By: Hannah Pohlmeyer
Photo by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
Fresh off the first two nights traveling the country, many of the bands that can be found in the Sad Summer Fest made a pit stop in Flagstaff, Arizona, at Pepsi Amphitheater for some summer fun in the woods at the Pop Punk Summer Camp. Kicking off the night was a local band from Phoenix, All the Better.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
If the crowd wasn't paying attention when All the Better first took the stage, they certainly were by the end of their set. Don't let their age fool you, All the Better was an absolute powerhouse on stage. Lead vocalist, Mel Graeff, quickly blossomed after first seeming shy coming on stage. Her soft, yet powerful tone reminded me of a young Hayley Williams. Guitarist Jacob Nupoff brought an energy to the stage that quickly got the crowd on their feet and energized the rest of the band. I am super excited to watch All the Better continue to grow and see where their new music takes them.
Next up for the night was the first of the bands taking a night off from the Sad Summer Fest run: Daisy Grenade.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
Right before hitting the stage, there was a gasp heard across the crowd as a beautiful baby blue guitar crashed to the ground off a guitar stand. After picking it up, it was clear to everyone in attendance that the guitar was pretty broken. After the band noticed, they took a few extra moments off stage to sort things out and collect their emotions before coming on stage and absolutely EXPLODING with energy. Running out in their matching red outfits, lead vocalists Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker captivated concert-goers immediately. But if their energy didn't draw you in, then their vocals certainly did. Nigro and Whittaker where powerhouses on stage, never letting their running, dancing, and jumping along with the audience hinder their incredible sound. Halfway through the set, Whittaker revealed it was her guitar that had fallen and asked the crowd to give them some extra energy while performing the song she should have been playing to. Playing songs like their new release, "Hypocrite," it was clear there were already quite a few fans in the crowd, but a lot more were gained by the end of their set. I personally had never listened to Daisy Grenade until seeing them at Pop Punk Summer Camp, but have had them on repeat ever since.
Still riding the high from Daisy Grenade, the crowd next welcomed Cassadee Pope to the stage.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
Following the electric performance of Daisy Grenade was no easy feat, but Cassadee Pope came out on fire. Pope, former singer for Hey Monday and the 2012 winner of The Voice kept the high energy going and lit up the stage with her powerful vocals. As a one woman show with a rotating band alongside her, Pope knew how to take control all by herself. About to kickoff a tour for her new album, Hereditary, Flagstaff got to see a sneak peek of many songs off the album being played live for the first time as well as many classics like her song "Homecoming."
Following Cassadee Pope, the sprinkling rain that started during her set quickly rolled into a downpour with lightning and thunder surrounding the area. Guests were told to shelter in place until lighting passed. After nearly two hours of waiting and many sweatshirts sold at the merch tables (a note to all bands- sweatshirts are always a good idea, even in Arizona!), Real Friends was welcomed to the stage with roaring applause and the screams of fans anxious to get the night rolling again.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
Real Friends quickly jumped into gear with a high energy, fast paced set to make up for time lost during the storms. Performing hits new and old, it didn't take long before the audience was once again jumping along and crowdsurfing through the pit. One of the first bands to really make the emo pop punk genre what it is today, Real Friends still knows how to put on an electric show. Dan Lambton took over lead vocals for the group in 2020, but certainly has the power and grit to deliver songs like "From the Outside" fans expect to hear. As they've previously done on their stops in Arizona, Real Friends covered hometown band Jimmy Eats World song "Sweetness" which got locals and visitors really singing along. Dave Knox, lead guitarist and one of the founding members of the band, brings out a whole other level of vigor to the stage, getting the crowd on their feet and encouraging everyone to sing along. The wait was definitely worth it for the unforgettable set delivered by Real Friends, another group hitting the road with Sad Summer Fest.
Unfortunately, the remainder of the sets had to be cut short from the previous storm delays. But nonetheless, The Summer Set came out and packed all they could into their shortened set; and boy did they deliver.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
Having only played a handful of hometown shows since the band's hiatus came to an end in 2021, the crowd was eager to welcome Arizona natives, The Summer Set, to the stage. All five band members demanded the audience to get on their feet and get dancing as they played through both new and old hits. Halfway through the set, lead vocalist Brian Dales welcomed back out Cassadee Pope to help perform their song "Teenagers." Shortly after the band teased a cover One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" before Dales finally caved and they performed a pop punk version of the song which really got the crowd excited and moshing in the middle of the pit. Closing out an electric and energetic set, The Summer Set finished with their song "Lightening in a Bottle," a fitting song as lightening and rain continued to circle the venue.
Next up was another long time favorite of the rock and pop punk scene, The Wonder Years.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
The Wonder Years hit the stage nearly two hours past their scheduled start time and at this point, the crowd was starting to feel it. The beginning of their set kicked off with some of their mellow songs but didn't take long before they jumped into some of their heavier hits and got the crowd moving again. Although they were also working with a shortened set, The Wonder Years was sure to check all the boxes of a great performance.
As The Wonder Years rounded out their set and the crowd was huddled together to stay warm while awaiting one of the most anticipated sets of the night, sunflowers began to appear on stage and, in the midst of a rainy night, a garden appeared. There was a buzz of excitement across the audience as pop punk legends, Mayday Parade, took the stage.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
Mayday Parade is one of those bands that fans will say to people "man, you have to see them live" and boy are they right. From the moment a barefoot Derek Sanders took the stage with his mic held high, the crowd went absolutely wild. Their set started off with some newer music before jumping into hits like "Jersey" and "Stay" before ending things off with one of their biggest hits, "Jaime All Over." The crowd quickly forgot any of their worries about being wet and cold from the storms earlier in the night and truly got lost in the music and emotions of fans around them.
After Mayday Parade and their sunflower garden left the stage, anticipation reached its max as the crowd anxiously awaited the final act of the night, hometown heroes, The Maine.
Photos by: Life is Sweet Photography- Hannah Pohlmeyer
As a fan myself I can say, if you haven't seen The Maine live, you're massively missing out. From their stage presence to their incredible sound to the audience involvement, their shows are more than just a concert - they're a full experience. Lead singer John O'Callahan is electric on stage. He manages to draw in the crowd unlike any other artist I've seen live while maintaining incredible vocals. Bassist Garret Nickelsen brings the energy as he bounces around the stage as lost in the music as the crowd while guitarist Kennedy Brock provides stunning back up vocals, always looking like he is soaking in every minute of being on stage. Drummer Pat Kirch often feels tucked away to the back of the stage, but brings out an incredible performance nonetheless while guitarist Jared Monaco puts on a performance that is hard to look away from. Although they may not be the same young men when The Maine first began, their love for performing and putting on the best possible show they can has yet to fade in their 17 years together. Halfway through their set, The Maine brought up a young fan to help them sing their newest single "Touch," letting him lead the crowd in some jumps and dance moves. The Maine played a few favorites off their newest album, self-titled The Maine, such as "leave in five" and "blame" while also throwing in a few older favorites "Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu" and "Girls Do What They Want" where, in classic The Maine fashion, they brought up another fan to help them sing along.
After a shortened set with lots of crowd surfing, loud singing, and emotions flowing through the band and crowd, The Maine closed out their set with "Loved You a Little," the audience helping sing the parts typically covered by Charlotte Sands and Taking Back Sunday's Adam Lazzara. Even after The Maine headed off stage to chat with fans up next to the barricade, the adrenaline was running throughout Pepsi Amphitheater as people made their way back out into the forest night.
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