Long Live Cross Town Train and On Your Marks: 11/28/15 at GameChanger World in Howell, N.J.
Photos of North Runner, Save Face, On Your Marks, and Cross Town Train, 11/28/15 at GameChanger World in Howell, New Jersey.
Photos by Molly Louise Hudelson. Words by Mikayla Templeton.
Thereās a lot I could say about the Mayflower Collective.
I could sing endless praises of the bands on their roster, each one incredibly talented and spirited. I could applaud the success of a DIY media/entertainment group that has released fifteen records by various artists. I could sit and write review after glowing review of said releases, the artists themselves, their multitude of performances over the last couple of years, and the trajectory that will take some- if not all- of these bands to the top. But thatās not what weāre here for, is it?
The announcement that Cross Town Train was calling it quits after nearly five years of making music left the New Jersey music scene with heavy hearts; shortly thereafter, On Your Marks did the same, pouring salt in the metaphorical wound, leaving fans and friends questioning the future of Mayflower as we all know it.
Cross Town Train and On Your Marksā last show was to be the third annual Mayflower Thanksgiving at GameChanger World in Howell, N.J. alongside Save Fave, Have A Good Season, My Heart, My Anchor, Halogens, Good Luck Spaceman, Teenage Halloween, Lunch Ladies. Daisychain, and North Runner. Daisychain and North Runner are both New York-based bands that were playing their farewell sets as well.
I got to the show a bit late, missing the first couple of bands and arriving just in time for Daisychain to close out their set. A longtime fan and friend of the band, I was sad to see them part ways with each other, but frontman Paulie Beladino was confident that he and the other members would be back on the scene with new projects in no time.
Next to play was My Heart, My Anchor, an acoustic project by Daniel Thompson. Based in Baltimore, My Heart, My Anchor is a relatively new member of the Mayflower collective, but brings spectacular energy and heart to the stage despite the melancholy nature of the music.
North Runner followed, also playing their last set (in New Jersey - their final, final show is December 11th in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.). Among old favorites, they played a new single, released only a few days prior to the show- and still people screamed along. These guys will certainly be missed.
Have A Good Season and Save Face played next, and though I wasnāt as familiar with their music, I canāt deny the life that each band performed with. I wasnāt particularly in the mood to mosh that night, but I can tell you that if I was Iād have been right at home in the crowds for these two bands. People go crazy for them, and I absolutely loved to see it.
After Save Face closed out their set, it was time for the long-awaited headliners: On Your Marks and Cross Town Train. The energy was palpable - every audience member in the room awaited their sets, and the excitement showed as soon as On Your Marks and later Cross Town Train took the stage. Standing off to the side so as not to be crushed by the impassioned crowd, I was able to observe my peers closely for the first time. And I was very, very pleasantly surprised.
The crowd I was tentatively avoiding was made up of not only familiar faces and members of other bands, but of a multitude of new faces as well. There are the kids that Iāve seen at nearly every show, especially local ones, over the past couple of years. Some are friends, some acquaintances, some Iāve exchanged nothing but a smile with. Intermingled among them were kids Iāve never seen before, something I might expect if the show were much bigger, if I didnāt spend at least a day or two at GameChanger every week or so, if I wasnāt so familiar with Mayflower and their listener base. It was spectacular to see the amount of influence this Collective has and the audience it continues to draw, even as the founding fathers take their last breaths.
I couldnāt help but shed a very tiny tear amidst the laughs as both On Your Marks and Cross Town Train played, making jokes between songs and reflecting on their history. The music was fantastic, as always, but it was that tangible emotion shared amongst the bands and the crowd that made this night so memorable and impactful. A good word for a night like this is bittersweet, and yes, itās clichĆ©, but thatās truly the essence of the experience. I was stoked, of course, to see my friends and favorite bands perform, but it was also heartbreaking to know that I might never see four amazing bands ever again.
Itās commonplace for Phil McGarry (guitar / vocals) of On Your Marks to tell the audience just how much it means to him that people come out and support the band. āThank you for giving a shit,ā heās been quoted saying, and Eoin Wenger (lead vocals / guitar) of Cross Town Train echoed this sentiment during their set.
I want to extend that same saying back to these two incredible bands. Thank you guys for giving a shit about your fans, for treating us like friends, and for continuing to be the most genuine people. Thank you for giving a shit about your music and the local scene, for founding the Mayflower Collective, and for giving similar artists a platform to launch their music careers. Thank you for making New Jersey and the surrounding areas a wonderful place for local music. And thank you for this show, for bringing people together through music, and for the legacy you will undoubtedly leave behind.
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