Maximum Fun Tour Brings Fire, Confetti, and Nostalgia to Tampa

Tampa, Fl (September 27, 2025)

On a humid Florida night, the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre played host to the aptly named Maximum Fun Tour. The lineup—Boundaries, State Champs, Yellowcard, and A Day To Remember, was stacked with variety, covering everything from brutal metalcore to pop-punk sing-alongs to arena-sized spectacles. If ever there were a tour designed to live up to its name, this was it.

The first act of the night, Boundaries, hit the stage with a short but relentless set. Their brand of high-intensity metalcore shook the amphitheatre awake as the sun began to dip behind the grandstands. Every breakdown was thunderous, and vocalist Matt McDougal’s screams seemed to ricochet off the pavilion roof. The set may have been brief, but it was a jolt of electricity—a fuse lit early that set the tone for the marathon of music still to come. For the fans already crowding the pit, it was a chance to unleash their energy before the night’s bigger names took over.

Next up was State Champs, the pop-punk outfit out of New York who have made a name for themselves as one of the most dependable live acts in their scene. Their polished, upbeat sound contrasted perfectly with Boundaries’ raw aggression, giving the night a sense of balance.

Frontman Derek DiScanio wasted no time commanding the crowd, bouncing across the stage as the band ripped through fan favorites. Their set was full of sing-alongs, quick banter, and the kind of bright, melodic hooks that make summer shows unforgettable. By the time they finished, State Champs had the audience smiling, sweating, and primed for the evening’s most anticipated acts.

Few moments in the night matched the anticipation that built before Yellowcard took the stage. The Florida natives hadn’t lost a step, and their entrance was as theatrical as it was fun. A man rode out on a BMX bike to hype up the crowd, ditched the bike mid-stage, and grabbed a t-shirt cannon, firing Yellowcard merch deep into the crowd. The audience roared with laughter and excitement, and then the lights dimmed as the unmistakable Top Gun theme blasted over the speakers.

Yellowcard opened with “Top Gun Anthem” before seamlessly launching into “Only One,” and from there the set never let up. Flames shot skyward from the stage, punctuating songs like “Lights and Sounds” and “Way Away.” Violinist Sean Mackin’s acrobatics and Ryan Key’s soaring vocals reminded everyone why Yellowcard became such a defining voice of early-2000s pop-punk.

The setlist was a gift for longtime fans, featuring “Breathing,” “Believe,” “Keeper,” and “Awakening,” as well as deeper cuts like “Bedroom Posters” and “With You Around.” The highlight, of course, was “Ocean Avenue,” which closed their set in a blaze of fire and sound. Every voice in the amphitheatre joined in, and for a few minutes, it felt like the entire crowd was transported back to the Warped Tour era.

If Yellowcard’s set was an emotional homecoming, A Day To Remember’s was a full-on spectacle. Also hailing from Florida, the Ocala-based band took the stage with a barrage of CO2 cannons blasting white smoke skyward, immediately kicking into “The Downfall of Us All.” The opening chant of “da-da-da” had the crowd in a frenzy, and from there it was pure chaos—in the best possible way.

The setlist leaned into fan favorites spanning their catalog: “I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of?,” “Right Back at It Again,” “Paranoia,” “Mr. Highway’s Thinking About the End,” and “All Signs Point to Lauderdale.” Pyro lit up the stage throughout the night, confetti cannons rained down, and more CO2 blasts punctuated the heaviest breakdowns. It was an assault on the senses that kept the crowd engaged from start to finish.

One of the evening’s standout moments came during “Miracle,” when the audience sang so loudly it nearly drowned out Jeremy McKinnon’s vocals. The frontman smiled, letting the crowd take over for entire passages. Later, he introduced “All My Friends” with a tongue-in-cheek dedication: “This one goes out to everyone enjoying an adult beverage tonight.” The crowd erupted in cheers and raised their cups, creating one of the night’s most communal moments.

Perhaps the biggest surprise came when A Day To Remember slipped in a snippet of “Ocean Avenue” as a nod to their tourmates. The crowd recognized it instantly, singing along in what felt like a symbolic passing of the torch between two Florida staples of different pop-punk generations.

As the show neared its conclusion, the band brought the mood down for “If It Means a Lot to You,” turning the amphitheatre into a sea of swaying cell phone lights. The emotional ballad gave way to high-energy closers “All I Want” and “The Plot to Bomb the Panhandle,” sending the crowd home in a euphoric blur of confetti, pyro, and sweat.

The Maximum Fun Tour lived up to its billing in every possible way. Boundaries set the pace with raw intensity, State Champs kept spirits high with polished pop-punk, Yellowcard brought both nostalgia and firepower, and A Day To Remember closed the night with one of the most dynamic performances the amphitheatre has seen all year.

It was a night that celebrated not just the diversity within the alternative scene, but also the enduring connection between Florida’s music community and its fans. From BMX stunts and t-shirt cannons to pyro, confetti, and sing-alongs loud enough to shake the stage, the show was everything a summer amphitheatre concert should be: over the top, communal, and unforgettable.

For Tampa, the Maximum Fun Tour wasn’t just a concert, it was a four-band affirmation of why live music matters.