ALBANY, N.Y. – If there was ever any question as to the legacy New Found Glory has created and specifically, just how much the band has meant to the pop punk scene over the last two-plus decades, all one needed to do was glance at the packed crowd at Empire Live to get the answer. The fans have certainly gotten older, but the love clearly remains.
In town for a sold-out gig amid their 20 Years of Sticks and Stones tour, the South Florida-bred pop punk quartet took the stage like returning champions during a hot, sweaty night at the venue, where former teenage fans of the band—now grown men with beards and women with C-section scars—screamed every word and crowd-surfed gleefully, like it was 2002 all over again.
And perhaps that’s what was so perfect about this particular evening: It was a return of sorts for us all. It’s been a rocky road for New Found Glory in recent years, from the dismissal of founding guitarist and main lyricist Steve Klein in 2014 after his arrest for multiple charges of sexual misconduct (he later pleaded guilty to one count of indecent exposure), to guitarist-songwriter Chad Gilbert’s recent near-death experience from a rare form of cancer. But this is a band that literally refuses to die, overcoming the personal struggles and continuing to tour regularly and produce quality music. Thus 20 years and a pandemic later, after countless ups and downs, we were all there together with the band, still singing the words.
But there was a full night of music first. Another reason for NFG’s lasting impact and goodwill in the scene is their consistent support of other bands, particularly up and coming acts, and this was another tour that greatly benefitted from that ethos. With the embryonic but incredibly powerful hardcore outfit Be Well opening the night first, followed by the now-veteran pop-core quartet Four Year Strong (familiar faces from past NFG tours), it was one of those rare shows when you actually wanted to arrive right when doors opened.
Fronted by legendary producer Brian McTernan (Thrice, Senses Fail, The Movielife) and featuring members of Darkest Hour, Bane and Fairweather, the quintet known as Be Well has risen rapidly in punk and hardcore circles thanks to both the tremendous collective reputation of the band’s members, and the strength of an outstanding debut LP (2020’s The Weight and the Cost) and their equally impressive new EP, Hello Sun. So although the band filled an opening guest spot often reserved for newcomers, there was nothing rookie about the performance that followed.
Opening with the title track to the new EP, McTernan and Co. ripped through a quick but powerful set, touching upon material off both releases, including “Magic,” “I’ll Leave You With This,” “Strength for Breath” and the ever-explosive “Confessional.” The band members’ experience outside of Be Well fools you into thinking they’ve been together longer as a group; watching guitarist Mike Schleibaum (Darkest Hour) whip around his mane while bassist Aaron Dalbec (Bane) catches several feet of air makes you forget this is one of their first major tours. This is a truly veteran band, and one that really knows how to crush a show.
And while we’re on the topic of totally crushing it, it was practically a hometown show for Worcester, Mass.-based Four Year Strong, as evidenced by the band’s commanding performance and the insane energy in the crowd during the band’s set. Kicking off with the anthemic, “Wasting Time,” and palm-muting straight into “Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die,” it was a lean, hits-heavy set by the now-seasoned easycore band that was briefly derailed by a series of mishaps mid-set. First, the fire alarms were triggered in the venue, unexpectedly killing the sound and bringing up the house lights mid-song; second, there was a painfully long stretch when bassist Joe Weiss was unable to coax any sound from his cabinet. Eventually they fixed it and forged ahead.
And thanks for that, because FYS left it all on the stage. Their performance spanned much of the band’s history, featuring hits like “It Must Really Suck to Be Four Year Strong Right Now,” “We All Float Down Here,” and “Go Down in History,” plus a slam-dunk cover of Green Day’s “Brain Stew / Jaded.” Four Year also devoted a decent chunk of time to recent material off their last LP, 2020’s Brain Pain, performing “Learn to Love the Lie,” “Seventeen” and the title track. It was fitting that the band set the stage for the headliner, since Four Year Strong is inarguably another true pop punk stalwart, with real staying power and lasting appeal.
So after two great opening acts, by the time New Found Glory took the stage and ripped into the opening chug of “Understatement” off Sticks and Stones, the crowd was in a full-on sweat-soaked frenzy. A classic leadoff track from an iconic record, the song was the match that ignited a blazing set that didn’t really leave much room for a breather, rolling straight into the fan-favorite, “My Friends Over You,” while a confetti cannon showered the crowd just as guitarist Gilbert delivered its intro riff. The night was now one big pop punk party, in honor of a record we all love.
NFG have still yet to name a permanent replacement on rhythm guitar in Klein’s absence, and on this particular tour Dan O’Connor from Four Year Strong is pulling double duty, filling in with New Found after his own band’s set is done. It’s made for an exciting combination; O’Connor is a dynamic singer and guitarist in his own right, and he brings that energy to New Found Glory, which is clearly a band he spent time absorbing as a youth. Gilbert teased on stage, “Dan used to listen to New Found Glory in high school,” and it’s true; O’Connor seemed to be having the time of his life playing those songs. In turn, the band sounded great with him in the fold, so perhaps we’ll see that union again.
Naturally, the Sticks and Stones material was the real meat of the performance; just by virtue of how special it was to see the album played in its entirety, including some of the great, but less frequently played tracks (“Sonny” was an especially rare treat), including classics “Head on Collision,” “Forget My Name” and “The Great Houdini,” closing with the epic final cut, “The Story So Far.” On that note, all of our stories are certainly further along now than when Sticks and Stones dropped in 2002; Gilbert joked about how we’ve all grown old together, asking how many in the crowd had pirated Sticks and Stones off Limewire. More than a few of us chuckled nervously.
After a brief pause, a “hits” assortment then followed the Sticks songs, with NFG indulging the crowd with old favorites like “Dressed to Kill,” “Hold My Hand” and mega-fun covers of “Kiss Me” and “King of Wishful Thinking.” The band did a remarkable job of keeping the energy high throughout the sweltering heat and extended set, with powerhouse drummer Cyrus Bolooki and flamboyantly dressed bassist Ian Grushka showing why they’re one of the genre’s great rhythm sections. Singer Jordan Pundik, sporting a partly shaved mop-top, belted out the notes with genuine 2002 gusto, while guitarist Gilbert—always a major onstage presence—spent much of the show airborne.
There was even a genuine emo moment, in case you hadn’t gotten there already on your own. Before closing the night with “All Downhill From Here,” Gilbert told the audience to try and interpret the song as a positive, with life getting easier after you reach the top of the hill. He explained how just four months prior to the tour he was found unconscious by his wife, and would have died had she not acted immediately to save him. After major surgery and treatment, Gilbert is not only alive and cancer free, but is touring again; he proudly raised his shirt and displayed a massive new scar running across his chest.
Long live the kings of pop punk.
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All photos by Kylie Spinelli. For more visit Kylie’s IG and Flickr.
New Found Glory – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/2/22
Four Year Strong – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/2/22
Be Well – Empire Live, Albany, NY 6/2/22
(Photo Credit: Kylie Spinelli - @growingobserver)
