Yellowcard will take the stage at the Majestic Thursday night with a level of energy and unity unusual for a 14-year-old band. Coming off of a three-year hiatus, Yellowcard is looking to return to doing what they love: touring and leaving an impact on their fans.
""We had spent eight to nine years together ... doing everything together,"" Longineu Parsons III said. ""It kind of creates a cloud sometimes, but you have to break away from the cloud to come back with a fresh state of mind to attack the situation the way it should be; that way you can conquer.""
With their album, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes, peaking at No. 19 on the Billboard 200, it looks like they're well on their way. Parson sees a bright future coming after breaking away from the cloud that had hovered over the band. With new bassist Sean O'Donnell, also a member of Reeve Oliver and Yellowcard side project Big If, as a part of the band's lineup, Parsons feels like they've got some steam behind them. ""We have what I think is the best band we've had,"" said Parsons.
Fans who remember Yellowcard from their 2003 hit record Ocean Avenue will agree with Parsons when they hear how the new lineup sounds. The same energy and happiness that the band had eight years ago has come back in full force.
""When we were recording Ocean Avenue we were very excited because we had just gotten signed to Capitol [Records],"" Parsons said. ""We were young and excited, and happy, and you can hear that in the songs, and on this album, we definitely captured that vibe again.""
It's those same fans from back in 2003 that prompted Parsons to start thinking about bringing the band back together. While on the road as a drummer for ""American Idol"" runner-up Adam Lambert Parsons was often approached by fans from his days in Yellowcard.
""I'm a firm believer in fate. Some things show themselves to you, there are signs,"" he said. ""Every day people would come up to me and say ‘Yellowcard changed my life. Man, I wish you guys would get back together.'""
That's when the phone calls to the other band members started.
""Adam is a great guy and a great singer, but that is his thing,"" Parsons said. ""[Yellowcard] is my thing.""
And it's something that Parsons and the rest of Yellowcard take pride in doing well. The band is always working on being better and doing promotion. But with the strong friendships at the core of the band, it shines through from the album to each performance, Parsons said.
""It's just a feeling of being friends,"" Parsons said. ""We're a unit. We are unity.""
To Parsons, a life of performing on the road and the strong friendships that hold the band together doesn't get old and each performance is special.
""We're blessed,"" he said. ""With the way records are selling, it's becoming more and more impossible to sustain a career on the road. We're blessed with being able to still tour and have great fans and we all love each other as a band.""
Like Parsons said, it's all about the fans to the band, which is why their show in Madison promises to be spectacular.
""Whether there is one fan or 2,000 at our shows, it's still special. We understand that with the economy the way it is, it's not easy for everyone to get out to see a band.""
Regardless of who comes to the concert, Parsons and Yellowcard have one goal.
""We hope for at least one person a night leaving with a smile
on their face, that we made an impact in their lives.""
