by Renee Robbins | May 24th, 2025

All images are from The Wonder Years - Burst & Decay Tour in Tampa, FL on 5/24/25.

On Saturday, May 24th The Wonder Years took to The Ritz Ybor in Tampa, Florida to bring their Burst & Decay tour to life. This tour was different from other The Wonder Years shows because, as their lead singer pointed out, they were joined by several extra members on stage; The extra members being Little Kruta, a multi-genre string ensemble. The ensemble is featured on several songs on the bands most recent album “Burst & Decay”, but also paired their sound with several fan-favorites from the band to create a show that is both unique and unforgettable.

The night started with opener Kevin Devine who immediately won the crowd over with easy conversation and his ability to project his voice through a crowded room even when stepping away from the microphone. Kevin Devine’s music is known to take important societal issues and make them digestible and perfectly portrayed in song, as noted by lead singer of The Wonder Years during their set, and it was apparent by crowd reaction that this was true. His set included new singles “God Is In the Numbers” and “Laughing in The Ambulance”, and continued with older songs that even had security moving their head in rhythm. Warming up the crowd perfectly, Kevin ended his set and made way for The Wonder Years to take the stage.

The stage set up for the main act included a set for all members of both The Wonder Years and Little Kruta, creating a cozy and warm vibe; each area even included its own lamp, making it feel like you’re in a comfortable and safe home environment. As the lights dimmed, each member came out and took their respective and the crowd erupted in excitement. The band opened with “Doors I Painted Shut” which immediately garnered a loud crowd reaction; making it clear that the rest of the night would bring an incredible set.

As the show continued, the band stopped several times to interact with the crowd including introducing Little Kruta and sharing they “make their songs sound better” and even pulling out a 15 year old doll that they found in storage, throwing it out to someone in the crowd to keep. Each time the band paused, it was clear they hold their fanbase very close and that everyone in the room felt a sense of belonging with The Wonder Years. The band also shared a moment of connection with the crowd, sharing that they do everything in their control to make sure their fans feel safe before streamlining into playing “Devil in my Bloodstream.”

Even more than three-quarters into the set, the crowd was still loudly singing along. During “You in January”, several show-goers wrapped their arms around each other to sing the love song, creating a warm and comforting feeling for what the lead singer shared was the last moment of love before a few darker songs. As the set got closer to ending, the band shouted out Kevin Devine and his ability to cover societal topics and even shared that he was a huge inspiration for their album “No Closer to Heaven”. Closely following their thanks, the band took a moment to share their support for Palestine which was followed by loud applause and cheers from the crowd, making it clear that this was certainly the safe haven the band intended to create.

To end their set, The Wonder Years closed with an encore of Came Out Swinging, bringing the emotional, energetic, and homey-feeling show to a close. The Burst & Decay tour continues through the end of May, ending on June 1st in Toronto and is a must-catch show for fans of the band.