New Found Glory Brings the Catalyst 20 Years Later Tour to Buffalo, NY
New Found Glory (NFG) showed up to perform at Buffalo’s very own Riverworks last Sunday with some big plans indeed. Since New Found Glory's initial release of their critically acclaimed fourth album, Catalyst, twenty years later this album still holds a cornucopia of punk-pop hits that have carried on throughout the years. Bringing friends Sincere Engineer along for this epic tour, New Found Glory geared up for a night full of pure punk rock bliss for both new and old fans alike. What better way to celebrate than singing along to the songs of New Found Glory that have molded some of our greatest teenage memories?
Sincere Engineer hit the stage first. Lead singer Deanna Belos immediately captured the fan’s attention with her passionate, frustrated tones. Her smooth raw and emphatic vocals paired perfectly with the band’s pop-punk raw feel. A powerful female vocalist is often hard to find, but Belos did an amazing job of holding the fan’s attention. Their highly relatable lyrics were popular among the crowd emphasizing the struggles of growing up, break ups, and finding yourself. Before the band performed most fans at the venue had never seen them live. However, after their set, multiple conversations of “damn, they're good” and all the approved head nods during the set proved to show this band is a must-see.
Lining the stage with their iconic eerie carnival set, including the well-known “circus worm” based on the album’s artwork, fans were already flooding the floor ready to relive their favorite songs. The bands setlist included the entirety of songs off of their album Catalyst. With earplugs in and drinks in hand, multiple fans in NFG merch were ready. The band exploded into their first song “Intro”, exciting the crowd before catapulting into arguably one of their most well-liked songs off the album. Lead singer Jordan Pundik could barely be heard as the crowd overtook the song “All Down Hill From Here”. Fans young and old bonded as song after song of quick guitar riffs and hard-hitting drum acoustics shattered the venue. Making sure to include some old favorites, “Hit or Miss” and “My Friends Over You”, fans took out their phones to record singing along with their friends.
Like them or not, NFG has a way of bringing people together during their emotional performances. Their songs cover the importance of keeping solid friendships, aiming to be a better person, and even touching base on the hardships of relationships. The band’s set never slowed down for one minute, other than for a cover of The Little Mermaid’s track “Part Of Your World” and the slow ballot off New Found Glory’s seminal album, Catalyst - “I Don’t Wanna Know”. After the show, fans had cemented that this was “never a phase” and that the legacy of these New Found Glory songs meant something to everyone.
With the lights going out and the venue starting to clear, fans were still buzzing off the high from the show. You could still feel the electricity in the air as people packed into their cars. It’s safe to say that this show did not disappoint and that NFG are a band that has stayed true to their pop-punk roots throughout the. years. Missed this show? New Found Glory’s 20 Years of Catalyst Tour runs through the end of October!! Make sure to grab your tickets to the town closest to you and grab your friends to celebrate this epic album!