Yellowcard headlines the 97X Next Big Thing Legends show at The BayCare Sound in downtown Clearwater on Friday, Sept. 4. The concert revives a series with 25-year roots at Coachman Park.

Show Times and Ticket Information

Doors open at 5 p.m. Music starts at 6 p.m. at the outdoor amphitheater at 301 Drew St. Tickets start at $45 and are available through the Raymond James Central Ticket Office at Ruth Eckerd Hall at 727-791-7400 or at RuthEckerdHall.com.

Band's Comeback Follows 2022 Reunion

The Jacksonville pop-punk band, fronted by Ryan Key with violinist Sean Mackin, broke through in 2003 with the platinum-certified "Ocean Avenue." The band reunited in 2022 after a five-year breakup and released "Better Days" in October 2025, their first studio album in nearly a decade. Travis Barker executive produced the record and played drums on every track.

The title track, "Better Days," scored Yellowcard's first No. 1 on alternative radio.

Singer Key described the creative process in an October 2025 statement accompanying the album's release: "I started the record as one version of myself and came out the other side changed. I went in knowing I needed help. I came out of it writing songs like I was 19 again."

Full Lineup Includes Waterparks, Three Other Acts

Joining Yellowcard on the bill are Waterparks, Dylan Cotrone, Saints of Saturn and 408, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay reported. The show is presented by Clean Earth Systems and 97X Tampa Bay's New Alternative.

Concert Series Traces Roots to 2001

The 97X Next Big Thing series has deep Clearwater roots. The first show took place Dec. 2, 2001, at Coachman Park, with 15 bands on two stages. The series spans roughly 25 years, though it has not run every year.

Venue Ranks Among World's Top Amphitheaters

The BayCare Sound now occupies the revitalized Coachman Park site. Pollstar ranked the venue among the world's top amphitheaters in the 10,000-capacity-or-less category based on ticket sales from October 2024 through March 2025, according to Ruth Eckerd Hall. Visit St. Pete Clearwater named it the area's "Best Live Music Venue."

Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector marked the venue's third anniversary on June 30, writing in a post on X: "Just three years ago this week we cut the ribbon on a revitalized Coachman Park and held the first concert at the @TheBayCareSound. Since then, it has established itself as the best outdoor music venue in Tampa Bay and one best in the world."

Parking and Venue Policies

The venue is rain-or-shine, cashless and enforces a clear bag policy. Public parking is available throughout the downtown district, and ferry and trolley services also serve the area.

What's Next at The BayCare Sound

Modest Mouse plays Sept. 16, John Fogerty performs with Steve Winwood on Sept. 19, and Rise Against takes the stage Sept. 25.