The day after a raucous Knotfest Brisbane set, Florida pop-punk/metalcore act A Day to Remember were still in the River City, gearing up for a sideshow at the Fortitude Music Hall. The show would be their only Aussie headline appearance, so it’s no surprise that it sold out quickly, with the line to get in and secure a spot in the pit wrapping all the way around the block.
Aussie acts Ocean Grove and Thornhill were on hand as supports, with both delivering absolutely blistering sets. Ocean Grove’s nu-metal sound was a huge amount of fun and, as my partner remarked, we’ve never seen them play a bad show. Melbourne metalheads Thornhill also brought their A-game, and with an album release just around the corner, ticket sales for their upcoming tour deserve to sky rocket after their Knotfest showings.
Taking to the stage perfectly on time (it was a Monday night, so believe me, it was appreciated), A Day to Remember did exactly as they promised way back on 2007’s “The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle”: they brought the noise. With frontman Jeremy McKinnon announcing that the night’s goal was to slam as many songs into an hour and a half as possible, it’s no surprise that the setlist was an expansive one. Perfectly balanced, it featured tracks from across the band’s impressive back catalogue, including their latest, Big Ole Album Vol.1, meaning that no matter when you joined the ADTR party, you felt well represented.
As someone who last saw ADTR back in 2009, not too long after the release of third album Homesick, (RIP to Manchester’s Roadhouse and Music Box), it’s nice to know that the old songs still hit as hard as they used to. But the more recent tracks went over just as well, with the crowd eager to sing along with every chorus and open the pit for every breakdown. Confetti and t-shirt canons, pyro, and oversized beach balls lent the night an arena like feel, while crowd surfers kept the security guards busy, all in good natured defiance of the NO CROWD SURFING signs by the stage. Forgoing much (but not all) chatter in between songs, ADTR held the sold out – but thankfully air conditioned – venue in the palm of their hand, until the Homesick dominated encore (“If It Means A Lot To You”, “NJ Legion Iced Tea”, and “Downfall of Us All”) closed out a night to remember – pun ABSOLUTELY intended.
With Big Ole Album Vol.1 released on physical media a full month before streaming services, it was oddly heartening seeing people leaving the Fortitude Music Hall clutching a CD or vinyl of the new album. In an era where we own less and less of the media we consume, and are at the mercy of streaming services, returning to vinyl, CD, and digital downloads feels like a no-brainer, supporting the artist more directly AND giving you access to music without the subscription fee – plus who doesn’t love a lyric book or some cool cover art? (It’s worth mentioning that on support act Thornhill’s upcoming tour, you’re able to choose a ticket option that includes a digital download of new album Bodies.) All this to say, dropping the CD and vinyl versions of Big Ole Album Vol. 1 first was a very cool move on ADTR’s part.
Further proof that the 2000s pop punk and emo kids are eating GOOD in 2025, A Day to Remember reminded this old scene brat of why she fell in love with it all in the first place. Songs about hating the town you grew up in never grow old (even if we do), and there’s nothing quite like screaming the words to one in an ADTR mosh pit – even on a Monday night.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
A Day to Remember’s Big Ole Album Vol. 1 is out now on CD and vinyl. You’ll find a couple of tracks streaming now, with the full album due for release on March 21st.
For more on ADTR, visit their website HERE.
