First Things First: I'm Emo

God bless my punk-pop-listening teenage soul.

A long time ago, on what I'm assuming to be a particularly angsty day, I logged on to my desktop computer as a middle schooler in search of new music to make my heart bleed. Long story short, I stumbled across a little song called "Jersey" by a band named Mayday Parade. Flash forward to today, and Mayday Parade is still one of my all-time favorites, growing with me on this journey I call life.

Mayday Parade released their sixth studio album, Sunnyland, on June 15, 2018, and along with it a new world tour. Upon seeing a Pittsburgh tour date at Stage AE, I immediately bought myself and my best friend tickets to their November 6th show. What. A. Night.

For those of you that don't know about Mayday Parade, they produce music for the rocker in all of us. They also produce music for the hopelessly romantic side of us. An unlikely pairing, these two come together as one to produce an emotionally jarring, one-of-a-kind concert experience. I truly can't say enough good things about this band. Lead singer, Derek Sanders, sounds incredible live. The rest of the band rocks harder than you can imagine. A nice upgrade from my last Mayday Parade concert, this time I didn't shatter my phone or get elbowed in the head by a large man! Major improvement, people.

Stage AE beckons artists encompassing a variety of genres through its doors every year. Previously I've seen Twenty One Pilots at their outdoor venue, Timeflies, The 1975, and Mayday Parade twice now at their indoor venue. The place never seems to disappoint. Located in the North Shore right next to Heinz Field, Stage AE is the perfect place to come get a little taste of the arts and music scene Pittsburgh has to offer. The inside affords plenty of space for fans to gather and celebrate the joys of music. To enhance your experience, you can purchase food, alcohol, and band merch at the back of the venue all while still being able to see and hear the acts on the stage. If you're interested in checking out all they have to offer in the near future, head on over to http://promowestlive.com/concert_venues/stage-ae-pittsburgh-pennsylvania.