Yellowcard and Mighty Fox LIVE Review!

It’s been three years since American pop punk/alternative rock band, Yellowcard, has been back on stage proving to fans they are back from their hiatus to ride down Ocean Avenue once again.

On Saturday, May 17 at 8 p.m., Yellowcard took to the road and made a stop in Naperville, IL for North Central College’s Springfest concert event. It may have been through the college but the 18 and up age limit brought in a wide variety of generations that have been adamant fans since the start of the band in the late 90s.

Opening for Yellowcard was Chicago-based alternative band, Mighty Fox. Band members, Mike Jansen (vocals), Markham Jenkins (guitar), Johnny Walker (bass), and Jon Lewchenko (drums), have been writing and performing together to create music that appeals to everyone and indeed that is what they did that evening.

With a dimly lit stage, skin-tingling notes, and the raw emotion and movements from Jansen, the crowd could not only hear the lyrics but feel them too. Their inspirations, U2 and Coldplay, leaked into their performance but with their own originality, making them the mighty band they claim to be. If you haven’t had the chance to listen to their music visit Spotify and look up their EP Oceans. Your ears will thank you a million times over.

As the night went on, fans squirmed in Pfeiffer Hall anxiously waiting for Yellowcard to take the stage. The night was filled with swaying, dancing, jumping, and screaming. It was no surprise that Yellowcard was prepared to get the crowd out of their seats and rockin’ along to their well-known beats.

To think, this event may have never happened if it were not for their fill-in drummer. Within the last few months, Yellowcard’s original drummer, Longineu W. Parsons III, separated from the band after being a part of the group since the very beginning. Without a drummer, Yellowcard feared they would not be able to perform for the North Central campus.

The band pulled through with a last minute replacement from California who was dealing with the threat of the San Diego fires and the pressure of an hours’ worth of practice time the night before. He pulled through for the band and was recognized on stage in front of a welcoming audience who thanked him with a shout and a cheer.

Ending the night with an early 2000’s throwback, lead singer, Ryan Key belted out “There’s a place off Ocean Avenue where I used to sit and talk with you,” while the crowd gave it one last jump. That’s not the last we will see of their talent either. Look for their new album this fall with Razor & Tie record label.