Just like the day before, this crowd came early! The line outside for GA admission was quite a long way back when noon hit and doors opened. It really came as a surprise to me. It was never like this in the past. As I stood in line, I was around folks who had been at the previous day’s festivities. It was a smashing hit, as I didn’t hear one complaint. The bands, the food, the venue. Everything was good. Today seemed no different. A huge crowd grew before 1 pm, and it was getting closer to show time.
Heading North, a pop-punk band based out of Pittsburgh, opened up Day 2 of Four Chord Music Festival. As the only female-fronted band of the day, they hit the stage running. Striving to perform “high-energy and highly emotional pop-punk ” songs that create a break from reality, the crowd was into it from the first beat. I believe that is what music, and live performances in general, do. They help us escape our realities and problems. This band was very lively and fun. As I left the photo pit, I heard many fans say how they had never heard of them, but really loved them. It was the lead vocalist’s birthday, so it was an even more surreal moment for her. They even do a “shark fact” at each show, where they tell a fact about sharks. Something I found super cool. I found their music to be very catchy and they will be a band on the rise for sure. Before their last song, they spoke from the heart about loving who you are, ending with “support trans rights, F*ck ICE, and Free Palestine.” Be sure to check them out before they are touring globally!
Don’t Panic, a rock and roll band from Pennsylvania, returned to the festival after a few years away. I remembered them from FC8, when they opened, and I remember enjoying that set. I was excited to see what they had done in four years. In that time span, I feel like they really elevated themselves. With a new album, they have blended old and new songs nicely. The energy on stage was as I remembered, and the guitar riffs and solos were just as good, if not better than four years ago. The band took a moment to thank Rishi for having them back and said fans were in good company, as all their friends were playing with them as well throughout the day.
Keep Flying, a staple band to this festival, came on next. It would not be a FC fest without this band. I said it last year, and I will say it now. They are one of my favorite bands to see each year because they bring such energy and fun to the fest. The New York quartet impresses the crowd wherever they go. Moving all around, dancing, and just being themselves. The set began a bit early, so the band just spoke to the crowd, and then a “Henry, Henry, Henry!” chant began. To which he joked it was because that was all the people he harassed in the line before doors opened. As always, with heavy drum beats, mixed with trombone, saxophone, and guitar riffs, the band made sure to keep the early fest crowd moving and grooving. The band shouted out their trombone player, Rick, who wasn’t available to play that day, and he was missed. I always enjoyed his energy on that stage. Due to that on a different subject from that, I remember last year the band going on a speech and saying that the end goal is to spread awareness that it is okay to lean on people when you need help. It was the band’s motto. To love your loved ones and to make sure they know you appreciate them. You never know what someone may be experiencing, so just bring them joy and happiness. As someone who recently lost a loved one, this now hit me harder than ever. Speaking to the crowd constantly, you could see why this band has become such a fan favorite. They have a new album out; go check them out!
Patent Pending, easily one of my favorite bands of the entire festival each year, came on next. Full of stage theatrics, frontman Joe Ragosta makes memories for the crowd every single show. Even when he accidentally severely injures himself days before the event, like last year. Songs like “Punk Rock Songs“, “Hey Mario“, and “Wobble” have become a must-listen set for any FC guest. The past few years, I had a press pass that wasn’t in the pit, but this year I was back in, and this was one set I was stoked to be back in for. Before even performing, Joe was his normal self. Trying to get the crowd to do the Electric Slide, as they put that on for them to dance to, he joked. The set did seem a bit off, but honestly, I like that. It was as energetic as ever, with the band jumping, spinning, and crowd surfing. The 11th time out of 12, it still is a band I never get tired of, but new fans are gained as well. The band played a song that will soon be released, and Rishi even joined for Punk Rock Songs.
