Stop, turn, take a look around! At all the lights and sounds!

Alumni Hall shook Saturday night as Yellowcard massacred the stage with their loud, funky, punk rock sounds. And yes, there were a bunch of bright lights, too.

Of course, I could not contain my excitement when I learned two weeks ago that Yellowcard would be gracing Alumni Hall’s stage. They were my childhood musical sweethearts, and I’m sure most of you would agree. “Ocean Avenue” can easily be dubbed the soundtrack for our adolescent years, and joints like “Rough Landing, Holly” and “Light Up the Sky” will never die out. For a senior like me, having such a memorable band perform at Penn State makes me feel youthful and nostalgic again. Graduation, smaduation! Rocking out one last time with a bleached-out-blonde lead singer, dread-headed drummer, freaky cool violinist, mellowed out bassist and dangerously smooth lead guitarist is worth the stress of classes and maintaining good grades.

Students lined up past the bookstore waiting to get inside Alumni Hall. Yes, that means that the line stretched down the stairs, past Starbucks and the PRCC and down the stairs, past the bookstore and out the doors. Seeing Yellowcard was no joke.

When Yellowcard finally came out, most Penn Staters didn’t know what to do with themselves. The crowd went crazy. YC opened with “Lights and Sounds,” a perfect fit for the night to come. Lead singer Ryan Key bounced around the stage, singing in that boyish, high pitched tone of his that is so distinct. Drummer Longineu “LP” Parson III’s dreads swung around his head like Medusa’s snakes, making his movements look magical. Sean Mackin was nothing short of amazing — making love to his violin and producing some awesome melodies. Ryan Mendez was subtle but striking, keeping the lead guitar and tantalizing the crowd. And Josh Portman, the newer addition, proved to be a noteworthy performer and skilled bassist.

Needless to say, it was a good night. YC played the songs “Way Away,” “For You, and Your Denial,” “Fighting,” “Rough Landing, Holly” and “Light Up The Sky” for us. They also played “Only One” and “See Me Smiling,” a song dedicated to a friend of theirs who passed away at a young age. After getting all the fan-favorites out of the way, the whole band left for a coupld of minutes. Lead singer Ryan was the only one to return, with an acoustic guitar. He played a couple of acoustic tunes, including “Sing For Me,” written for his late aunt, and “Empty Apartment,” one song the crowd was anticipating all night.

Finally, the other four-fifths of the band returned on stage, and blessed us with their greatest hit, “Ocean Avenue.” At that point, the concert reached its height — students surfed the crowd by the dozen, girls jumped around and raised their arms wildly, guys hollered and everyone sang along. It was a beautiful and boisterous moment.

I couldn’t get enough of LP the drummer’s swinging hair and commanding beats, and Ryan’s graceful and quick movements. However, many would say that violinist Sean Mackin stole the show. He was quite the charmer, too. Hopefully this in’t the last time YC come to PSU. Ryan mentioned the band recording a new album. He also wore a Lion’s Pride shirt. I think he like us enough to come back one day.