Yellowcard performing at Stir Cove in Harrah's Council Bluffs Hotel and Casino, captured on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. [Photo by David Taylor]
DAVID TAYLOR | Go Venue Magazine
On Tuesday, May 19, Stir Cove at Harrah’s Casino and Hotel in Council Bluffs, IA was the place to be as Yellowcard made their return to the Omaha metro area. There were many elder millennials in lawn chairs, more so than people in the pit, making me question: is Yellowcard classic rock? In a way yes, but that goes to show the longevity their music goes.
The Plain White T’s from Chicagoland kicked things off for the night. These guys have been together since 2003, at least this lineup of guys, so it was cool seeing these guys can still put on a damn good set. Tom Higgenson still sounds the same as the records from back in the day. He borrowed someone’s sunglasses from the crowd. I’ve never seen that happen before. They played hits such as “Our Time Now” (shout out iCarly) and “Rhythm of Love”, led by guitarist Tim Lopez. Near the end of their set, the band and crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to their photographer, Hailey Sherman. And, of course, you got to end it with “Hey There Delilah”, a sing along for the ages. So glad I got to finally see these guys live after their music has been in my life since my adolescent years.
New Found Glory from Florida was the direct support. This was also my first time seeing them. For a band that’s been around since 1997, they still bring energy to their live performance. Jordan Pundik (sporting a Militarie Gun shirt), lead singer, went out into the crowd at one point, a man of the people. They played some new songs off of their latest album, Listen Up!, as well as older material like “All Downhill from Here”. They even performed their cover of “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid, shouting out the Disney adults. Ian Gruska, dubbed the “sexiest bassist in all of pop punk”, had a ton of fun performing, even taking his shirt off, showcasing his body tattoos and suspenders. They ended their set with “My Friends Over You”, which got so many people excited. Never really engaged with New Found Glory’s music before this set, but I was impressed by their performance.
Finally, the crowd was ready for Yellowcard. This my second time seeing them live, the first on Halloween night 2025 in Lincoln, Nebraska. So, I was familiar with their live show. But they’ve added some moments they’ve added to their headlining set. They opened up their set playing the Top Gun theme. While they performed, they had clips of movies from the 1980s like Goonies and Stand By Me as well as nostalgic video games like Zelda and Mario. What I appreciated the most about this performance was how vulnerable Ryan Key was about becoming a father and his mental health journey. Despite the recent comeback and the successes that come with being a band that has a devoted following, being a working musician does take a toll on your mentality, especially being away from home. They had a pretty solid crowd, even a couple people crowd surfing in the chill evening. But this band continues to bring it live. At one point, they brought out some couches, lamps, acoustic guitars and slowed the set down a bit. They replicated that feel of hanging with friends downstairs at your parents’ house. This night felt like we were all back at Warped Tour, just making new memories with this music we love. They ended with “Ocean Avenue”, which got everyone moving and singing. Once again, I’m glad Yellowcard is back together and can bundle a tour together with their buddies that they have grinded with since the early 2000s. I hope we get some new music from them soon.
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