Slow, steady hands, waving their last goodbye (What Appears; 2016)…this has got to be the line from a Yellowcard Song  that sums up the feels of their final tour around the world.

If you don’t have an idea who they are, the American pop punk band is composed of Ryan Key (lead vocals, guitar), Sean Mackin (violin, vocals), Ryan Mendez (lead guitar, backing vocals), and Josh Portman (bass guitar). They have been around since 1997, and has touched a lot of hearts (including those of Filipinos) with their positive and encouraging music. If you had played SSX 3, Madden NFL 2004, Burnout 3: Takedown or FlatOut 2, then you had encountered one of their songs. They also have a song which is part of the Spiderman 2 official soundtracks. I first heard of their music during my high school days. Back then, I had my favorites: Ocean Avenue (2003), Only One (2003), and Light Up the Sky (2007). Now, my list of favorites has lengthened.

The Heart Breaking News

On June 25, 2016, they posted a letter on their website announcing their disbandment. Yes, after 20 years, they are bidding goodbye. In the letter, they are encouraging everyone to join them in their final world tour. I was sad over the news of them breaking up, but was happy when they included the Philippines as one of their stops. “I needed to be there.”, I said to myself.

Opening Act: Gracenote

The date was February 10, 2017. I was able to fly from Davao City to Manila to see them live with my boyfriend. The concert was held in SM North Edsa’s Skydome. The show was opened by a homegrown band, Gracenote.

They played 6 songs:

1. Taciturn
2. Pause
3. That’s What You Get (Paramore cover)
4. I Will Wait
5. Dream About You (Stevie B cover)
6. Minsan Lang Naman

The Main Event

Before anything else, the band encouraged the crowd to enjoy the concert instead of recording everything. Of course, knowing that this would be their last, the fans could not resist taking at least one for the memory (Sorry!). Yellowcard started strong with their song, Believe. The song is actually an open letter to all the first respondents of the 9/11 bombings. It’s for the people who risked their lives in order to save those of others.

Without stopping, it was then followed by their songs Lights and Sounds, Way Away, and Always Summer. Ryan Key told the audience again to put their phones down and have fun. Then the show was resumed with Five Becomes Four, and the rest is all pure entertainment. Aside from possessing superb violin skills, Sean Mackin is also great with doing back flips. I never thought I’d be able to see the real thing, but he came through. Key also took out his acoustic guitar and sang Empty Apartment, accompanied by Mackin on violins. After doing the song Holly Wood Died, the band went backstage and the lights went out. The crowd then started chanting for an encore. Of course, they all headed back to the stage, and played the classics Only One and Ocean Avenue.

Their setlist sent me nostalgic. I can’t believe that I have seen them for the first and last time. Who knows, maybe they’ll be reuniting in the future.

Here’s their Manila Setlist:

1. Believe
2. Lights and Sounds
3. Way Away
4. Always Summer
5. Five Becomes Four
6. Rest In Peace
7. What Appears
8. Rough Landing, Holly
9. Awakening
10. Light Up The Sky
11. Sing For Me
12. Lift A Sail
13. A Place We Set Afire
14. With You Around
15. Cut Me, Mick
16. Breathing
17. Empty Apartment
18. Hang You Up
19. Be The Young
20. Holly Wood Died

ENCORE

21. Only One
22.Ocean Avenue

Thank you Yellowcard for delivering meaningful music and outstanding performance. You guys killed it. You may have said goodbye, but your legacy will live on.

I will leave you with the closing quote from their letter, which is also a line from their song called Empty Street. This somehow left me with a ray of hope that I will be seeing them somewhere, somehow.

Have you attended a concert that left you reminiscing the past? Please let me know by commenting below.