Eternal Boy, Four Chords founder Rishi Bahl, and his band were next. This was actually something I found very interesting and cool, as it now became four bands in a row that the crowd should know if they are a FC goer every year. Even though it would be tough to beat last year, as that set was super emotional as Rishi’s top band to play was headlining, this set was nearly as good. This festival has turned into the new-age Warped Tour, and you could see that Rishi, his band, and his crew were all so proud of what it has come to be. They wore that with pride during their performance. It did look a bit different, though, as one of the members was no longer in the band. That, however, did not seem to hinder them. Even with the fact that he has two new band members, it felt smooth and energetic. After every song, he would thank a few people who helped put this together. Former bassist Joseph came onto the stage to play a song, and it wouldn’t be an Eternal Boy set without a Taylor Swift cover. Their set ended with a message to the crowd, telling them there is no profit in this festival. They do it to help pass the torch to the other bands, the newer bands, and get them some level of exposure. They do it because they love it. So you may ask why ticket prices are a bit high; it’s due to it being a DIY festival. Every dollar made goes back into next year’s festival.
Hit The Lights, a Lima, Ohio-based pop band, kept the energy going. Since 2003, the band has been making their impact in the pop-punk scene noticed. So much so that in 2025, Terry Bezer of Screen Rant included the band in his list of “10 Forgotten Pop-Punk Bands Who Deserve To Be Better Remembered.” Their set was fun, and as a newbie to their music, I wanted to really see their set. Unfortunately, I began to feel sick from not eating much in the last day and a half and needed to go get something to eat. I won’t miss their set next time. Neither should you!
Driveways, a band that has been to Four Chord a few times (now three), came back again to melt everything they could in their set time. Based in Saugus, Massachusetts, the band blends pop punk and post-hardcore genres to create its own unique sound. The trio uses drum and guitar riffs that go hand-in-hand with the vocals that make it hard to walk away and get a snack or use the bathroom. As always, the crowd engagement was top-notch. It was here that I noticed how big a crowd the venue had. I had to go sit in the bleachers to watch this set and type out review notes! The band made a quick joke about the Patriots beating the Steelers a week ago, as they are from Boston and playing in Pittsburgh now. It didn’t land well, as expected. There were a lot of fans in attendance, singing loudly. The last song came to a halt when a fan was injured near the barricade and security had to rush in. After that, they began again and had the crowd sing the last verse, which sounded pretty cool from where I was.
Finch, a band I have heard a lot about but never took any opportunity to listen to, was on next. I was told that if any band on this day was going to stand out, it would be them. And boy, that person was right. Based out of Temecula, California, the band felt like it would have fit yesterday’s bill better, but still made a lasting impact on me. Best known for their single “What It Is to Burn” which got me into them. Their second album, Say Hello to Sunshine, peaked within the top 30 on the Billboard 200. With some issues along the way, the band has been on and off hiatus and has been reformed since 2022.
Cartel, an American pop-punk band from Conyers, Georgia, was on after Finch. Cartel formed in 2003, and I remember hearing about them when they were featured on the MTV series Band in a Bubble. The band was part of an experiment where they were given twenty days to write and record a full album. I remember it being an eye-opening experience as a child, watching how things could go while writing an album. Older fans like myself relived some fun memories as the band hit the stage. Fans sang loud and proud from start to finish. The nostalgia factor was real, and the band kept that style of music we were all used to. It has been 13 years, but Cartel does have a new album out, so go stream it!
Motion City Soundtrack, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, didn’t slow the roll from Cartel. The band made the crowd in attendance dance, fist pump, and crowd surf like there was no tomorrow. Balancing fan-favorite classics like “Everything Is Alright” and “The Future Freaks Me Out” with newer tracks from their record, their first in ten years, The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World. The band’s enthusiasm was top-notch, and you could easily see how excited they were to be there. You can’t replicate that type of emotion. Every single band member seemed on point, even after a minute or so break as the crowd made an “X” with their arms, signaling medical help was needed. The person in need was the same as before, according to some people near the scene, and it ended when the individual told the band to keep going; they were okay and not to worry.
Mom Jeans, back to the Four Chord stage for the first time since 2022, knew their job. After them, the four remaining big boys of the day were set to take the stage, perhaps what most in attendance were there to see. Mom Jeans were out to get the crowd pumped as much as they could, playing as the sky began to become night and the temps began to drop. They did this by constantly asking the crowd to jump. Followed by making a circle pit. Then saying how there isn’t enough crowd surfing, and thus began an overwhelming amount of crowd surfing. You had to feel bad for those security members in the pit. They got their butts handed to them this set. I feel like it was worse than day 1. Halfway through the set, the band took a moment to say, “Hey, since we are at a punk rock fest, I just wanted to say, Free Palestine!” The crowd erupted in cheers, and the next song began, breathing even more life into the crowd than before. Widely seen as a Midwest emo genre band, they use the fast, plucky guitar riffs and casual punk energy that defines that DIY genre. The storytelling of the songs really caught my attention, as I had forgotten about them since I last saw them at the FC event. The crowd absolutely ate this set up, with not a single person left bored.
