Venue: Millian, Singapore
Date: 16th October 2016
Promoter: Upsurge Productions
Review by: Anna F.
Special Thanks: Mae, and the Upsurge Productions team
Amidst the uncertainty presented by Mother Nature in the form of Typhoon Karen in Manila, Upsurge Productions announced on show day itself that only three members of Mayday Parade were on their way to Singapore and doors would open at 9PM instead. To salvage the situation in the best way possible, frontman Derek Sanders, lead guitarist Alex Garcia and rhythm guitarist Brooks Betts played a special unplugged set.
With admittedly one of the toughest decisions to make, Upsurge was determined to put on a show no one would forget. Even with all the disheartening last-minute changes, fans turned out in full force to the sold out show, decked in Mayday Parade gear and singing along to their favourite Mayday Parade songs whilst waiting for doors to open. The line outside Millian snaked way past the club’s compound and it took more than 30 minutes just to get everyone in.
First up was homegrown pop-rock act Falling Feathers who, along with a four piece backing band, got the crowd pumped during their brief 15-minute set. Despite calls on the event page for Upsurge to scrap the opening act completely to accommodate the Floridian pop-punk band, Falling Feathers remained undeterred and successfully warmed up the audience with their undeniably catchy tunes and contagious energy.
With determination and an unmistakable sense of conviction, Falling Feathers admirably gave their all and showed everyone why they are most definitely on the right track to rule the world.
Up next was Mayday Parade, well… 3/5 of them.
The last time the quintet set foot on our shores was two years ago and this time, even though they were two members short, they were just as well equipped with a backpack full of fireworks, ready to blow the roof off the packed club.
Their 90-minute stripped down set was filled with everyone’s favourite songs coupled with uplifting singalongs, and you could just tell that the members of the audience were grateful just to be blessed by the light of the band’s company. The acoustic setting bolstered the crowd’s voices especially when Derek handed over some of his vocal duties to their enthusiastic fans.
The 30-year-old perpetually barefoot frontman didn’t seem to be affected at all by the series of unfortunate events which left two of his bandmates stranded in Manila. As a matter of fact, none of them did. Brooks even joked about the whole situation which crammed their timeline saying, “I’m upset that I won’t get to eat all your good food. I’m upset that I won’t get to eat any chili crabs.”
The band’s acclaimed hit “Stay” saw phones shoot up in record time to document the heart-wrenching tune, with no one wanting to blink in case they miss the indelible moment. The audience took matters into their own hands most of the time, with some singing backing vocals at the top of their lungs while others somehow managed to vocalize guitar solos and drum beats as well.
As the band performed all their hits, which spanned their impressive 11-year career, it was clear that their music resonated on a deeper level to some.
With an ever-growing number of bracelets adorning his right wrist, Derek took a moment mid-set to give a shoutout to those going through difficult moments in their lives. He said, “I think the very best people in this world are the people who have struggled and have made it through okay.”
The band ended the night with “I’d Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About” and promised that they would keep coming back, with the rest of the band in tow, the next time. The day’s constant change of plans was an apt display of how life can indeed, do terrible things.
However, no one left disappointed and let’s be honest, we can all live without Mayday Parade but, without them we’ll be miserable at best.