As the echoes of Yellowcard’s final song and hit anthem “Ocean Avenue” reverberated through the sold out Honda Center in Anaheim during the 7th annual iHeartRadio and ALT 98.7/FM ALTer Ego fest on Saturday night, a surge of nostalgia pulsated through the crowd.
“It’s not everyday we get to feel young again,” Yellowcard vocalist-guitarist Ryan Key said as he exited the stage following the band’s mighty turn. “After all this time of not making music, you guys brought us back to life.”
And this wasn’t a sentiment exclusive to Yellowcard (a band that went on hiatus in 2018) on this particular evening. The predominantly millennial-aged crowd found themselves transported back to the days of being in their teens and early 20s, immersed in the emo and rock scene of the late ’90s and early ’00s. Adorned in a sea of Doc Martens, vintage band tees and all-black attire, the fans eagerly embraced the musical time traveling journey.
This edition of ALT’s festival featured bands that played a poignant role in the music of that specific time period including Bush, Yellowcard, Fall Out Boy, Sum 41, The Black Keys, Thirty Seconds to Mars and fresher acts like Lovelytheband, The Last Dinner Party and The 1975.
The Black Keys kicked off the night, showcasing the fests strategic move of bringing in a top artist as an opener to pack the venue early. The blues rockers delivered a short and sweet set, playing classics like “Howlin’ For You,” “Tighten Up,” “Gold on the Ceiling” and “Lonely Boy.” The duo debuted its latest song, too, “Beautiful People (Stay High),” a track set to be on the duo’s forthcoming record, due out later this year.
Yellowcard powered through a high dose of pop-punk hits, kicking its set off with “Way Away” and “Lights and Sounds.” In between songs, Key took several moments to express sincere gratitude, acknowledging the band’s prolonged absence and uncertainty about having an awaiting audience. To his…
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