Mayday Parade: Melbourne Gig Review 12/09/25
- Clara Gesulga
- Sep 30
- 9 min read
Mayday Parade: Three Cheers For 20 Years - Melbourne Gig Review 12/09/25
Pop rock | Emo pop | Piano rock
I journeyed through the jungles of Yarra/Melbourne Park for an hour, completely lost, but with my eyes on the prize like a hungry caveman ready to savage her awaited dinner.
After managing to navigate myself to every venue in the area but the correct one, I successfully escaped the matrix and found my way to the entrance of Margaret Court Arena, just in the nick of time for myself and fellow Hot & Heavy Show crew member and photographer Diaval Lestat [@badkarmaphotos] (who’s photos from the night are featured throughout this review) to check our tickets in for the emo/pop punk band Mayday Parade’s Three Cheers For 20 Years tour in Melbourne, Australia (12/09/2025) with support from Jack’s Mannequin and The Home Team.
As we were waiting outside, we overheard that there were potentially some technical issues during soundcheck, delaying doors by about half an hour (doors were originally 7PM).
No problem with me, nor did it sound to be any detriment to other patrons, as the crew running the show absolutely locked in to get everybody into the door and the acts onto the stage as quickly as possible.
The weather too was very nice while we all waited outside, with heaps of shade as well so it was very comfortable and the vibes among us stayed consistently high.
One of the points that I was very eager to mention here was that the sound and lighting team did an absolutely phenomenal job. More on this later in my review, but I was blown away by the quality of sound I was experiencing at my seat with each band that played. That alone made the short delay the soooo worth it to myself and many others.
Inside the venue, the foyer quickly filled as patrons checked in. After taking a moment to ground myself in the space which was digitally decked out in the band’s signature shade of pink from [2025] albums Sweet and Sad (to be released October 3rd), I felt the time crunch and did a runner to the merch table.
I didn’t get to look as closely as I’d have liked to but from what I saw, there appeared to be a really broad selection of Mayday Parade merchandise; Awesome front & back T-Shirt designs in a variety of colours such as “blue jean”, “moss” (grey), “wine” (purple) and a black T-Shirt with each date of the Australian leg of the tour listed on it. There was also a really cool black crew-neck jumper, a hoodie in “cypress green”, a tote bag, poster, vinyl and CD.
If you missed out on grabbing merch during their Australian tour, most of it is still available to order online from the official Mayday Parade merch store here.
The Home Team and Jack’s Mannequin both had a nice selection of shirts and hoodies and Jack’s Mannequin also had a very groovy looking poster on display.
The clock was ticking, and it was almost time for Margaret Court Arena to unleash us into our respective seated and standing areas.
The stage glowed a pretty shade of purple as waves of dedicated fans began to flood down onto the floor and up through the pews of Margaret Court, buzzing with excitement after waiting so eagerly to get in the door.
People came prepared with their band merch and their aromatic buckets of hot chips from the Margaret Court Arena café, feeling uplifted and animated, ready for a night of dancing (on the floor and in the seats) and marvellous time singing along to the greatest hits from The Home Team [US], Jack’s Mannequin [US] and the beloved headliner of the night Mayday Parade, who came to us all the way from Tallahassee, Florida to celebrate their 20th anniversary together as a band.
Shortly after patrons warmed up their seats and decided on their spots, Seattle pop-rock band The Home Team took to the foggy stage with upmost flair. This energetic quartet delivered strong vocals from Brian Butcher [frontman] and an upbeat melody, transmitting electricity throughout the arena at every beat, each member glowing under the purple stage lights.
From what I’ve observed of some other bands that I’ve witnessed in my time, it seems to be a whole new beast when upscaling to an arena setting. Sometimes it can be difficult to fully occupy the space, but The Home Team had absolutely no issue with this. The stage presence was absolutely fantastic, with Ryne Olson [bass] and John Baran [guitar] both dancing in synchronisation whilst shredding away, and Daniel Matson tying everything together with his drumming flawlessly. The boys were well rehearsed, full of sass, and between choreographed flykicks Butcher at one point addresses the audience,
“Do you like shaking ass to rock music?”
The answer was yes. The crowd went wild for it.
During The Home Team’s song “Walk This World With Me”, fans even took it upon themselves to light up the arena with an unprompted show of flashlights - a beautiful moment during only the first set and a great show of The Home Team’s dedicated fan base all the way over here in Melbourne.
Finishing off the set with vigour (and some more booty dancing), the crowd errupted as The Home Team disassembled from the stage, leaving us with a long-lasting impact of awe. Groovy, funky and electric.
For fans of Dayseeker, Honey Revenge or (one of their greatest influences) Don Broco, The Home Team is a fresh and lively band that will suit your tastes wonderfully. Earlier this year, The Home Team also released a deluxe version of their LP The Crucible Of Life [2024] which featured some of its songs during the night’s set. I absolutely recommend you check the record out.
As the violet lights turned to indigo, Pop-rock band Jack’s Mannequin next took to the fog-filled stage, hailing all the way from Orange County, California. The piano is an integral part of the Jack’s Mannequin sound, fitting very well with the flow of the night’s performances and blending well with Mayday Parade’s recent works.
Andrew McMahon [frontman/vocalist] finds himself to his glossy black double keyboard, paired with a matching padded stainless steel stool - which managed to go flying more than once during their time on stage in Melbourne that night.
The intensity of those piano ballads, hey! Incredible.
