Ten years ago, early 2000s pop-punk icons Yellowcard announced their disbandment after the release of their self-titled album Yellowcard. New music seemed unlikely, until the band announced their reunion in 2022. In October 2025, the band released their first album in 9 years, Better Days, much to the excitement of the fans. Early last month, the band embarked on a massive headliner tour, the “Up Up Down Down Tour”, hitting major cities across North America up until June 20. On June 11, Yellowcard stopped at City Parks Foundation Summerstage in the heart of New York’s legendary Central Park for a sold-out show. Despite the sweltering heat, the fans had the time of their lives at Yellowcard’s biggest NYC headliner to date.
Kicking off the night was pop-rock band and early 2000s icons Plain White T’s. Opening with “Feeling (More Like) Myself” from their 2023 self-titled album, the band already got the crowd energized. Right after the second song, frontman Tom Higgenson even gave a fan at barricade a guitar pick after he asked. Besides a few newer tracks, the band mostly played older hits of theirs, which encapsulate the early 2000s pop-rock era. Towards the end of the set, they performed their biggest hit and one of the defining tracks of the early 2000s, “Hey There Delilah”, and the band pointed out how special it was to be performing it in New York City. As the band performed the song, the voices of the crowd boomed throughout the venue as they sang along to every lyric, especially the iconic chorus. Ending the set with a bang, the fans were fully prepared for the upcoming acts.
PLAIN WHITE T’S: Website | Instagram | Facebook | X
The second and final opener were pop-punk icons New Found Glory. With an extensive 15-song setlist, the early 2000s rockers performed a variety of newer tracks and old fan-favorites. The band opened with “Love Song” from their latest album Listen Up!, which was released in February, and then went into “Understatement” from their career-defining 2002 album Sticks and Stones. Despite being around for nearly 30 years, New Found Glory had absolutely no shortage of energy, which in turn encouraged the crowd to get off their feet from the very beginning of the set. Vocalist Jordan Pundik sprinted across the stage while delivering high-energy anthems, and bassist Ian Grushka and touring guitarist Dan O’Connor made sure the fans kept jumping along. The band also made sure to consistently engage with the fans; halfway through the set, they threw out three small t-shirts into the crowd. To close out the set, the band performed their biggest hit and one of the most genre-defining pop-punk tracks of the early 2000s, “My Friends Over You”, and the fans were more active than ever as multiple crowdsurfers came through the venue. After New Found Glory’s dynamic set, the crowd had more than enough energy for the headlining act.
NEW FOUND GLORY: Website | Instagram | Facebook | X
At around 8:20pm, the lights dimmed for the final time that night as cheers filled the venue. Suddenly, the Ghostbusters theme began to play as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man ran across the stage with a Ghostbuster chasing him and shooting out free t-shirts into the crowd. As they left the stage, the screen below the drum kit began showing clips of Top Gun, and the band finally walked onto the stage as the venue erupted with excitement. From the get-go, the fans knew that they were in for a show full of fun pop-punk with some retro nostalgia mixed in. After they concluded their instrumental cover of “Top Gun Anthem”, the band went into the title track of their newest album Better Days.
Yellowcard’s signature is their classic energetic 2000s pop-punk sound combined with violin elements, performed by Sean Mackin, making them a unique standout and has helped them remain a household name in pop-punk for so many years. Despite the muggy humidity in Central Park that night, the crowd kept moving consistently and never showed signs of slowing down. The band performed a variety of new songs, like “Love Letters Lost”, and old tracks, such as fan-favorites like “Way Away” and “For You and Your Denial”. After they performed a song from the new album, “You Broke Me Too”, there was a brief intermission where the stage was made to look like a small, intimate living room with sofas and lamps. Calling it “Meemaw’s Basement”, the band slowed things down a bit and performed a few acoustic songs, one of which Ryan dedicated to his son.
In the middle of their song “Empty Apartment”, the band transitioned into electric instruments again and went back to the full stage setup. For the second half of their 19-song set, they brought the energy up higher than ever, with several crowdsurfers coming through constantly. Towards the end of the set, Ryan Key thanked the fans for all their support, saying that without them, they wouldn’t be there, especially not headlining their biggest NYC show in their nearly 30-year career. The band concluded the set with their biggest hit and one of the most iconic early 2000s pop-punk songs, “Ocean Avenue”, and the fans gave it their all for the final song of the night. The voices of the crowd nearly rivaled the band as they sang along to the famous chorus, and the crowdsurfing continued until the final note. Although the heat that day was brutal, Yellowcard fans in NYC had the time of their lives in Central Park.
YELLOWCARD: Website | Instagram | Facebook | X
Yellowcard Tour
