It was just last summer when Yellowcard hit the road in celebration of 20 years of Ocean Avenue – a tour that showcased the resurgent appetite for one of pop punk’s most celebrated bands. One year later, Yellowcard is playing to even bigger crowds as direct support for Third Eye Blind on the Summer Gods Tour 2024, which made a July 6 stop at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN.

For Third Eye Blind, it’s another step up to some of the biggest amphitheaters across the country for one of the premier alternative acts around. The band has become a staple to the summer concert scene, and this year’s tour offers some delightful new twists and turns to the set.

New Jersey electropop band A R I Z O N A took the stage first with an upbeat performance to set the vibes for the evening. Lead vocalist Zachary Charles performs with a joy that makes it impossible not to bounce along to the band’s sound. The setlist leans heavily on Gallery and Asylum, with surprisingly only one track from last year’s self-titled album. Nevertheless, it’s a perfect table setting for the night’s main attractions.

While last year’s tour leaned heavily on fan favorite Ocean Avenue, Yellowcard’s 2024 setlist is full of surprises. Save for set opener “Lights and Sounds” and closer “Ocean Avenue”, the performance is filled with deep cuts and tracks that haven’t been performed in a decade or more. In particular, a mid-portion part of the set includes three tracks from Lift a Sail, which vocalist Ryan Key reminds us is turning 10 years old this year.

Yellowcard has been a deeply personal band for me over the past two-plus decades, with each album providing a soundtrack to portions of my life. I almost couldn’t believe it when I saw one of my favorite songs – “Keeper” from 2007’s Paper Walls – included on the setlist. The band performed the track for the first time since the album’s release, and the experience was extremely cathartic. Every Yellowcard album was represented in the set with unique song choices that undoubtedly provided the same kind of nostalgic moments for everyone in attendance.

I’ve been fortunate to cover Third Eye Blind at every stop they’ve made in Indianapolis over the past decade. The experience never gets old, and even though I’ve seen the band perform every song I could hope for multiple times over, it’s still such a joyous experience every time. This band has such a unique bond with their fanbase, serving as a crossroads of sorts for music fans of all interests and backgrounds.

Huddled together near the back of the stage as they opened with “Motorcycle Drive By”, the band appear united and in sync. Vocalist Stephan Jenkins, ever comfortable in the spotlight, diverts attention to the rest of the band for their early songs, including a gorgeous guitar solo during “Dust Storm”.

After hitting a few staples (“Graduate”, “Never Let You Go”, “Losing a Whole Year”) along with a collection of deeper cuts, the band transitioned into a lovely acoustic portion of the set that included some select tracks from Out of the Vein and even “The Background” from the self-titled, before closing with “Jumper”, “Semi-Charmed Life”, and “How’s it Going to Be”.

The best of Third Eye Blind’s catalogue is timeless – much like Yellowcard’s growing list of classic material. If Jenkins and co. helped usher a new generation of rock fandom into the 2000s, Yellowcard guided that same following into the new millennium. Both bands stand as alt-rock pillars that still provide us summer satisfaction all these years later. The team-up for Summer Gods 2024 is a match made in heaven.

by Kiel Hauck

Kiel Hauck is the editor in chief at It’s All Dead. Over the past decade, he has been a contributor for multiple online and print publications and was most recently an editor at PopMatters. Kiel currently resides in Indianapolis, IN with his wife and their imaginary pet, Hand Dog. You can follow him on Twitter.