Time to Cry: Sad Summer Festival Hits Santa Ana

Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years at Sad Summer Fest

Sad Summer Fest is back in full swing again this years making stop across the US. This year’s lineup has a ton of Sad Summer vets as well as newcomers and not a single one disappointed! We caught up with all of the hype at their recent stop in Santa Ana, CA at The Observatory Orange County on September 13th.

Like Roses joined the fest for the first time — hailing from the Bay Area, we were loving the fresh energy and classic emo sound they had to offer. We were anticipating their viral hit, “Easy” and it sure delivered. Daisy Grenade followed with a blast of fun and upbeat energy. The performance chemistry was fluid as the members moved about the stage almost seemingly choreographed at times. We loved the interaction amongst themselves as bandmates — as well as the audience. Both bands are fronted by females, which really charged the energy even further.

Speaking of badass female energy… The Summer Set’s drummer, Jess Bowen, is another insanely talented female on Sad Summer’s roster. Along with the rest of her bandmates, they are true Sad Summer veterans that have made a lasting impact on the festival’s fanbase for years now. The crowd already anticipated their classic setlist full of old MySpace anthems and later hits like “Figure Me Out” which all by itself has earned a permanent place on our summertime playlists.

As the heat rose, so did the excitement as Knuckle Puck stormed the stage full force — practically flipping the ‘on’ switch for crowd surfers as they emerged from thin air, floating their way up to the front. Frontman Joe Taylor zipped around the stage, igniting everyone in front of him. Overall, the band exudes enthusiasm onstage as each member thrashed around. As expected, Knuckle Puck delivered their best bangers like “Gone” and “Want Me Around” as well as “No Good” and of course, “Untitled.” Their performance definitely took it up a notch, paving the way for a band with matching enthusiasm and high energy: Real Friends.

This was my first time seeing the midwest emo trash, formally known as Real Friends. These guys turned the crowd up even higher, which we didn’t think was possible. Their set started off a bit softer before exploding into a head banging and windmilling series of powerhouse tracks like “Me First,” From The Outside” and “I’ve Given Up On You.” The quintet continued their set with an incredible cover of the iconic Jimmy Eat World song, “Sweetness.” As more fans crowd surfed to the front, singer Cody Muraro engaged with fans as they endlessly pilled over the barricade, belting out every word to every song. A few lucky ones were nearly face-to-face with Muraro as he sang.

They weren’t the only band who decided to throw in a classic cover song either. We The Kings performed their rendition of The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” along with their mega-hit “Check Yes Juliet.” With a stage lined full of inflatable aliens, we already knew We The Kings was would be coming out ready to party. Vocalist Travis Clark dedicated a sweet moment to his young daughter who had curated a few fun dance moves to a specific part of one of their songs. The audience was more than excited to participate in the filming of the performance that would be later shown to his daughter. We The Kings have always been a band to bring crowds together and refresh nostalgia — their performance lived up to their reputation and had us jumping the entire set.

All the way from Philly, The Wonder Years knew exactly how to keep the high energy going. Traditional pop punk sounds and high velocity stage presence were in full swing with these guys. Definitely one of the fan favorites of the day — and we can see why. Tracks like “Local Man Ruins Everything” and “Came Out Swinging” transported us all back to the yester-years of Warped Tour. Frontman Dan Campbell served up high jumps and pure emotion together with his bandmates and shouted out fans as they crowd surfed to the front. We were lucky enough to hear a 10-song set from one of the most-loved pop punk groups of the later 2000s and just couldn’t get enough!

As the sun began to set, Sad Summer’s most notoriously loved band, The Maine, hit the stage. The festival originated via 8123, a label derived from The Maine themselves. Neon cowboy hats lit up the crowd, creating a beautiful glow as dusk set in. The stage was decorated with roses, while the fog machine added a pink, hazy element in junction with the stage lighting. Singer John O emerged onstage to ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” intro with his crew as the crowd spiraled into an uproar. The Maine has always been well connected to their fanbase and constantly ensures they are creating memorable experiences with them at every show. John jumped into the crowd on multiple occasions, engaging with some of the band’s most diehard supporters. Later in the show, they invited a fan onstage to sing “Girls Do What They Want” before wrapping up their set with fan faves like “Black Butterflies and Déjà Vu” as well as “Loved You A Little.”

Closing out the night were Sad Summer alumni, Mayday Parade. Setting the tone with dark green and purple lights with a thick haze, the stage production complimented the nighttime performance perfectly. Their setlist was a thorough blend of songs from various albums over the course of many years. Derek Sanders led the band and crowd together in a chorus under the summer sky, spawning a cliche, yet memorable night. Concluding with one of the most-anticipated songs of the entire festival, “Jamie All Over,” Mayday Parade was surely the perfect pick to conclude a day jam-packed with feel-good music and talented artists.

If you’re ready to Make America Emo Again (in the words of The Maine), be sure to check out Sad Summer Festival at a stop near you! Check out our gallery below and let us know who you’re looking forward to seeing most!