Show Review, Photos: A Day To Remember Bring 'Least Anticipated Tour' To Oakland Arena
A Day To Remember
‘The Least Anticipated Album’ Tour
w/ The Story So Far, Four Year Strong, Scowl
Oakland Arena
Oakland, CA
July 12th, 2024
Review and Photos by Jaime Schultz
On Friday night, Florida’s A Day To Remember brought one of their biggest touring productions ever to the Bay Area with the Oakland stop of their “Least Anticipated Album” tour. While the arena wasn’t packed beyond belief, those in attendance seemed to be enjoying themselves, feeding off the energy of the Ocala, FL quintet’s music, along with a slew of great opening performances that kicked off the weekend. You couldn’t wander too far without seeing a fan donned in an older piece of A Day To Remember merchandise (the band produced a handful of iconic designs during their rise in the early 2000s), and even with a handful of newer songs thrown into the mix, it felt like a throwback of a different time.
The show was opened by Santa Cruz locals Scowl, a hardcore act who have been making a name for themselves across the country over the past few years. This is definitely a band that benefits more from playing in a smaller room that is packed to the gills with fans screaming the words back, but vocalist Kat Moss and company did their damndest to raise the energy in the building as people filtered in from outside. Four Year Strong - always a crowd favorite - followed with a short but outstanding set that featured their signature blend of pop-punk vocal riffs and metalcore-esque breakdowns. They’ve always fit in perfectly with bands like A Day To Remember, and they continue to draw out excitement from moshers and crowd surfers.
Another hometown act, the Bay Area’s The Story So Far, took the stage for a main support set that found the arena on its feet, with audience members airborne (see: crowd surfing) throughout the entire performance. Their set spanned their five-album career, ranging from their most recent album I Want To Disappear to fan favorites from albums like Under Soil and Dirt and What You Don’t See.
Since the moment they started to gain notoriety within the metalcore and pop-punk scene, A Day To Remember has always managed to pump up the theatricality of their set, utilizing their budget to make the biggest shows possible. For their Oakland performance, they spared no expense as confetti cannons were launched into the crowd as vocalist Jeremy McKinnon roared the opening line to the heavy-handed “Sticks & Bricks”. Pyrotechnics covered the stage throughout the entire twenty-plus song set that spanned their impressive career, while confetti and even rolls of toilet paper were thrown into the crowd throughout the night, the latter being a set staple since their song “All Signs Point To Lauderdale” was introduced back in 2010. Whether performing something from For Those Who Have Heart (“The Danger In Starting a Fire”) or a newer entry like “Feedback”, they gave it their all and those in attendance seemed to be having a blast. The band even pulled out an old cover of theirs: for the first time in over ten years, at the insistence of new touring bassist Bobby Lynge, the band performed their version of Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone”.
A two-song encore featured “It’s Complicated” and the anthemic “The Downfall Of Us All”, a track that has worked effectively as both a set opener and closer over the years. There’s still no word on when A Day To Remember will be releasing a new album, but shows like these will be more than enough to tide over diehard fans until that day comes.
A Day To Remember Set List
Sticks & Bricks
All I Want
2nd Sucks
Paranoia
I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?
Right Back At It Again
Miracle
Violence (Enough Is Enough)
Mindreade
r
Rescue Me
Have Faith In Me
My Life For Hire
Feedback
Since U Been Gone (Kelly Clarkson cover)
You’ll Be Tails, I’ll Be Sonic
Mr. Highway’s Thinking About The End
Resentment
All Signs Point To Lauderdale
The Danger In Starting A Fire
This Is The House That Doubt Built
If It Means A Lot To You
Encore:
It’s Complicated
The Downfall of Us All
