Mayday Parade

Jenn Cohen | April 1, 2012 | 0 Comments

by Katie Schmoker

Mayday Parade, We the Kings, the Downtown Fiction, and Anarbor played to a sold-out crowd Saturday, February 25, at the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs.

The lighter pop-rock sound, and mainstream success, of these bands attracted an audience composed mostly of teens, with parents closely monitoring at the side and back of the venue. The atmosphere was light and fun, the only time a four-person mosh pit broke out was during a Mayday Parade song; the band challenged the crowd to get into “the heaviest part” of the song “Black Cat.”

Dressed in casual unlabeled stripes, v-necks, and Polos, Anarbor grooved through several songs, including a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Slade Echeverria (lead vocals, bass guitar) introduced their new guitarist Dave Melillo with an adventurous story about how Melillo had saved the Phoenix, Arizona, band from certain death on black ice the previous night. Melillo shyly added that it was his fault they had slid.

Cameron Leahy (lead vocals, guitar) of the three-man Downtown Fiction, entertained the audience by singing with the animated intensity of a boy band without the cheesy commercial choreography and silly lyrics. Reaching out for the crowd, Leahy strived to build a connection throughout the set. The audience responded, and by the end was singing the chorus of “I Just Want to Run” for Leahy.

We the Kings played an acoustic set; Danny Duncan (drums), has a broken arm from a story that suspiciously resembles “Titanic” and ends in Duncan saving 300 small kittens. Regardless of the less-than-fortunate circumstances surrounding the injury, the acoustic set was a real treat; they played an especially emotional tribute of Jason Mraz’ “Heaven Can Wait” dedicated to past member Charles Trippy (bass guitar). Trippy left the band earlier this year to receive treatment for a brain tumor.

Mayday Parade played their melodic pop rock to a warm adoring crowd who reached up as the dynamic members played to different sides of the stage. They played through a set of eleven songs, including “Kids in Love,” “Three Cheers,” “Miserable at Best,” and “Anywhere but Here.” Derek Sanders (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), held hands of people in the front row or grabbed his hair in angst, adding to the genuine feel of the poignant set. Jake Bundrick (drums, percussion, vocals), developed a blister on his vocal chords prior to the show, so Jeremy Lenzo (bass guitar, vocals), filled in for him. The throng of devotees demanded an encore, and Mayday Parade satiated the demand with “Stay” and “Jersey.” Mayday Parade will be back in Denver for Warped Tour this summer.

Check out an interview with MayDay Parade at www.coloradomusicbuzz.com