Official Mayday Parade Group

It's not even noon and the sun is beating down on the seemingly endless line of people waiting outside of the Warped Tour gates in Denver. Tallahassee quintet Mayday Parade has already spent hours making new friends and fans and selling copies of their CD, and they'll do it again when the show is over. "The hardest part was the waiting..." says guitarist Brooks Betts. Their patience was certainly rewarded. By the conclusion of the 2006 Vans Warped Tour Mayday Parade had made 10,000 new fans.

The band formed in the winter of 2005 when two local Tallahassee bands, Defining Moment and Kid Named Chicago, decided to merge. The yet-to-be-named group of Derek Sanders, Alex Garcia, Jake Bundrick, Jeremy Lenzo, and Brooks Betts entered the studio with producer Lee Dyess and took under a week to finish their debut EP, "Tales Told by Dead Friends." While in the studio the band settled on the name Mayday Parade. As a band they enjoyed sitting on Tallahasee rooftops and watching the town parades. Alex was a fan of the word Mayday and made the suggestion that they name the band Mayday Parade in an effort to remember their time spent watching the parades together.

In September, after following Warped Tour, Mayday Parade embarked on their first full U.S. tour with Brandston and Melee, followed by a second U.S. tour with Plain White T's. In fall 2006 Mayday Parade signed with California based Fearless Records.

In January and February of 2007 the band entered the studio with producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (Cartel, All Time Low) and the tracks were mixed by Mark Needham (My Chemical Romance, The Academy Is). The new record, entitled "A Lesson in Romantics," showcases the band's maturity. The album is much deeper and more powerful, but still has that irresistible sound that fans fell in love with in the first place.

"My favorite part of being in Mayday Parade is the people I'm playing music with," says bassist Jeremy Lenzo. "The dedication is always there." This dedication is cultivated in their live show; their performances are usually flawless. One finds it nearly impossible not to smile while listening to Mayday Parade, live or on the stereo.

Written By: Shawn Milke (read less)

Official Mayday Parade Group

It's not even noon and the sun is beating down on the seemingly endless line of people waiting outside of the Warped Tour gates in Denver. Tallahassee quintet Mayday Parade has already spent hours making new friends and fans and selling copies of their CD, and they'll do it again when the show is over. "The hardest part was the waiting..." says guitarist Brooks Betts. Their patience was certainly rewarded. By the conclusion of the 2006 Vans Warped Tour Mayday... (read more)