Yellowcard and Memphis May Fire
October 18, 2014
House of Blues- Anaheim, CA
Yellowcard made their triumphant return to Southern California on Saturday selling out HOB Anaheim. The 3rd stop of the month long tour with Memphis May Fire combines the pop-punk and metal-core genres that most would assume would not mesh well unless it was at the Vans Warped Tour.
Following a successful 10th anniversary tour of their hit record, Ocean Avenue that featured two separate acoustic and live sets by Yellowcard at The Observatory, the Florida-born group is currently touring in support of their 9th studio record, Lift a Sail. A trio of songs, Convocation; Transmission Home and Crash the Gates, from their new record opened up the hour-long performance. Not allowing the sold-out crowd to get too comfortable Lights and Sounds and Only One kept the high energy up and was filled by crowd-heavy sing-a-longs to the choruses of each track. Where some artists lack in making their audience part of the show, lead singer Ryan Key seized the opportunity to thank them for all of the support and continuously selling out their Southern California shows every time that they return. A tour that Ryan Key described as “two years in making,” was first thought up while Yellowcard and Memphis May Fire toured together during the 2012 Vans
Warped Tour, a tour where music worlds collide. Memphis May Fire lead singer, Matty Mullins lent his vocals during The Deepest Well. The Ocean Avenue singles, Way Away and Ocean Avenue closed out the performance that showcased that the group has never lost a step and still can deliver a high intensity show.
Memphis May Fire took the stage prior to Yellowcard in a 55-minute energy driven performance that was backed by a massive light set-up and fog machines. Lead singer Matty Mullins fed off the energy from the crowd as the opener, No Ordinary Love set the bar high that only continued. The lyrics, “This is who I am! This is my life. I come alive in the lights! I come alive in the lights” were fitting as the band continued the intensity with Alive in the Lights. Mullins dedicated The Rose to the crowd as a song for the diehard fans who have been there since the beginning before pumping out a crowd favorite The Sinner. The intensity briefly slowed down while Miles Away and Need to Be were performed back-to-back. Beneath the Skin; Prove Me Right and Legacy capped out the stellar performance that pleased everyone in attendance.
If you weren’t able to get your ticket before they sold out, the tour returns on November 15th to Club Nokia in Los Angeles.
Review by: Robert Fayette
Yellowcard
Memphis May Fire
