State Champs - Celebrating 10 Years of "Around the World and Back" in Cleveland OH

When it's below zero degrees in Cleveland, what better place to warm up than at The Agora while jumping, screaming, and crowd surfing with State Champs? The band’s sophomore album, "Around the World and Back", is arguably one of the most influential pop-punk albums of the 2010s, bridging 2000s nostalgia with a modern emo-infused pop-punk sound. This album included two of their biggest hits, “Secrets” and “All You Are Is History.”

To celebrate, State Champs have treated their fans with an Instagram post announcing an anniversary tour,

When we wrote this record, we were just kids still living at home. Now, we’re dads, husbands, and have homes of our own. This record laid the groundwork for all of our future success and we will be forever grateful to it. And to you, the listener. Thank you so very much for providing us this life.

State Champs' special "Around the World and Back 10 - EP," released in late 2025 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their popular 2015 album, "Around the World and Back," featuring covers like Shawn Mendes' "Stitches," Zedd's "Stay the Night," My Chemical Romance's "The Sharpest Lives," and Green Day's "Welcome to Paradise." Along with a reimagined version of the track "Hell Of It" from the band’s 2024 self-titled record, it’s a stripped-back version of the anthem.

Mallory Run

Imagine running from the car with your friends to escape the Cleveland chill. You're greeted with the friendly faces and warm atmosphere The Agora brings. You're excited to start your year off right with your first concert of the season! 

To break those winter jitters, we were greeted by a wall of sound with our first opening act, Mallory Run. The Edinboro, PA band knew they had one job in mind; they had the tough job of getting the room to move. The band came storming on the stage, very energetic and articulate. Their live musicality is well practiced, although at times it felt like the band and crowd were alienated. But, for a show starting at 7p.m. on a Sunday night, Mallory Run had a surprisingly decent turnout!

Mallory Run has been in the scene since 2015 and are far from new. After each song, the crowd became more involved and interactive with the band, whether that be singing, clapping, dancing, and occasionally screaming. Although, I wouldn't sleep on Mallory Run, I wish I could have seen more interactions from the band with the fans like their fellow lineup counterparts.

In spite of some people who have never heard of them before, Mallory Run definitely caught a few people's attention and earned a spot on their daily playlist.

Dan McClune, the vocalist of Mallory Run, was reminiscing about their start in the scene. Having had traveled through a blizzard to The Agora to see State Champs on tour with Neck Deep, tonight felt extra special for them. McClune later shared some words of inspiration with the crowd, "Don't stop playing your instrument.", reassuring fans that dreams do some true if you never stop chasing them

Once their set was over, the crowd was booming with screams and cheers, clearly showing that Mallory Run did their job. My favorite songs of the night were "Overgrown" and "Back Pedal."

Driveways

We started to see more scene kids piling into the theater, just in time for Driveways. There was a sudden loud boom that erupted through the ballroom before the stage lights came on. Soon followed, was the bass that electrified everyone in the building, igniting fans into a moshing frenzy. The eruption went through my entire body, not only in the pit, but throughout the entire crowd! What an amazing start for Driveways. This Saugus, MA, band wasted no time introducing themselves. The crowd was going wild and even the security guards were head-banging throughout their performance. 

Even though the members themselves are laid back, Driveways music lead their performance with great sound, rhythm, and overall nostalgic pop-punk vibes. The band knows their crowd and gave the fans exactly what they wanted. They continuously thanked the crowd and fellow tour mates: "It's an honor to open up for the State Champs." They were equally met back with thanks from the crowd. Some of my favorite songs of the night were "Skulls and Flowers," "Skeletons," and "There for a Reason." Driveways is truly one of those bands you need to keep on your radar; they're great live, and you will always have a good time at their shows. 

As a cherry on top, their set was extra special as Driveways were also celebrating the lead vocalists' Pat Finnegan's birthday! The crowd, and myself, were so glad to have been a small part of his celebration. Happy Birthday Pat! 

Real Friends

How could anyone top the Driveways' massive performance? If you're asking yourself that, then you haven't seen Real Friends live before, and it shows. I was tremendously caught off guard by this 5-piece band. They are violent and wild, and the best way to explain them is, chaos of love. Real Friends made sure to send a memo to everyone in the building: "Don't stand around; express yourself." The crowd happily obliged. You would not expect this type of grand performance from a Tinley Park, Illinois, band.

Real Friends are the first explosive and fastest group of performers I've ever captured. The chaos of love was so loud, that I missed some of their big moments.

Every single member was performing in waves, constantly riding the storm they brought into The Agora. As all eyes were on frontman, Cody Muraro, the crowd surfers were riding the wave, and even had Muraro join them. Within the first two songs, he was already in the sea of fans. Muraro was definitely in his element! 

You could tell Real Friends had a big following at this show. If you told me they were the headliners, I wouldn't have questioned it. Real Friends reminds me of the Revenge Era of My Chemical Romance, which is a huge compliment coming from a fellow MCR die-hard fan.

My favorite songs of the night include "I've Given Up on You.", in which Muraro jumped into the pit and sang with his fellow friends. "Thanks for being part of this... I truly felt that song." "Me First" was a huge hit among the crowd but I believe the true fan favorite was "Tell Me You're Sorry." There was not a single soul in that room who wasn't screaming, singing, dancing, and everything in between. Muraro encouraged first-time crowdsurfers to truly make this show their first. For the rest of the night, the storm never died down.

I definitely fell in love with this band as my first discovery of the 2026, which is great news because Real Friends visits Ohio fairly often and even has plans to visit again later this year. Next time, I want to be in the crowd as a fan rather than a photojournalist. Mark my word and trust me, you want to see Real Friends live! 

State Champs

You've endured the winter cold, rode the storming waves of each opening act, and you're still hungry for more? No worries, State Champs had your back. They walked on stage full of confidence, love, and excitement; they knew they didn't need a flashy entrance. Although they wanted to greet their friends and celebrate their music before getting to work, the crowd had other plans! State Champs was met with roaring screams and a crowd that was already crowd surfing. I was dodging and weaving the waves of surfers as they were hitting the barricade. The band just soaked up the crowds excitement, and you can just tell how happy they were to be there. State Champs stated, "This (The Agora) was the #1 stop they wanted to visit on tour... We love everyone here." During their performance, the band had a controlled, energetic, and true-to-studio approach to their showmanship.

This can be difficult to achieve for some other artists but not for this Albany, New York band. They have everything that the supporting bands thrived in. This is truly a hybrid show! State Champs knew what they were doing when choosing their opening acts. It felt like the perfect lineup for their 10-year anniversary tour. Each band had their purpose and specific sound, making it truly feel like a celebration. Having formed around the same time, you could see throughout the night that all the bands formed a genuine connection through their music.

My favorite songs of the night included "Shape Up," "All You Are Is History," and of course, "Secrets." State Champs has a sound for the coming of age, which I think of as teenage anthems. Also having seen plenty of millennials in the crowd, I felt the crowds teenage spirit among us. 

One thing for sure is that State Champs are here, excited, and happy. They created a safe community, and there were nothing but good vibes throughout the night. Again and again, the storm never died out! The room was filled with so much love and the feeling of being seen and heard. State Champs weren’t just on stage; they were dedicating every moment of their performance to the friends who’ve been here since the beginning.