Mayday Parade has been out on tour this spring celebrating 20 years as a band with the “Three Cheers for 20 Years Tour”. This past Friday saw the tour roll into Portland, Oregon for a sold out show at the Crystal Ballroom. Joining Mayday Parade was joined by Microwave, Grayscale and Like Roses to celebrates the bands 20 years of making music.
The packed house buzzed with anticipation as the house lights dimmed and two massive video boards lit up, playing a throwback interview from the 2006 Warped Tour. When a young Derek Sanders was asked, “Who makes up your fanbase?” and replied, “Mostly teenage girls,” the crowd erupted with the loudest cheers and screams of the night so far. Nearly two decades may have passed since that Warped Tour, but judging by the look, energy, and enthusiasm in the room, it felt like 2006 all over again.
Mayday Parade took the stage to a deafening roar, kicking things off with “By the Way” from their 2025 release Sweet. From there, the band launched into a chronological journey through their discography, beginning with cuts from their debut EP Tales Told by Dead Friends, including the fan favorite that inspired the tour’s name, “Three Cheers for Five Years.” As the band transitioned into tracks from their breakout full-length A Lesson in Romantics, the crowd sang along to every lyric in unison. When Sanders took his place behind the piano for the beloved ballad “Miserable at Best,” a chorus of voices echoed throughout the Crystal Ballroom, transforming the venue into one massive singalong.
Photos By Anthony Moore
As promised, the band celebrated every era of their two-decade career with a full setlist of over 20 songs, touching on each of their releases from the past twenty years. Longtime fans won’t want to miss this tour—it’s a rare chance to experience pieces of the bands entire catalog. Tickets for the remaining dates are limited, with most shows already sold out. The North American leg wraps up this June, after which the band will head overseas for a run in Australia this September alongside Jack’s Mannequin and The Home Team. A full list of tour dates can be found on the bands website.
