Self-proclaimed “pop mosh” legends, A Day to Remember, turned The Stage at Suffolk Downs into a field of mayhem, mosh pits and memories. The native Floridians are currently on the “Least Anticipated Album Tour,” boasting support from The Story So Far, Four Year Strong and a mix of smaller hardcore bands; Boston was treated to an opening slot from Long Island’s Pain of Truth.
Celebrating over twenty years as a band, A Day to Remember got their humble start in Ocala, FL, a city known for other heavy acts such as Underoath and Wage War. The band self-released a couple EPs and demos before releasing their 2005 debut, And Their Name Was Treason, on Indianola Records, before making a splash and landing a record deal with Victory Records. 2007 saw the group’s sophomore release, For Those Who Have Heart, which ultimately put them on the map in the pop-punk/metalcore scene. Each subsequent record capitalized and improved on the previous one, earning ADTR a well-deserved recognition internationally.
A Day to Remember has been known for sticking up for the little guys, and this tour is no exception. Various stops of the tour were treated to opening slots from hardcore heavy-hitters SCOWL, Militarie Gun or Pain of Truth – who opened up the Boston show. It may not seem like much, but these 25-minute slots open up a world of opportunity to bands that have found success in hardcore, but not much elsewhere. The other two opening slots were reserved for hometown-heroes Four Year Strong and The Story So Far, who are also touring a brand new album.
“I’m not sure if you are all aware of a bit we do called ‘crowdsurf on a crowdsurf,” said vocalist Jeremy McKinnon. The stunt requires fans to stand on-top of an existing crowd surfer and ride them like a human surfboard. Though it does sound risky or unsafe, there was a record number of crowdsurfing2 that was applauded by the band. The shenanigans continued through the night, complemented by the stage crew’s addition of beach balls, toilet paper and even a t-shirt cannon, fired by Mario.
The title of the tour does not give much away, but it was made apparent by McKinnon that it was their version of an “Eras Tour.” A 23-song setlist spanning all six albums had fans delighted, especially with a rare feature of their “Since U Been Gone” cover that blew up on MySpace and was added to the re-release of For Those Who Have Heart. Before their brief “fake encore,” McKinnon and guitarist Kevin Skaff performed an intimate rendition of “If It Means a Lot to You” to a crowd of lighters and phone flashlights.
The “Least Anticipated Album Tour” continues through the end of July, wrapping up in Nashville before heading to Vegas in October for the “When We Were Young” festival.
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PHOTO GALLERY BY: Cam Cavagnaro
