It was a surreal moment to cap off a year of surreal moments for Yellowcard. The Beastie Boys had just announced the winner of the MTV2 Award at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards, and the band was having a difficult time processing what was happening. Violinist Sean Mackin didn’t actually hear their name being called out. He only heard their wildly successful single and title track, “Ocean Avenue,” being blared out across the American Airlines Arena in Miami. He turned to see their drummer, Longineu Parsons III, or LP, wide-eyed in disbelief before realizing that they’d better start making their way to the stage.

For singer and guitarist Ryan Key, the experience felt overwhelming, and more than a little pivotal. A year since the release of their major-label debut, Ocean Avenue, and five years since the band staked out from its Jacksonville, Florida hometown for Los Angeles, Yellowcard had grown (very quickly) into full-scale rock phenomenon. With three hit singles under their belts, sold-out tours across the globe and Ocean Avenue going on to sell 2.5 million copies worldwide, it felt like the closing of a very successful chapter.