New Found Glory & Yellowcard Bring Summer Nostalgia to The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ [Photos]

A sold-out crowd packed The Stone Pony Summer Stage as the “Up Up Down Down Tour” rolled into Asbury Park, with co-headliners New Found Glory and Yellowcard joined by Plain White T’s for a night filled with nostalgia, sing-alongs, and high-energy performances.

Plain White T’s opened the show and quickly got the crowd involved. Their set mixed fan favourites with newer material, but the biggest singalong came when they launched into “Hey There Delilah.” Thousands of voices joined in, turning the Summer Stage into one giant chorus and setting the tone for the rest of the night.

When New Found Glory hit the stage, the energy immediately kicked into another gear. The Florida pop-punk veterans tore through a career-spanning set that showcased why they remain one of the genre’s most beloved live acts. Opening with “Understatement,” the band instantly had fans bouncing, singing along, and reliving the soundtrack of their youth.

The set balanced classic favourites with newer material, keeping longtime fans engaged from start to finish. Songs like “My Friends Over You,” “Hit or Miss,” and “All Downhill From Here” reminded the crowd why New Found Glory helped define a generation of pop-punk while continuing to attract new listeners nearly three decades into their career.

One noticeable absence was guitarist Chad Gilbert, who remains home while continuing his battle with cancer. Gilbert’s influence on New Found Glory is impossible to overstate, and he was certainly missed. Even so, the band delivered a powerful performance filled with the same passion and chemistry fans have come to expect. Vocalist Jordan Pundik kept the crowd engaged throughout the set, while the rest of the band never let the energy dip.

One of the night’s biggest sing-alongs came during New Found Glory’s Disney-themed cover segment. As the band launched into their pop-punk take on The Little Mermaid’s “Part of Your World,” fans enthusiastically sang along, creating a fun and unexpected moment that perfectly captured the evening’s nostalgic spirit.

Yellowcard closed the evening with one of the most memorable entrances of the night. Clips from classic films, including Top Gun and Dirty Dancing, played before a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man made its way onto the stage, chased by Ghostbusters to the delight of the crowd. The theatrical intro gave way to a set packed with fan favourites, blending nostalgia, energy, and the signature violin work that has made Yellowcard a staple of the pop-punk scene for more than two decades.

As fans filtered out into the Asbury Park night, the fun didn’t stop when the bands left the stage. The familiar sounds of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. theme played over the speakers, drawing smiles and laughs from concertgoers making their way toward the exits. It was a fittingly playful ending to an evening filled with nostalgia, sing-alongs, and the kind of energy that keeps fans coming back summer after summer.