State Champs, a band any annual FC goer should recognize, began the emergence of a new level of hype in the crowd. Here for their 7th time, the band kept Mom Jeans’ request going with lots of crowd surfing. This pit was not nearly as big as the other pit, but it really made the photo pit hectic. A fun, hectic set, but I did get smashed into the monitors a few times. Again, props to the security. This set was a bit different, as they played their album Around The World And Back per Four Chord’s request, since it was its 10th anniversary. Vocalist Derek Discanio was the same as always, jumping and moving along the stage. He thanked the crowd for being here on a Saturday with them, and thanked Four Chord for their 7th invitation. The sun had set, and it was a full-blown light show again, my favorite time for this fest.
Boys Like Girls. Quite honestly, that should be enough to say right there. If you attended this event and had no idea who this band is, why are you here? For those who do not know (tisk, tisk), the band hails from Andover, Massachusetts. Gaining mainstream recognition with their self-titled debut album, the band went on to sell over 700,000 albums in the US and received a gold certification from the RIAA. From their debut album! The aesthetic felt more like the late 2000s, with heavy smoke, dynamic lighting, and the stage performance of that time period. Frontman Martin Johnson had amazing stage presence with a lot of banter and occasional storytelling. He really worked the crowd well, getting them to sing lyrics until he was satisfied with it. Going from loud and bold with pyro and shining lights, to soft and slow for an acoustic section, then back to high energy was something no other band did the entire weekend. Even with some technical difficulties involving the stage monitors, the band sounded and looked amazing.
Mayday Parade returned five years after their last FC performance. Based on the crowd interactions all day, it may have been five years too long, honestly. Mayday Parade also agreed, saying early in the set, that the 2021 performance was one of their best performances of that tour, so they were excited to be back. This time, they came with a new album, Sugar, featuring the hit song “Sweet Sad Sugar.” Frontman Derek Sanders was amazing to watch, bouncing around the stage with smooth vocals. Guitarists Alex Garcia and Brooks Betts, and bassist Jeremy Lenzo, also did an amazing job keeping the momentum alive. Drummer Jake Bundrick held it down with his booming tempo beats. Each song had loud applause, especially when it was announced that in a few weeks, they would be a band for 21 years.
Then there was one. One final act. Pierce The Veil was the final set of Four Chord 12. By the end of the set, we were all understanding why. The high-energy, rock-and-roll band put the crowd into a zombie-like trance as they sliced and diced through a set that the rock Gods would weep to. Frontman Vic Fuentes sang with a mix of aggression and emotional melodies. Guitarist Tony Perry and bassist Jamie Preciado gave their all with high-energy performances. Newer and older songs were balanced well, as fans sang loud and proud. These legends were the perfect ending to a successful twelfth year of Four Chord.
An unfortunate side note to this set was the media confusion. We were told everyone was safe to photograph all day. As soon as it was that time, however, something changed. Shoutout to Adam Valen for trying to get answers for us. He went to bat for his media group, and while it didn’t go the way we wanted, I was impressed by the length of measures he went through to try to get us out there in the confusion.
If this weekend was any indication, Four Chord is as strong as it ever was, and gets stronger every year. The crowds showed up early, and stayed all day long. Food was constant, people were happy, and the bands played amazing music. We were all able to forget about our lives and issues. We were able to be a community of music lovers in one place. We skipped work on Friday and came back on Saturday. The new location was a success. The only small issues I found were that the bathroom situation was increasingly unpleasant, as long lines and plugged stalls occurred. The entrance onto the field was a bit chaotic, but it was resolved by putting a barricade to help the flow of going in vs. going out. Rishi and company did a top-notch job yet again. Thank you for having us, and let’s do it again next year!
If you attended day 2, see if you were photographed below!
