If you grew up between the early 2000s and 2010s, last Wednesday night was probably just as big a deal for you as it was for me, with A Day to Remember bringing their Maximum Fun Tour to Dallas. The name says it all. With a stacked lineup of Boundaries, State Champs, and the OG legends Yellowcard, I and everyone else attending the show were indeed in for one of the funnest nights of the year.
Boundaries started off the evening with a bang and were without a doubt the heaviest band on the lineup. Before the show, I only knew the band by name only, but after hearing them live, they are definitely a band that I would like to do more of a deep dive on. The band members' performance was rowdy and aggressive, all the things I like to see from an opening band to help warm up the crowd. If Boundaries comes back through Dallas this year, I will definitely be checking out their set again.
Boundaries
Next up was one of my personal favorite pop punk bands, State Champs. Back in high school, State Champs was getting played on repeat every day in my house. Their album The Finer Things was one of the first records I ever bought on vinyl. Unfortunately, I hadn’t seen them perform since the old Warped Tour days back in 2016, so getting to finally see them again as an adult was a real treat for me. The band opened their set with “Silver Clouds,” and their energy was just as exciting as I remembered it to be. The setlist featured many of the band’s newer songs off their most recent self-titled album, but they also threw in a couple of classics for the older fans, such as “Elevated” and “All You Are Is History.” While a lot less fast and aggressive than the previous act, State Champs keep the excitement flowing throughout the 9-song set, and I was so happy I got to experience it.
State Champs
The third act of the night was none other than the iconic Yellowcard. As a band who always knows how to pull on the audience’s heartstrings, they really outdid themselves that night, opening with the beautifully heartbreaking “Only One.” I mean, seriously, how do you expect me to take photos while I’m crying and getting hit with all that angsty teenage nostalgia, guys?! I made it through somehow, though. As always, the band’s performance was fantastic. Hearing those classic riffs and emotional violin sections live will always get to me. On top of a beautiful musical performance, the stage design the band had was also incredible. The band was backed by several large, colorful LED panels that would light up in multicolor whilst flames burst out from flame machines behind them. The set was captivating from both a visual and an audible sense. Finally, when the recognizable riff to “Ocean Avenue” began to play, in that moment, we were all teenagers again. The entire audience was immediately up and out of their seats, singing along at the top of their lungs while the band closed out their set.
Yellowcard
Between the end of Yellowcard’s set and the beginning of A Day to Remember’s, you could tell the fans were starting to get rowdy with anticipation, myself included. I’ve seen dozens upon dozens of bands perform over the last 10 years, and I can genuinely say that no other band holds a candle to an A Day to Remember show. Whenever the band rolls through town, I will get tickets the day they drop. I don’t mess around. They are my favorite band. So when the house lights went down for one last time on Wednesday night and the iconic group chant of “The Downfall of Us All” started to play, I really had to resist the urge to start jumping up and down in the photo pit. Kicking off a show with a song like that is a great way to set the tone for the rest of the set. The second chorus hadn’t even begun to play, and crowd surfers were already making their way to the stage. The energy kept going as the band played two more of their fan favorites, “I’m Made of Wax, Larry” and “Right Back at It Again,” the fans screaming the lyrics right back to the band. And this was still just the beginning.
A Day to Remember
The band played through several more classic tracks and then followed them up with a handful of their new songs off the most recent album. One of the most memorable parts of the band’s performance was when roadies brought out two giant basketball hoops and a plethora of gigantic, inflatable basketballs during “LeBron,” so fans could toss them into the baskets on stage. After all, it’s not an A Day to Remember show without massive inflatables flying around the crowd. Another highlight, for me at least, was when Jeremy announced that they would be playing a deep cut off of What Separates Me From You. When “Better Off This Way” started playing, I literally screamed, as it is one of my favorite ADTR songs and they never play it anymore.
The rest of the band's set consisted of some of the most emotional and heavy-hitting songs of their career, and everyone in the audience was completely captivated by the music. When the last few notes of the closing song rang through the speakers, fans began to cheer so loud and with so much joy. Marking the end to an absolutely fantastic evening.
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember’s “Maximum Fun Tour” is definitely not one you want to miss! Whether you are a new fan or you’ve been listening to them for the past 2 decades, you will for sure leave the show feeling exhilarated. The tour will continue through September all the way to November, so snag your tickets, put on your moshing shoes, and get ready for a night you will always remember.
