The Wonder Years kicked off the Burst and Decay Tour in mid-May 2025, a few short weeks after the album release of Burst & Decay Vol III on May 9th. I had the privilege to attend the 4th show of the tour on May 18th at Warsaw in Brooklyn, New York. The venue is an iconic pillar of the Greenpoint neighborhood, with an enchanting yet homey feel to it. Overall, the timeless atmosphere of the venue (and the smell of some delicious pierogies!) aided in establishing a unique setting for a unique performance.
For this tour, TWY is performing alongside The Little Kruta String Ensemble and Kevin Devine. I’ll start by saying flat out that the entire night was a magnificent display of performances from all of the above. Dan Campbell himself stated mid-set that in case anyone had never seen them before, this wasn’t like other shows The Wonder Years has played before, and quite frankly, he’s correct, but in all the right ways. Yes, this is a tour where they are setting out to play all their songs “differently,” but that didn’t stop the fans from attending the Brooklyn, NY, show, aka the first show that sold out on the tour! There appears to be nothing but support for doing things a bit differently this time around.
Kevin Devine, a Brooklyn native and Mets fan, started off his set with a new song titled “Negative Conviction.” His acoustic guitar paired with his heartfelt & intense lines quickly quieted and filled the room, which was already filling to the brim with people. TWY has mentioned how stoked they are to have Devine open for them on this tour, reinforced later in the show, Campbell had talked about how instrumental and influential Devine’s advice and style are to them musically, and they even dedicated a song to him in their set.
The stage was set up with armchairs, couches, and lamps galore, all mildly reminiscent of the comforting glow in my grandmother’s living room. Once the stage was filled with everyone in the band for the night, I realized they packed 9 whole people in there, even more, a reason to be impressed with the set design!
TWY opened with “Doors Painted Shut,” a ballad off their 2022 album The Hum Goes on Forever. Instantly, the presence of the string ensemble brought the song to a whole new level, affixing a lasting ethereal effect. I noticed that the strings were included in parts that just felt right to me as a listener. Their elegant melodies highlighted each familiar piece of discography with a profound weightlessness for songs with heavy and honest lines, and overall just a cool bendy counterpart to Campbell’s echoing voice.
“Junebug” was the only new song put out on Burst & Decay Vol III. The song was written for Campbell’s son, who had surgery at 2 weeks old, and in 2025, his son is now 3 years old. Devine and Campbell both talked about being parents throughout the show and how this aspect of their lives continues to grow and influence them in what they create. Getting to hear “Junebug” live was all the better.
Throughout the entire set, there was so much raw emotion bouncing around the room, and I think I saw more tears on faces than I’ve seen at any other show. An honorable mention of the string ensemble again – literally toying with the strings of my heart, I admit that I found myself in tears several times throughout the set, notably during Coffee Eyes. When I looked around at the crowd I noticed friends, partners, and siblings embracing, crying, smiling, and still singing along at the top of their lungs to these different renditions of songs they have loved for many years. This serves as proof more than anything that TWY’s alternative approach to reworking and performing old songs should be considered nothing less than a success.
The previous Burst & Decay volumes are expressions that transcend the depths of passion, and the newest volume is no exception to this. As a whole, the layers of sound added by the live string section highlight the band’s alternative performance so distinctly and make it a truly special display that I wish I could experience over and over again for the first time.
The marriage between the NYC-based string ensemble and the pop-punk band from Philadelphia is a phenomenal one that I never saw coming, thinking back to 10 years ago, but I’m so grateful it did. Their music has grown with me, and I’ve proudly seen them perform many times in the last decade or so. This show has been a notable experience for a longtime fan like myself, and I highly suggest anyone who’s ever been a fan of TWY should get out to see them on this tour!
The Wonder Years
Kevin Devine
