive then? Honestly, I was doing just about the same thing– keeping myself busy during the day and just looking forward to the night when I would inevitably find myself at a show (shout out to House of Bricks-RIP- and Vaudeville Mews-RIP- in Des Moines, Iowa). It was the golden age of pop-punk, and I was seeing bands like Fall Out Boy, Spitalfield, and The Academy Is almost monthly, it felt. Honestly, twenty years ago, I was probably seeing Mayday Parade, and that’s just one of the many reasons that Thursday night at First Avenue felt so special.

As mentioned, Mayday Parade was celebrating twenty years of being a band. Twenty years of playing together. Twenty years of putting classic emo music out there and writing lyrics that speak to the hearts and souls of so many people. Instead of just playing one album in its entirety, Mayday Parade took the audience on a journey through the band’s life. The set started with “By the Way” and ended with “Jamie All Over”. The stops along the way seemed to be each of the eight albums that they have put out, including their brand new album, ‘Sweet’. I’ll be honest, I didn’t know the new tracks, but singing along to “Miserable At Best” (which was my breakup song when I dumped my high school sweetheart) as vocalist Derek Sanders and drummer Jake Bundrick tried their best to be heard over the deafening audience was one of those heart-stopping kind of moments for me.

There were plumes of smoke that shot up from the stage, there were bright lights and small platforms placed at the front of the stage for the members of this legendary band to hop on throughout the night, but beyond all that was the heart. This band means so much to so many people, and they were not about to let the smoke and mirrors of the production of their performance get in the way of that. Although it was an exciting and energizing set, at the end of the night, there was something about Mayday Parade’s set that had transported me back to the days of seeing them at smaller clubs when growing up. There was an honesty and transparency that came from Derek every time he addressed the crowd, and there was something hopelessly genuine about every smile that the other members shared with people in the audience.

What’s better after a super rough week? A trip down nostalgia lane full of familiar sounds and feelings that take you back to when things were a little easier? Or something fresh and new that reminds you of so many things out in this world to discover and fall in love with. How about both? Thursday night at First Avenue with Like Roses, Grayscale, Microwave, and Mayday Parade was truly a highlight of my already insanely amazing week when it came to shows.

Line Up:

Like Roses

Grayscale

Microwave

Mayday Parade

Venue: First Avenue

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing Notable

Average Age of the Crowd: 35

Crowd Surfers- None spotted by I was all over the place and probably missed it

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 2 out of 10

Amount of Beer Spilled On Me While Walking Around- $0

Broken Bones- None Noticed

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing Noticed

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 1

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Like Roses – 0

Grayscale – 1

Microwave – 4

Mayday Parade – 15

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 9.1 out of 10

Show on Deck — Larkin Poe / Amythyst Kiah

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