*Erika Goldring/Getty Images*

Shinedown Madison Square Garden debut is set to take place this Sunday, marking a major milestone for the rock band as they perform at the iconic New York City venue for the first time. The show follows the launch of the summer leg of their U.S. Dance, Kid, Dance tour, which kicks off Saturday in Boston.

Frontman Brent Smith shared with ABC Audio that the band has never stepped foot in Madison Square Garden—not as a headliner, opener, or part of a multi-band lineup—making the occasion especially meaningful. “We’ve never been on a tour where we [played MSG as] an opening band or a first of four, nothing,” Smith said. “So to walk in there as a headliner for your very first time is something that is huge for us.”

The performance carries added significance for Smith personally, as his parents are planning to fly in for the show. “They were like, ‘Hey, we just wanted to let you know … we will be flying into New York City to watch you at Madison Square Garden,’” Smith recalled. “And I just didn’t expect that.”

Because his parents rarely travel by air, the gesture came as a welcome surprise. “That made me so happy,” Smith said. “They were like, ‘He’s playing Madison Square Garden—yeah, we’re gonna go watch him!’ It’s very sweet, it’s very endearing.”

Smith noted that other band members are also expecting family and friends to attend. “It also makes you feel good when your family is so proud of you that they wanna come and be there at that moment,” he added. “It’s pretty overwhelming—it’s really cool.”

Shinedown’s Dance, Kid, Dance tour also features Bush and Morgan Wade, rounding out a summer schedule packed with high-energy rock performances.

Content for this summary was derived from original reporting by ABC Audio, as featured on 105.7 The Point