Mesa, AZ—Good Terms played June 1, 2025, at The Nile Underground in Mesa, Arizona, as part of a four-band lineup that included Phoenix singer Crimmins, Sad Park, and headliner Youth Fountain. Later frontman Brian McShea and Zach Boucher provided backup support to Youth Fountain. For those who may not be familiar, Good Terms is a Los Angeles emo/pop punk band comprised of four best friends. Think of Linkin’ Park mixed with a dash of Fall Out Boy and Good Charlotte for good measure, and you’ve got the idea of their musical style.
McShea was especially determined this show, seeking redemption for the last show at The Nile on September 11, 2023, when he completely lost his voice due to five straight days of singing and a serious lack of proper care of his vocal cords on tour. The band could be heard on stage gathering for a pre-show pump, with McShea promising that he’d redeem himself this time. Later in the show, he told the audience the story of how the tour strain plus partying hard took its toll on his voice and resulted in a bad performance. He declared, “I am here to redeem myself!”
The show, coinciding with their very recent Burnout release, was definitely high energy as soon as drummer Brendan McCusker hit the first beats and guitar chords were struck. Though the stage in the Nile Underground is tiny, McShea, Boucher, and bassist Ivan Barry made full use of the space, with non-stop movement, jumping, head-thrashing, and blazing guitar riffs. Halfway through “Old Friend,” McShea called for a mosh pit to open on the floor and joined the crowd in the first mosh of the night, while Boucher and Ivan Barry carried on with the music.
There is a different vibe to bands that hit the road making the circuit of small venues. While it’s a no-brainer these bands dream of making it big, ultimately, at the end of the night, what you get is a musical delivery that comes from the love of just playing music for those willing to listen. Good Terms is no different. The crowd was well familiar with their lyrics, and they were with Good Terms every beat of the set. Not only was their set a solid performance worth the price of admission, but it was double-header with the Youth Fountain set. McShea and Boucher gave a stellar performance but struck a balance of not overshadowing YF’s Tyler Zanon.
Suffice it to say, it looks like McShea succeeded in what he was after. Good Terms delivered a hard-core performance that night, making up for the errors of the last tour.
To catch Good Terms on tour, visit Good Terms or @goodtermsband on Instagram. Most of the setlist came from the new Burnout release, with the exception being “Progress,” a recently released single.
Setlist:
