Mayday Parade - "Three Cheers For 20 years"

Mayday Parade Brought their 20 year celebration to The SOLD OUT Salt Shed in chciago.

On a rainy spring night in Chicago, Mayday Parade turned The Salt Shed into a sanctuary for the heartbroken, the nostalgic, and the diehard emo faithful. As part of their “Three Cheers for Twenty Years” anniversary tour, the band delivered a performance that was both a celebration and a reflection — a journey through two decades of tear-streaked singalongs, soaring hooks, and timeless anthems.

The crowd was buzzing long before the band took the stage. Openers Like Roses, Grayscale, and Microwave set the tone, each bringing their own flavor of emotionally charged rock, warming up the packed venue with raw vocals and powerful instrumentation. But the energy shifted the moment the lights dimmed and the screen lit up with artwork from A Lesson in Romantics. Fans screamed as the opening notes of “Jamie All Over” rang out, and just like that, we were all 16 again.

Mayday Parade built their set like a scrapbook — each song a page from a different chapter. They played fan favorites from every era, not shying away from deep cuts or emotional ballads. “Three Cheers for Five Years” was a gut-punch of a singalong, while “Miserable at Best” brought the room to a hush, with the crowd’s collective voice nearly drowning out Derek Sanders’ piano.

Throughout the night, the band offered little monologues between songs — gratitude-filled reflections on their journey, stories from the road, and moments of vulnerability that made it clear they were just as affected by the music as the fans in the front row.

Highlights included the bombastic “Oh Well, Oh Well,” which saw the entire venue bouncing, and a stripped-down performance of “Terrible Things” that turned thousands of phone lights into stars. But the emotional peak of the night came with the surprise return of original vocalist Jason Lancaster, joining the band on stage for a few songs. It was a full-circle moment — raw, unexpected, and unforgettable.

Mayday Parade’s set felt like a love letter to their fans and to the genre itself. The production was clean but never overdone, letting the music — and the memories tied to it — take center stage. By the time the final notes of “Stay” faded, there wasn’t a voice left uncracked or a heart untouched.

Chicago showed up for Mayday Parade, and the band returned the favor tenfold. After twenty years, they haven’t just aged well — they’ve remained essential.