I like the Bard a lot in this edition, full-caster status and all. The 2e Bard leveled up faster for the same XP as a Mage, so you could often have a Bard casting at the same level or even higher than the Mage in the party, and making the Bard a full-caster in 5e kind of hearkens back to that. Bards don't get slot recovery abilities like the Wizard does, though, so it's not really stepping on the Wizard's toes casting-wise, either.
About the only thing the Bard really needs are more explicitly performance-themed spells at each level. Give me those (Xanathar's please?) and we'll be set.