The 502s, the beach folk band known as “the happiest band on earth,” are currently on tour and bringing energy and excitement to the stage in an unforgettable way.
I recently attended their show in Wilmington, NC, at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater, one of their stops on their Easy Street Tour, and it was one of the most fun and lively concerts I’ve been to in a long time. The vibe was pure joy.
They’re an impressive group, too, with powerful vocals and an eclectic mix of instruments. This is vibrant, uplifting music that had just about everyone on stage — and in the audience — jumping up and down.
Every band member had a way of connecting with the audience, with big personalities and bold excitement. Lead singer and banjo player Ed Isola happily bounced around the stage and encouraged the audience to clap and sing along.
Joe Capati’s energetic saxophone solos drew some of the loudest cheers of the night, and Sean Froehlich offered up an epic drum solo near the end.
No one was left to do just one thing, either. Every single band member took some time at the microphone in one particularly fun medley, “Stories to Tell.”
That moment was just one example of the camaraderie taking place on stage, which made the entire show that much more enjoyable. The audience was having fun, absolutely, but no one could have been having more fun than the band members themselves. Their joy felt completely genuine.
Songs like “If Good Times Were Dollars,” “Friday Night,” and “Hey Julia” showcased the band’s energy and had the crowd particularly excited, and of course, they played plenty of new favorites from their Easy Street album, including “Sayonara” and “Your Nonsense Makes Sense.”
It’s also worth noting that lead singer Ed Isola said Greenfield Lake Amphitheater was “easily my favorite venue so far” on the tour this year. It was a particularly beautiful, breezy night at the outdoor venue, which is surrounded by nature and gorgeous scenery.
Someone in the crowd shouted that they’ve been asking for three years for the band to play in Wilmington, to which Isola responded, “Three years you’ve been asking us to come to Wilmington, and we’re finally here!”
It’s a good thing, too, because this crowd had an absolute blast.
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Eulalie Magazine and Tell-Tale TV. She has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches courses in Writing and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she is a Senior Lecturer. You can contact Ashley at [email protected].