Story of the Year Ignites Tampa with Timeless Energy
Photos and Review by Joanna Foster
Lineup: This Wild Life, Story of the Year
Yuengling Center, Tampa FL
July 23, 2023
Story of the Year brought decades of welcomed nostalgia to an excited crowd at the Yuengling Center in Tampa Florida. The band is appearing with other artists on the Ocean Avenue 20th anniversary tour this year, but the audience would have convinced you that they were the solo headliner. People in the crowd were counting down the minutes until the band came on stage, and the anticipation was contagious.
This Wild Life, an acoustic rock/pop punk band from California, was up first with a short but dynamic set. They brought an infectious amount of humor and continued to remind the crowd that they are the ‘Hot Topic Mumford and Sons’, even performing in front of screens emblazoned with that name. Both Kevin Jordan (vocals/guitar) and Anthony Del Grosso (guitar) switched up instruments multiple times during the set, showcasing their musical talent while keeping the crowd engaged and singing along.
Story of the Year burst on to the stage with an explosive energy that never wavered throughout the entire set. The band made the most of the short set, delivering a mix of songs from their new album Tear Me to Pieces along with favorites from Page Avenue, their debut album celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The new music is fresh and exciting, raw and electric, and it has the same magnetism that is present in the band’s most well-loved songs. The entire stadium was full of people singing, chanting, cheering through every song, and the band moved across the stage engaging the audience, playing to each side of the crowd.
The band exuded a youthful passion, clearing jump shots, running along the risers, headbanging, shredding guitar riffs like no time had passed since their early shows 20 years ago. The set ended with the band playing one of their greatest hits, and hearing the whole building singing “Until the day I die // I’ll spill my heart for you // Until the day I die” served as a reminder that Story of the Year continues to hold their legendary status in the music industry.
