Back in October, we were given the chance to check out Mayday Parade, The Maine, and The Postelles when they stopped by Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ for their fall tour. These pop rock bands did not disappoint the sold out crowd, putting on a concert that was sure to be memorable for everyone attending.
First up was The Postelles. Normally at concerts, the opening band has to try their hardest to even gain the attention of the crowd. This was definitely not the case with The Postelles. Within their first song on stage, they had the crowd grooving along. The Brooklyn natives performed a bunch of songs off their self-titled album like "White Night" and "Sleep on the Dance Floor". If you've never heard of them before, picture an Indie rock band that has a touch of a throwback '50s feel. We loved the energy the guys brought to the stage. Frontman Daniel Balk even made his way into the crowd during their set. Talk about up close and personal. They definitely made fans out of every audience member by the end of the night.
Next, The Maine took the stage. Since it was a co-headlining tour, the crowd was going insane when the guys took to the stage. They opened their set with "Like We Did" off their latest CD Pioneer. I think one of the greatest things about this band is that every song sounds completely different from each other. The band sang newer songs like "Good Love" off their 2012 EP, as well as oldies like "I Must Be Dreaming" from their 2008 album Can't Stop Won't Stop. Lead singer John O'Callaghan kept the audience engaged with his witty banter and smooth vocals. Our favorite song of the night had to be "Inside of You" off their 2008 album Black & White. One thing's for sure, these guys know how to rock.
Last up was Mayday Parade. Every time we see these guys in concert we come away completely in awe of how talented they are. In particular, their songwriting is so strong, setting them apart from other bands in the music scene. The Florida natives started off the night with our personal favorite song of theirs, "Stay". While it's one of their softer songs, they had the crowd's full attention from the get-go. You could hear the audience singing their hearts out loud and clear. We couldn't help but notice though just how humble and grateful they all are. Frontman Derek Sanders declared his love for the crowd numerous times throughout the night. In fact, Sanders even said that we were the best audience of the whole tour so far and the show they were most looking forward to playing. What can we say, New Jersey always knows how to bring it. Mayday Parade performed all their well known songs, from their latest self-titled album to their 2007 CD A Lesson in Romantics. This of course included fan favorites "Jamie All Over", "When You See My Friends", and "Black Cat". A highlight of the night came when the band sang "Jersey", given we're located in the great Garden State. The energy in the room at that moment was indescribable. If you ever have the chance to see this band live, GO!
We had a blast covering Mayday Parade/ The Maine/ The Postelles concert at Starland Ballroom. Many thanks to Big Hassle Media for hooking us up for the night. If you haven't already, make sure to follow Mayday Parade, The Maine, and The Postelles on Twitter. Also, check out our video recap below featuring footage we took at the show as well as all our pictures we snapped throughout the night:
Photo Credit: Stephanie Coffey and Nicole Wood
