On Saturday January 31st Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ hosted the Jacksonville, Florida pop punk band Yellowcard on their Ocean Avenue 10th Anniversary Acoustic Tour. Time flies and it is hard to believe it has been a decade since the release of Ocean Avenue. Along the 18 stop tour which spreads around the United States, Yellowcard invited along What’s Eating Gilbert, which is best known for their catchy Doo-wop inspired style and sound. Entering Starland Ballroom, you could tell instantly Yellowcard’s fan base has not dissipated and continues to grow with younger kids and young adults everywhere, eager to get closer to the stage as the performance began.
Starting things off were What’s Eating Gilbert and there 50’s style power pop/old country music. Having a style that breaks generation boundaries, their setlist even yielded some popular covers from greats such as Roy Orbison and Betty Everett. It is clear that lead vocalist Chad Gilbert and his band are on stage to have fun and play music that means something to them. Everyone in Starland Ballroom could not help but smile and bob their head as they powered through a quick, but very entertaining 10 song set. According to Gilbert himself, this band is in for some big things in 2014 which should entice fans to keep their eyes open for more from What’s Eating Gilbert.
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It was now time for the main event, and what an exciting feeling it was throughout Starland Ballroom. Throughout this tour Yellowcard has performed a two part set with the first being Ocean Avenue in its entirety acoustically, while the second acting being a normal set, filled with electric guitars. This type of tour is a testament to the band’s endurance, musicianship, and attitude to pleasing their fans.
Pleased is simply not a strong enough work to describe the excitement in crowd as the band started off with “Way Away” and did not skip a beat as they blasted through all thirteen songs from the album which put them on the map. There were times it was hard to even hear the band with the audience singing along loudly. After a quick break and outfit change, Yellowcard arrived back on stage fully plugged in and ready to rock. Kicking it off with “Paper Walls”, they spiraled through another ten song set with ease. Showing no signs of fatigue, Yellowcard blasted throughout the performance and fed off the abundant energy of Starland Ballroom. Adding to the unforgettable fan experience, violinist Sean Macklin jumped and flipped around stage. As the special two-part performance winded down, the vibe felt all around the venue was that Yellowcard is still on top of their game and undoubtedly made it known.
Written by Jesse Murch
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