Mayday parade

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Catching Mayday Parade at the Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park, NJ, was like getting hit with a tidal wave of pure emo nostalgia and chaotic pop punk energy. From the jump, the band had the crowd in an emotional chokehold — fans were screaming, crying, and belting every lyric like their lives depended on it. It was almost unreal to witness thousands of voices rise in perfect unison, echoing the words that helped define a generation of heartbreak and healing. Despite the heavy emotion, the band’s stage presence was full of joy and high energy — they were smiling, running around, and clearly feeding off the crowd’s insane vibe. For an outdoor show, the production was seriously impressive: colorful lighting blasted through the night, and teleprompters displayed fast, trippy visuals that made the whole experience feel larger than life. Crowd surfers flew over the barricade like waves in every direction, adding to the beautiful chaos of it all. Celebrating 20 years as a band, Mayday Parade reminded everyone exactly why they’re emo royalty — this show wasn’t just a concert, it was a full-blown, heart-on-your-sleeve celebration of everything pop punk stands for.