The Story So Far's Unforgettable Fall Tour in Charlotte, NC

The year is 2007. A housing market crash looms on the horizon; Steve Jobs has just unveiled the iPhone; and the pop-punk scene across the United States has been steadily declining as over-commercialization hollows out the genre. After the genre’s major success across the 90s and early 2000s, interest began to fade as the public moved on in search of something new and more pop-focused. But unbeknownst to the world, five teenage kids from Walnut Creek, California, formed a band named after a New Found Glory song, released a five-song EP, and started their journey to put the “punk” back into “pop-punk.” Now, five albums and almost twenty years of aggressive finger-pointing later, they’re still kicking - and this past Sunday showed Charlotte exactly why their name is immortalized in rock history.

As someone who practically lives and breathes punk music, calling this band my number one of all time is a complete understatement. I discovered them in early 2012 through a gaming YouTube video that captivated my friends and me during our school lunch break for weeks on end. It was just after their first record, Under Soil and Dirt, and hearing “States and Minds” for the first time gave me goosebumps like nothing ever had before. Without a doubt, I was hooked. The crazy riffs, distorted tones, and aggressive shouting from frontman Parker Cannon, a kid not much older than me, scratched an itch in my brain I didn't even know I had. Year after year, after replaying their music countless times, I still come back without an ounce of boredom. A decade and a half later, I finally had the honor of witnessing them play from the photo pit at one of the wildest sold-out shows I've ever seen.

The Story So Far brought The Starting Line and Ultra Q to kick off the night, and then took the stage to rock The Fillmore to its core. Unsurprisingly, the moment “The Glass” began to play, mosh pits broke out, crowdsurfers went up, and chaos ensued. “Out of It” blared through the speakers next, bringing even more mayhem with it. Someone had already lost a shoe, and security was getting ready to call for backup to help fans down from the barricade. Between the crazy stage lights and the band playing all across the stage, the energy was so infectious even Parker himself was moving around! He's been very stationary on stage with The Story So Far for the past few years to the point that people joke about it, so this was a very pleasant surprise!

With this only being the fourth night of the tour, TSSF was full of energy and Parker’s vocals were pristine. He thanked the crowd with all his heart during the first interlude, and though nonchalant, he moved mountains with every word he spoke. He wants a circle pit? There'd be one. He wants everyone to jump? No questions asked, the whole venue got their feet off the ground. For a bunch of rowdy adults, they're all pretty good listeners. So good, in fact, that I could hardly wait to finish my photography and jump into the crowd myself - something I rarely do when I'm shooting a show. It looked THAT enticing from the outside.

The transitions from heavier songs to softer songs were smooth as butter, but the crowd’s energy never once dwindled, with every track packing a punch. As I entered the pit for the show's second half to get in on the action, it took nearly an entire song to work my way to the circle pit during “Mock.” And right afterwards, I went up and crowdsurfed to my personal favorite track, “High Regard,” and promptly got kicked in the face and the groin as I was being not-so-gracefully carried to the barricade. Absolutely worth it. I can't accurately describe how insane the pit was, and I'm sure everyone who was there with me would agree. Most of the fans in the middle of the crowd were basically as close as someone can get to being inside an automatic clothes dryer, but it was so much fun you'd almost forget about all the limbs hitting your torso.

Parker usually doesn't sing covers at his shows, but this tour was special in a solemn way. Just a month ago, Chad Gilbert, lead guitarist and founding member of New Found Glory, had passed away after a long battle with cancer. The Story So Far, as we know them, wouldn't exist without him and the rest of NFG, and in tribute, played “Vegas” in his honor. After a few more songs, the band brought the energy down once more as the show neared its conclusion, deciding this night wouldn't end without making the audience cry.

Anyone in the crowd could tell that most of the fans there have a deep personal connection with The Story So Far. Their music is refreshingly relatable, with albums centered around heartbreak, loss, addiction, burnout, and everything that comes with them. Each album brought with it a different theme, but still hits home for millions of listeners thanks to Parker’s masterful writing about his own experiences. As a fan of nearly fifteen years, the band has gotten me through breakups and mental struggles, and most recently, the sudden loss of my mother earlier this year. She was someone I looked up to and admired dearly, and who encouraged me to follow my calling as an artist. I wouldn't be here doing what I love without her. While I Want to Disappear isn't the band’s most popular album by a long shot, it's Parker’s most vulnerable work to date as he recounts his father’s battle with cancer and his passing. This record played a massive part in coping with this year’s tragic loss for me, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't bawl my eyes out multiple times throughout the night, especially at the end.

For the last two tracks of the night, the band played “White Shores” into “Clairvoyant” for back-to-back emotional damage. Parker has mentioned how deeply personal these two songs are to him, and it shows even on the stage. I wiped away tears midway through each song and looked into the crowd to see dozens more doing the same. As sad as it was, there was comfort in knowing none of us were alone in the struggles we've been through that brought us all here together. The lights dimmed over the crowd as “Clairvoyant” ended, and TSSF exited the stage… but not for long. The setlist still had a massive “???” written in big, bold letters - almost like a prophecy waiting to be fulfilled. Out of the three previous shows on this tour, two had ended with Quicksand, and the other with Nerve. Whether by a coin flip or just how the band was feeling, Nerve was chosen to close out this epic night with what can only be described as a war zone on the floor. Everyone knew it was their last chance to mosh or crowdsurf, and their enthusiasm put a massive smile on Parker’s face as he held his hands high in celebration.

Two weeks remain for this tour across the USA, and if the rest of it’s anything like this night, fans better be prepared. And the best part is, The Story So Far officially has a new album in the works after announcements at Sonic Temple and their Europe tour this past summer. With the massive gap between Proper Dose and I Want to Disappear, a potential 2027 release has me in high hopes. There will almost definitely be another tour to accompany its release, so if you missed out on this one, you’ve got another chance!