Posted June 30, 2019 by Kailey Howell Concert Reviews & Galleries

New Found Glory – St. Andrews Hall – 6.16.19

Following the release of their EP From the Screen to Your Stereo 3, pop punk legends New Found Glory embarked on their summer U.S. tour. Their stop in Detroit was hosted by St. Andrews Hall.

The EP is the third in a series where the band covers iconic movie soundtracks; this edition featuring “Let it Go” from Disney’s Frozen along with “Cups” from Pitch Perfect. This is the first cover EP the band has released following the second edition in 2007.

The band curated the perfect playlist to play before their set, a compilation of various soundtracks of famous movies. The songs fit the mood perfectly as the marquee backdrop complete with cabs costumed as popcorn.

Jordan Pundik came out on stage in an all-American boxing uniform, appropriate for the band’s cover of “Eye of the Tiger.”

The energy this band has on stage honestly blew me away. I have a habit of always complimenting a band on their energy, but this show resonated with me more than most. Between bassist Ian Grushkas faces made back at the crowd and Pundiks smiles and hype on stage, there was a feeling of genuine celebration that radiated from the stage.

While their set included some killer covers, it also included old school pop punk songs like “Summer Fling Don’t Mean a Thing.” The band ended their set with a three song encore including “The Power of Love” (Huey Lewis and the News), “The Story So Far” and “My Friends Over You.”

The evening had a sense of nostalgia for long time pop punk fans. From old school NFG being featured in their setlist to the bill itself. Direct support, Real Friends have been a long-standing icon in the scene. Their setlist included fan favorites such as “Late Nights in My Car” and “From the Outside.”

The Early November is a name that I definitely hadn’t heard in a while prior to this tour being announced. Their presence definitely catered to early day NFG fans – taking them back to hot summer Warped Tour sets. Their set included songs off of their 2003 album, The Room’s Too Cold like “Baby Blue” and “Ever So Sweet.”

While the bill was definitely tailored towards longtime fans, a highlight of it included openers Doll Skin. The band has gained traction following their summer on the final Vans Warped Tour. They recently released their second album Love is Dead and We Killed Her.

These girls killed it. For an opening band on a four-set bill, sometimes the crowd isn’t completely full, or as receptive to the band’s efforts on stage. This was NOT the case.

Sydney Dolezal was down in the pit with the fans, demanding a circle pit open around her. The entire floor was moving more for an opener than I had seen it move for some headliners at the hall.

Doll Skin is an all-female band dominating their set on a mostly male bill, and it’s something worth noting.

Stream New Found Glory’s new EP here and visit their website for upcoming tour dates.