A Day To Remember and Yellowcard bring “Maximum Fun” to Noblesville

Friday, September 19th, may have been a swelteringly hot day, but that didn’t discourage fans from coming out to catch A Day To Remember and Yellowcard on their co-headlining “Maximum Fun” tour stop at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, Indiana. Kicking off the show for us were State Champs and Boundaries, both bands that have a real shot at headlining at this 25,000-seat venue one day. And despite the heat and the fact that two major music festivals are happening nearby at the same time this weekend, that amphitheater was packed with fans of all ages, ready for a night of live music. 

Boundaries is a band I’ve happened to see live before, although in a much smaller venue than this one. The bigger venue was not a problem for them, though, as they got the energy going and the crowd moving as they filed into their spots for the night, even all the way back to the lawn. If you’re looking for a new heavy-hitting band that loves to scream to listen to, they’re one I’d definitely recommend looking into.

State Champs came out to a crowd that was already full of their fans, and it showed in the way they got the whole place dancing. It’s clear they’re meant to play venues this large, even if they’re not yet at that point as headliners; their stage presence filled the venue, and by the end of their set, there wasn’t a body that wasn’t moving along with them. They’re a much different vibe than our first opener, but with the fact that the headliners aren’t the same style musically, I think it worked well to alternate between bands that make you want to headbang and bands that make you want to dance. 

Yellowcard was unique from the get-go, thanks to their live violinist Sean Mackin, an obvious favorite of the fans based on the crowd’s reaction to him each time he got up on a riser to play. We’d not seen any pyrotechnics yet in the night, but Yellowcard was set to change that with frequent use of them, as well as fun, colorful boombox-resembling lights set up behind the band to really get the party started. The crowd was full of fans who had seen Yellowcard before, but even more were seeing them just for the first time that night. Everyone was on their feet dancing for the entirety of the set, even all the way to the tops of the lawn.

Their setlist was filled with new songs, old songs, and new songs that make it feel like it’s an old song. One of the latter of these songs was “Bedroom Posters,” a track off their upcoming new album that’s meant to take you back to Warped Tour 2004. They also played their latest single, “Better Days,” which happens to be their first #1 charting song, and with the chill, happy-go-lucky vibe it brings out, along with strong guitar and drum jam breaks, I can definitely see why it’s been so successful. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Yellowcard show without them playing “Ocean Avenue,” which happened to be the closing song on the setlist. It was an obvious full-venue hit, and even got the first crowdsurfing of the night going.

And finally, it was time for A Day To Remember, who came out hitting hard immediately with “The Downfall Of Us All” straight into “I’m Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?“. It didn’t take long for the crowd to get hyped up thanks to those songs and the fact the first confetti cannons of the night went off at the beginning of the third song, “Right Back At It Again.” The crowdsurfing began, and when vocalist Jeremy McKinnon called for a circle pit, one not only opened up in the GA pit, but on the lawn as well. The lawn moshpit was impressive, with nearly 100 people joining in to keep it going for the rest of the night, which earned them a shoutout from the band.

McKinnon also stated early on that the band was aiming to play as many songs as possible that night, earning us a 17-song setlist full of songs both old and new. “All My Friends” was a crowd favorite – especially thanks to McKinnon’s call to ‘cheers’ before the last chorus that had everyone singing along. They also played a newer song that McKinnon stated was one of his favorites and about doing something nice that doesn’t happen much these days, titled “Flowers.” They also played “Die For Me,” the third time the song had ever been played live, and “The Plot To Bomb The Panhandle” off their second album, “For Those Who Have Heart.”

The setlist wasn’t the only thing that contained the band’s stage antics, however. With tons of pyro and five different confetti shoots, there was never a moment when something wasn’t happening. Basketball goals were brought out onto the stage, and a huge assortment of inflatable balls were tossed into the crowd for a short competition between halves of the venue to see who could make the most goals during “Lebron.” And if that wasn’t enough, the band also chucked toilet paper rolls into the crowd to be tossed around and decorate the venue with.

This tour’s only just getting started, so be sure to check if there are any dates near you and grab your tickets before they sell out!