REVIEW: Soulful Sad Summer Festival provides pop-punk perfection to Houstonians

The Maine's lead vocalist John O'Callaghan performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

The Maine's lead vocalist John O'Callaghan performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

The Maine guitarists Garrett Nickelsen and Kennedy Brock performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

State Champs guitarist Tony Diaz performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

State Champs guitarist Tyler Szalkowski performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

State Champs lead vocalist Derek DiScanio performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

State Champs guitarist Tyler Szalkowski performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

State Champs lead vocalist Derek DiScanio performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Stand Atlantic vocalist Bonnie Fraser performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Stand Atlantic drummer Jonno Panichi performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Stand Atlantic guitarist David Potter performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Stand Atlantic bassist Miki Rich performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Oh, Weatherly guitarist Angel Bedoy performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Oh, Weatherly guitarist Angel Bedoy and drummer Colton Lakey performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Oh, Weatherly bassist Beau Harris performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Oh, Weatherly guitarist Reece Alan performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mom Jeans frontman Eric Butler performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mom Jeans bassist Sam Kless performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mom Jeans frontman Eric Butler performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mom Jeans guitarist Bart Thompson performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mom Jeans frontman Eric Butler performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

State Champs guitarist Ryan Scott Graham performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade frontman Derek Sanders performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade guitarist Brooks Betts performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade frontman Derek Sanders performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade bassist Jeremy Lenzo performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade guitarist Alex Garcia performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade frontman Derek Sanders performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade frontman Derek Sanders performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Just Friends guitarist Matt Yankovich performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Just Friends performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Just Friends performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Just Friends vocalist Sam Kless performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Just Friends vocalists Sam Kless and Brianda Goyos León performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Forever the Sickest Kids guitarist Caleb Turman performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Forever the Sickest Kids frontman Jonathan Cook and drummer Kyle Burns performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Forever the Sickest Kids frontman Jonathan Cook performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Forever the Sickest Kids bassist Austin Bello performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Forever the Sickest Kids frontman Jonathan Cook and bassist Austin Bello performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Forever the Sickest Kids guitarist Rico Andradi performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Forever the Sickest Kids drummer Kyle Burns performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Crowd surfer at Sad Summer Festival during State Champs' set. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Crowd at Sad Summer Festival during Forever the Sickest Kids' set. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

The Maine's lead vocalist John O'Callaghan makes his way on stage at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Stand Atlantic vocalist Bonnie Fraser performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Oh, Weatherly vocalist Blake Roses performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Mayday Parade vocalist Derek Sanders performing at Sad Summer Festival at White Oak Music Hall for Sad Summer Festival. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

Crowd surfer at Sad Summer Festival during State Champs' set. Photo by The Signal Managing Editor Miles Shellshear.

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In the void left by the final cross-country Vans Warped Tour in 2018, music festivals like Rockstar Disrupt and the more notable Sad Summer Festival have sprung up to fill the void of pop-rock, punk and emo music fans yearning for a warped-esque experience across the country.

On July 6, the Sad Summer Festival stopped for its second date of the tour with headliners: Mayday Parade, The Maine, State Champs and Forever the Sickest Kids. Upon entry, a myriad of merchandise tents, food trucks and artists eager for interaction greeted the equally eager fans.

Similar to Warped Tour, set times for each band were secret until fans entered the Lawn at White Oak Music Hall, which encouraged attendees to hear new music and enjoy the full experience Sad Summer Fest had to offer. On one end of the venue, there were four different photo opportunities for fans to take pictures in front of Sad Summer Fest backdrops.

Beginning the day was Dallas-based Oh, Weatherly, delivering pop-punk perfection with their songs “Here Tonight” and “Chasing California” from their debut album “Lips Like Oxygen.”

Next on the roster was the brass-infused heavy hitters Just Friends, comprised of trumpets, trombones, keyboards, two vocalists, drums, rhythm, bass and lead guitars satisfyingly scratching the itch for funky ska-punk fans in attendance with “Supersonic” and “I Wanna Love You.”

Following was Stand Atlantic, an Australian pop-rock outfit touring with Sad Summer Fest on their debut record “Skinny Dipping,” an energetic take on power pop and punk rock culminating in a reactive crowd increasing in anticipation for headlining acts.

Lastly, familiar face Sam Kless, co-vocalist of Just Friends took the stage as bassist for Mom Jeans, who played an adrenaline-fueled set of emo and indie-rock tinged powerful pop-punk “Death Cup” and “Edward 40Hands.”

The variety in styles between the opening acts is strongly reminiscent of the exciting discovery which occurred for fans who came early to the nearly mythical Vans Warped Tour, exposing fans to all new styles of music inspired by hip hop, funk, jazz, blues, pop, emo and punk favorites throughout history.

The crowd size and audience excitement ramped up significantly as Forever the Sickest Kids kicked off the headlining portion of the festival, playing favorites like “Hey Brittany” and “She’s a Lady.”

Next on the headlining list played Mayday Parade, who had toured on their album “Sunnyland” during 2018’s final cross-country Vans Warped Tour, returning with emo-pop and punk-inspired alternative rock classic “Jamie All Over” and the newer “Piece of Your Heart.”

Succeeding Mayday Parade was State Champs, one of the largest forces in the current scene after the success of their sophomore album “Around the World and Back,” performing hits “Secrets” and “Losing Myself.” The pop-punk powerhouse continued with newer tracks from their third album “Living Proof,” “Criminal” and “Dead and Gone,” invoking the largest volume of crowd surfers and moshers for the day.

Closing out the festival for the day was perhaps the poppiest of the punk rock acts included in the lineup, The Maine, who stormed the stage carrying an inquisitive “Are You OK?” sign held high by frontman John O’Callaghan as the band performed a powerful set comprised of “Black Butterflies & Deja Vu” and “My Best Habit” among other tracks from their latest album “You Are OK.”

Overall, the inaugural Sad Summer Festival captured the excitement, soul and spirit that adorned the much larger and no longer location-inclusive Vans Warped Tour, albeit on a smaller scale, but more fan-focused and fleshed out than its primary competitor, Rockstar Disrupt Festival.

Delivering the Sad Summer Festival to fans in Houston was an incredibly refreshing revival containing the same heart and soul of the famous pop-punk festivals that came before it. If you have the opportunity to attend the Sad Summer Festival either this year or next year, don’t miss it.

Find more info about Sad Summer Fest visit www.sadsummerfest.com.