Article and photos by: Courtney Thomassen

St. Petersburg, FL– While a summer concert at an outdoor venue in Florida may seem intimidating, the heat did nothing to stop fans from coming out in full force for Yungblud’s first US show of the season. As the afternoon turned to evening, a long line of fans poured through the gates of Jannus Live in St. Petersburg to wait for the show to begin. 

Singer-songwriter Sophie Powers and Los Angeles rock band The Regrettes provided support, with the former kicking things off at 7:40PM. The eighteen year old Canadian brought with her a unique sound and showcased her artistry on stage in more ways than one by rocking a black and gray bodysuit she designed herself. Powers’ set included her newest singles “Nosebleed” and “Bathroom Floor” and ranged from a cover of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” to “See Me!!,” which features a techno-punk sound reminiscent of the scene bands of the mid 2000s. Throughout the entire performance Powers and her band’s zealousness infected the crowd, keeping them fully engaged and dancing along with every single song. 

The Regrettes continued the night with another 30 minute set of pure positivity. As the sunset fell below the pavilion, warm light and the summer air punctuated the Cali-rock sound of tracks like “California Friends” and “Monday”. Storage boxes of various sizes sat positioned against the stage, providing steps down to the pit and easy access to the crowd. Vocalist Lydia Night took full advantage of this, jumping down to stand on the barricade and swaying her raised arm back and forth with the crowd as they sang along to “Nowhere.” After returning to stage that energy never wavered, with Night jumping around and dancing with guitarist Genessa Gariano and bassist Brooke Dickson before closing out the set with fan favorite “Seashore.”

Changeover began as soon as The Regrettes finished their thank yous and goodbyes. As the military style camouflage netting that covered the main drum kit was removed and blinding white spotlights ran through their pre-show tests, murmurs of excitement turned to chants for Yungblud. A member of the touring crew performed final checks on the stage, making sure all loose cables were properly secured with gaffer tape to avoid any accidents. As the lights dimmed signaling showtime, the screams from the audience grew. The words “Open The Pit” flashed across the LED matrix that backlit guitarist Adam Warrington, drummer Ben Sharp, and bassist Silke Blansjaar as they took their positions onstage. At the first glimpse of Yungblud’s silhouette, screams from the crowd reached a new level. The intro to “superdeadfriends” erupted from the speakers and red strobes and mist cut through the dark stage. Immediately the need for the gaffer tape was apparent as the singer burst into action, jumping as high and hard as possible and running back and forth across the stage full speed. The energy level stayed impossibly high throughout the majority of the set, with only a few breaks for heartfelt moments speaking directly to the crowd and a stripped back rendition of “casual sabotage.”

Yungblud’s fanbase, affectionately referred to as the Black Hearts Club, is one that places heavy emphasis on inclusivity, togetherness, and found family. The atmosphere of a Yungblud show truly reflects that by providing a welcoming environment for all. Interaction is encouraged not only between the artist and fan, but between fan and fan. The singer stated a goal of his was for everyone at every show to leave with at least two new friends, leading to a beautiful moment as strangers to turn and say “hi,” hug, or even just smile at each other. Throughout his performance Yungblud took multiple trips off stage to sing with fans at the barricade, brought fans onstage, and even ventured through the crowd towards the back of the venue where he performed a song standing on top of one of the bar stations. The night soon came to an end, with the final song “Lowlife” occurring roughly an hour after the set began. After returning to the stage for an encore performance of 2019 single “Loner”, Yungblud thanked his fans before walking offstage and through the crowd that had begun to accumulate near the exit. Even though the concert had ended, the night was not over for a group of fans who stood outside the venue. The singer often will take time after shows to meet those who stick around, signing autographs and taking pictures – a fitting end for a night focused not only on music, but on community.