New Found Glory
with This Time Next Year, Man Overboard, The Wonder Years and Set Your Goals
Revolution Live
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
October 16, 2011
Review by Emily Bloch
Photos by Lauren Laufer
It was a day full of downpour, but it didn't seem to impede on anyone's spirits. If pop punk could live through 90s boy bands and dubstep, it could definitely fight through a little stormy weather. Enter Revolution.
This Time Next Year singer - Pete Dowdalls
The show began with under-card act This Time Next Year. The young five-piece took over the stage with their larger than life energy and constant air time. Despite being openers, TTNY commanded the audience with their presence. It was a more than fitting choice as an opening band, with charismatic New Found Glory-esque vocals complimenting their music.
Next was Man Overboard. The band played favorites from the start, opening with “Montrose.” Larger boys acted as step stools for the crowd, which was full of energy as they flung themselves full force to songs like “Favorite Girl.” New songs ignited circle pits and older songs such as “Fantasy Girl” lead to silly dancing in the pit by John James Ryan, Jr., The Wonder Years' infamous tour manager. The mix of old and new became even more perfect as the band closed with their usual, “Love Your Friends, Die Laughing.”
Man Overboard drummer - Mike Hrycenko
As the dancing ended, Ryan Jr. hopped on stage to help The Wonder Years set up. Their set started with new anthem, “Came Out Swinging.” The crowd went insane! Bodies were flying everywhere ecstatically. As the band segued into “Melrose Diner,” the mix of song choices from their albums, Suburbia, I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing, and The Upsides was spread out nicely. The crowd was so supportive as the band closed with favorites, “Logan Circle,” “My Last Semester” and finally, “Washington Square Park.”
Spotlights whirled against the closed red curtain and cheering was heard from every angle.
Set Your Goals bassist - Joseph Saucedo
Next up was Set Your Goals, who fans have been waiting to see again since their last performance at Warped. Despite the release of their new album, it was refreshing for everyone to hear the band play so many of their oldies that originally put them on the map such as “Echoes.” With co-vocals at their very finest, Set Your Goals proved why they stay the kings of pop punk as they dished out songs like “The Fallen,” “Summer Jam” and new songs too, including “Certain.” The set was full of joy like no other as they played “Goonies Never Say Die” as the soundtrack to a stage dive contest. This was a set riled up like very few. The band closed with “Mutiny” as the crowd broke out into just that; pure mutiny.
Lastly, what we had been waiting for. Spotlights whirled against the closed red curtain and cheering was heard from every angle. The crowd became more and more compact when finally, New Found Glory ran out! With a Coral Springs support system at either end of the stage, it was comforting to see a band that's become so successful play where they started—in front of loved ones and die-hard fans.
NFG drummer - Cyrus Bolooki
The band began with “Hit or Miss” and continued to whip out favorite after favorite. You fail to realize how large their repertoire really is until you look at their set list and realize they still had more tracks they could've played. From new songs such as “Radiosurgery” off their CD of the same name, to “Truth of My Youth” and “Understatement,” the band took everyone down nostalgia road as the energy skyrocketed and the crowd surfing became monumental. After playing “Listen To Your Friends,” the band left for a brief intermission...Or should I say costume change. They returned in matching black and red New Found Glory basketball jerseys with customized last name and favorite numbers on the back. In these uniforms they began playing covers of “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “Basket Case,” and finally closed for the night with the ultimate anthem, “My Friends Over You.”
The band brought the thunder more-so than I've ever seen. In fact, every band gave the night their all. It was amazing how they all complimented each other's sets so well without “borrowing” from one another's sound. This tour proved that pop punk is certainly nowhere near dead.
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NFG guitarist - Steve Klein
Set Your Goals
Man Overboard bassist - Nik Bruzzese