Mayday Parade and The Summer Set at Gallagher Way

Mayday Parade took the stage under the shadow of the historic Wrigley Field on Sunday evening. Their 13 song setlist was a pulsing sound on Gallagher Way as they kick off their 2026 Summer Concert series. With support form fellow pop punk favorites The Summer Set, it was a night full of the riffs emo kids grew up on.

The Summer Set started off the evening by hitting their latest record Meet Me at the Record Store for four songs. Ripping into “I Don’t Want to Party” and “Flowers“, the Arizona natives kept the energy high throughout their time on stage. They made a quick return since their performance at the House of Blues in March to a warm welcome of the Chicago crowd. Sneaking in a cover of “Mamma Mia” by ABBA, the dancing didn’t stop with the closing duo of “Chelsea” and “Lightning in a Bottle“. The Summer Set will take some time off after a huge tour and will be playing Vans Warped Tour Orlando in the fall.

Coming off an incredibly busy 2025, Mayday Parade are continued hitting the ground running in 2026 joining All Time Low across the pond in Europe and the UK. Their month has been filled with festival slots at Welcome to Rockville on May 7th and Sonic Temple the night before they made their way to Chicago. The quick drive was well worth it as the eager crowd filled up the venue early. Mayday Parade made their way on stage 7:40, breaking into their latest single “Blame It on the Youth“, released in April. It was followed up with a classic from their debut “Jersey” as 4 of the 13 tracks played were from A Lesson in Romantics. The 19 year old record has earned a certified gold status as it has sold over 200,000 copies.

Their setlist hit heavy on the classics, punching through “Kids in Love” and “Anywhere but Here” from their sophomore record sharing the same name. This was followed by two tracks off their self titled record and “Piece of Your Heart” from 2018’s Sunnyland. This set hit all the marks fans new and old could want with the heart of the old and a touch of their latest like the lead single from 2025’s record Sad, “Under My Sweater“. Lead singer Derek Sanders knew how to end a show with a bang, hitting “Black Cat” and the certified platinum single “Jamie All Over” as the closer. The crowd drowned out any passing cars by throughout the set with a booming yell of the final chorus.

Derek Sanders said it himself, “what a special place to be playing”. Wrigley Field has hosted some of the biggest names in music throughout it’s 112 year lifespan, so seeing some great artists in a more intimate setting at the historic site is an incredible experience. The architecture and feeling of the Gallagher Way leads to engaging atmosphere for all fans. Mayday Parade has a handful of dates in 2026 including stops at Vans Warped Tour Long Beach, Montreal, and Mexico City. You can listen to my interview with Derek Sanders here.

Gallagher Way will be hosting two more cocnerts this summer, OK GO with The Stone Foxes on June 13th and Guster with Eggy on June 26th. You can find tickets here.