Mayday Parade says 3 cheers to 20 years with a walk down memory lane last Sunday in Brisbane.
Kicking the night (14 September) into overdrive was Seattle's own high-octane four-piece The Home Team, with Brian Butcher commanding the mic, Daniel Matson pounding the drums, Ryne Olson locking in the low end on bass, and John Baran shredding on guitar.
From the second they stormed the stage, the energy was impossible to ignore. The band leapt and moved in perfect chaos, each chord igniting the crowd into motion until the whole room was bouncing in unison.
Midway through the set, Butcher paused the frenzy to speak directly to the crowd. "Thank you so much for coming early; and I know you didn't have too. We appreciate it. We are a long way from home. We did not think we would be doing sh.t like this."
The honesty landed as hard as the riffs, drawing the audience even closer. Their set played like a roller coaster, shifting between explosive highs and heartfelt moments, but by the end, one thing was undeniable: The Home Team were a band worth remembering.
The Home Team - image © KealiJoan Studios
Next up was Jack's Mannequin, with Andrew McMahon on piano and vocals, Bobby 'Raw' Anderson on guitar, Mikey 'The Kid' Wagner on bass, and Jay McMillan on drums.
From the very first piano notes, the mood shifted, suddenly cinematic, awash with Fray vibes that felt like the soundtrack to a collective memory. The crowd didn't just sing-along; they took over.
Every chorus hit with such force, the band was nearly drowned out, the audience's voices carried so loudly you could barely hear Andrew's vocals over the tidal wave of sound.
Midway through the set, Andrew paused to share something deeply personal. "It took me too late before we left for tour to also realise that I was celebrating 20 years as a cancer survivor.
"I found myself very grateful to still be on this Earth so many years later. We do this song, I send it out to my fellow survivors, but I also send it out to anybody who is sitting in this audience, who has gone through something. You know, a break-up, illness, we all got our stuff, and wherever you are, this is for you."
That moment of vulnerability, set against the backdrop of thousands of voices singing in unison, made their set unforgettable. Jack's Mannequin weren't just performing, they were uniting the room in a shared experience bigger than the music itself.
Jack's Mannequin - image © KealiJoan Studios
Finally, it was time for the headliners, Mayday Parade. Derek Sanders walked onto the stage alone, sitting at the piano to open the set in a stripped-back, intimate moment that instantly captivated the room.
From there, Sanders was joined by Brooks Betts on guitar, Jake Bundrick on drums, Jeremy Lenzo on bass, and Alex Garcia on lead guitar as they launched into a career-spanning set that had the crowd hanging onto every word.
Mayday Parade - image © KealiJoan Studios
One of the highlights came when they brought Brian Butcher from The Home Team back onstage for a blistering rendition of 'One Of Them Will Destroy The Other'. The collaboration felt electric, a merging of generations and energies that sent the audience into a frenzy.
Midway through, Sanders took a moment to share a message that resonated deeply. "I want to say a few things real quick. It feels to me like things are pretty crazy in the world right now, all right? And it makes me appreciate having this.
"To me, this is a place where we can put all the bad sh.t aside for a little bit and just enjoy music and friendship and good people; and I think it's really important to have that.
"I also think it's really important to say in light of everything that's going on, that we love all of you, and we support all of you, regardless of your race, religion, gender, sexual preference.
Mayday Parade - image © KealiJoan Studios
"We love all of you, and I think that we should all try to be a little less angry with each other and to be kind to each other and treat each other with empathy and compassion, even if we don't understand each other. I'd say, especially if we don't understand each other. Just be nice to each other."
It was a powerful reminder of what makes live music so vital, a place of connection, catharsis, and community. Mayday Parade closed out the night not just as performers, but as leaders of a moment that felt bigger than the stage.
More photos from the concert.
