Young and elder emos alike flocked to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on October 19th and 20th for the third annual When We Were Young Fest, a haven for those nostalgic for the iconic pop-punk and alternative sounds of the 2000s. Headlined by legendary acts My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, the festival featured a massive lineup of over 50 bands, each performing an album front-to-back (or as close as time allowed), giving fans a deeply immersive experience. Attendees also witnessed rare performances such as the reunion of Cobra Starship which was their first full band performance in 10 years.
Some highlights from the first part of the day included being able to see newcomers Daisy Grenade open on the Pink Stage with their catchy singles “Riot” and “Are You Scared of Me Yet?” The duo also surprised the crowd by debuting “How to Hide a Body,” their latest single, marking its live performance debut. Another standout was Story of the Year’s set, where they played most of Page Avenue in full—a throwback that truly soothed my emo heart. Another memorable moment came during The Used’s set. As they closed out with their iconic song “The Taste of Ink,” festival organizers cut off the sound due to time constraints. However, fans refused to let the moment end, as they sang the final lyrics in place of frontman Bert McCracken.
As the sun set over the Las Vegas Fairgrounds, the crowd gravitated towards the Pink and Purple mainstages to secure spots for the evening’s headliners. Pierce the Veil made waves with an elaborate stage design that mirrored the Collide With the Sky album cover and featured surprise guest performances from Jason Aalon Butler of Fever 333 for “Tangled in the Great Escape,” Jenna McDougall of Tonight Alive for “Hold on Till May,” and Kellin Quinn of Sleeping with Sirens for the fan-favorite collaboration, “King for a Day.” Pierce the Veil also surprised fans by performing “One Hundred Sleepless Nights” live for the first time. Although this is not Pierce the Veil’s first time performing at When We Were Young Fest, this was arguably their best performance to date.
‘Fall Out Boy’s set was an explosive spectacle with flames erupting from the top of the stage and fireworks lighting up the sky during “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light ‘Em Up).” Their set included multiple stage transformations and even featured Wiz Khalifa for a surprise rendition of Charlie Puth’s “See You Again.”
Closing out the night, My Chemical Romance delivered a powerful performance of The Black Parade front-to-back, bringing out rarely played tracks “The End.” and “Disenchanted” for the first time since 2007. They also gave fans a taste of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, with crowd-pleasers like “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” and ending on a high note with “Helena.”
From explosive pyrotechnics to rare collaborations and iconic albums performed in full, When We Were Young Fest 2024 delivered a nonstop, high-energy celebration of the music that defined a generation. With top-tier performances from bands at the peak of their game, unforgettable fan moments, and expertly crafted sets, Day 1 proved why this festival has become a must-attend event for anyone who lived through — or just loves — the golden era of emo and punk.
