House of Music

Mayday Parade

ACL Live at The Moody Theater

Austin, TX

May 3, 2025

Photos & Review by Roy Vergara

Mayday Parade at ACL Live felt less like a concert and more like catching up with an old friend. The room filled early, and by the time Grayscale hit the stage at 7:00 PM, the energy was already building. Their set was tight and full of heart. They shouted out Austin and mentioned recording their new album just outside town in Dripping Springs, which got a solid cheer. Their sound has grown since the Adornment days—clean hooks, punchy choruses, and just enough edge. By the time they hit “Dirty Bombs,” the room was moving, and they had everyone right where they wanted them.

Microwave followed at 7:45 PM and shifted the tone. Their set had a haze to it—dreamy and dense, but grounded in emotion. They mentioned a song that came from a dream, and the crowd lit up in response. Neon inflatable mushrooms glowed on either side of the stage, adding to the surreal, immersive vibe. Their set floated between soft, ambient moments and sudden bursts of heaviness pulled mostly from their new album Let’s Start Degeneracy. You didn’t just watch Microwave—you got pulled into their atmosphere.

At 8:50 PM, Mayday Parade took the stage after a reel of old clips and interviews from their early years played across the screen. It immediately set the tone—nostalgic, but never stuck in the past. They opened with “By the Way,” and the crowd was all in. Derek Sanders sounded sharp and comfortable, moving from full-band energy to quieter, more vulnerable moments. Midway through the set, he talked about the first time they played Austin during SXSW in 2016. It felt honest, like the kind of story you’d tell a room full of old friends.

One of the most memorable parts of the night came when Derek sat at the piano across the stage from Jake at his drums with a mic. They performed “Miserable at Best” together as a stripped-back duet. The room fell silent, and the crowd sang along softly, almost like instinct. It didn’t feel like a performance—it felt like we were all sharing our own emotional memories. Between songs, Derek joked about how they’re still remembered as the “sad” band because of those early live videos. But he leaned into it, saying, “We’re still here. We’re still having fun.”

They ran through a set that spanned their full discography—from Sunnyland and Black Lines to the classics from A Lesson in Romantics. The final stretch hit all the crowd favorites—“Jamie All Over,” “Jersey,” and “Stay”—with fans singing every word back. ACL Live gave the show the space it needed to feel big, but not distant.

It was one of those nights where everything just worked. Solid openers, a crowd that cared, and a headliner that still knows how to make every song count. Check out the gallery from the show.

Grayscale

Microwave

Mayday Parade