A Day to Remember took the stage at Phoenix’s annual UFEST event last week, and let’s just say they were the standouts in an already-impressive lineup! With three live debuts, one cover, and endless Metalcore-meets-pop-punk classics, it was the mother of all A Day to Remember concerts.
For anyone who’s seen ADTR live before, you know that’s quite the compliment…as their shows are complete with constant breakdowns (the good kind), massive beach balls, and surfers-on-crowd-surfers. Yes, it’s a thing. But what made the UFEST performance even more exciting? It’s one of their first performances after releasing their latest project, Big Ole Album Vol. 1, in February.
Their eighth album includes ten new standout tracks — three of which they performed for the very first time in Phoenix. Fans soaked up the radio-rock realness of “Bad Blood,” rowdiness of “All My Friends,” and half melancholic, half majestic “Flowers.” And how could they not? A Day to Remember has appealed to every sector of the emo crowd for over two decades now, and the Florida band has only gotten better with age.
What other surprises sprouted up (a nod to “Flowers”) during this A Day to Remember concert? They performed a cover of Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open,” or at least one verse of it. But for the most part? The set was classic ADTR in the best way — a solid mashup of genre-bending realness that’s lit a fire in elder Emos since their Warped Tour days. This also served as a full-circle moment for the crowd, as A Day to Remember is tagging along on the Warped Tour 30th anniversary revival this summer!
Our favorite moments of UFEST? The most famous A Day To Remember songs, including “The Downfall of Us All,” an emo anthem with a “da da da da da da” intro that’s almost as recognizable as My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade.” There’s also “Right Back At It Again,” “Have Faith in Me,” and “If It Means A Lot to You,” along with newer tracks like “Feedback” and “Make it Make Sense.”
To say that A Day to Remember knows their audience would be an understatement. They ended the night with an oldie-but-goodie, “All Signs Point to Lauderdale,” and you could almost taste the angst of the crowd as they chanted with “I hate this town, it’s so washed up, and all my friends don’t give a f***!” It’s edgy, right? These emo icons never fail, and you can relive their UFEST performance in full force by checking out the full Phoenix setlist here.