Jack’s Mannequin immediately struck me with nostalgic sounds that took me on a trip all the way back to the 2000s, reminiscent of some of The Script’s most famous works. McMahon gave a lot of fan interaction during the set, making the extravagant arena set up feel very intimate. This gig was my first exposure to both supports, including Jack’s Mannequin, but even while new to them, I felt very included, with McMahon also taking a moment to greet all the concert-goers in the seats.
McMahon also took a moment to share with us a bit about the backstory of Jack’s Mannequin, and how the band came to be, telling us all that we were standing in the birthplace of Jack’s Mannequin - the band’s concept born here in Melbourne, circa 2004. A special moment for both the audience, and the band.
Jack’s Mannequin played with some more lighting variations, fading to red during their beautiful performance of “Television” [2011]. Among others, this song sent shivers down my spine. It felt like each piano and synth chord was laced with endorphins. Euphoria washed over me, the band received screaming applause.
McMahon dedicated “La La Lie”, a beautiful platonic love song from Jack’s Mannequin’s debut album “Everything In Transit” [2005] to all the audience members accompanied by a friend in a beautiful performance that had the whole arena united.
“If you’re here with your good friends, hold them tight and sing along.”
“La La Lie!” McMahon demonstrated for everybody to repeat during each chorus, but not without hitting us with an absolutely hectic harmonica feature at the climax of the track - which took me by surprise, but I absolutely adored! The energy was at a high as everybody chanted together, another memory from the night that left a lasting impression on me, as I know it would have for so many others - especially those that were new to the band like I was.
The set came to a close with McMahon picking up the fallen piano stool (that had gone flying multiple times by this point) and slamming it into the keys of the piano. It was so epic. I really believe the revival of 2000s harmonica/piano rock could solve a lot of problems in the world right now. Normalise it. Bring it back.
Mayday Parade were soon set to hit the stage and as the intermission music faded out and the lights dimmed, the crowd roared. Immediately, the stage monitors lit up, displaying their iconic clip with Eric Blair [host/presenter], where Blair interviewed the young band at Warped Tour all the way back in 2008; An incredibly nostalgic display that the crowd adored, brought to a close with a visual of pink confetti falling, then to flowers as the piano begins, gracefully transitioning into “By The Way” from their recent album Sweet [2025]. Let me tell you, this was my first time hearing this song and I absolutely fell in love with it that night. On repeat every day, baby.
These guys were an integral part of mine and so many others’ emo music awakenings, but regretfully, I hadn’t kept up with their more recent discography. I shouldn’t have slept on their recent works like I had, because their new stuff is insanely good.
Admittedly, I was a bit nervous coming to the show, worried that Mayday Parade were just playing their recents, and that I wouldn’t know any of the words to any of the songs, looking silly, but I was so pleasantly surprised to hear SO MANY CLASSICS play. They really delivered for this 20th anniversary tour, playing hits across every era, allowing everybody their moment to sing their heart out.
The use of visuals over the background monitors were a beautiful addition to the atmosphere of the show. During “Miserable At Best”, Jake Bundrick [drums] and Derek Sanders [frontman] led a wholesome sing-along while air balloons floated over the monitors. The whole arena light up like a choir, while keeping an intimate touch to it that you would usually only find at a smaller gig.
To witness roughly 4000 people standing in unison and sharing this special moment with them, and the band was truly heartwarming.
Sanders shared with us how many people were present, as well as announcing that Melbourne held the title for Mayday Parade’s top city on Spotify for new music. Big congratulations to the band, and a pat on the back to every supporter in Melbourne that got us this rank. Represent!
In a heartfelt speech, Sanders also spoke to the crowd about tolerance, welcoming everybody of all backgrounds and beliefs into the space to feel safe, which was very touching during a particularly chaotic and uncertain time for many.
Mayday Parade embodies everything a band should strive for: talent, community, harmony and vibrancy. The energy in the room was so light and infectious; every song the band played was met with the same excitement in threefold that the band gave us.
We saw a couple more excerpts from the Warped Tour interview, remixed in such a silly way that made the audience giggle and cheer. In the clip, a young Brooke Betts [guitar] expressed in the interview, “I’m not going to be 40 and still doing this”, which then cuts off, highlighting Betts (now 40) gesturing to the audience with a huge grin on his face.
Mayday Parade absolutely owned Margaret Court Arena, playing back to back hit after hit and absolutely crushing every song played off of their recent albums. While Sanders spent a fair few songs sat at his piano, himself and the rest of the band delivered with fantastic stage presence and an unforgettable night for myself and the rest of the audience.
The band wrapped up their set with an explosive performance of the iconic “Jamie All Over”, cannons shooting pretty white confetti into the air as everybody rejoiced and sang. As the song came to a close, Mayday Parade thanked the crowd and exited the stage, sound-tracked by a booming roar of applause and screams from euphoric fans. Mayday Parade ended on a high, and the arena remained buzzing right up until the moment it cleared. Fans stood in general admission, posing with the confetti, many (including myself) collecting some for the trip home to commemorate such an unforgettable night.
Mayday Parade’s “Three Cheers For 20 Years” Melbourne show was absolutely phenomenal. It was one of the best arena shows I have ever had the pleasure to attend. The Home Team and Jack’s Mannequin were a perfect choice of support, giving me and many others a whole new set of music to explore on streaming services afterwards. The three bands have such unique sounds, but fit together so well.
The sound and visuals team did a remarkable job highlighting each band’s talent that night and all around, the effort put in from everybody shined.
For fans of Anarbor, Forever The Sickest Kids, Blink 182 and Knuckle Puck (featured), Mayday Parade’s recent album Sweet is for you.
Don’t miss their upcoming LP Sad, which is set for release very soon, on October 3rd! You can preorder their merch/vinyl and presave the album here.
