When We Were Young Festival brought a sold out crowd of 85,000 strong to the Las Vegas strip celebrating the scene on October 18th. Throughout 4 stages, 53 bands tore through their sets across a 13 hour day. Here is how I spent my day at When We Were Young.
I was off and running at 11:00 where I went to the Allianz stage to see a bit of Her Leather Jacket, who I would be interviewing later that day. Hitting us hard and fast for the first set of the day, the Nashville based duo played through nine songs including their latest single “Death Train” that features Kellin Quinn from Sleeping with Sirens. They will be opening for The Used later this month.
I made my way to the press lounge to interview The Plain White T’s ahead of their slot at 2:45. We spoke about their upbringing right next door to my hometown in Lombard, Illinois and our shared love of Death Cab for Cutie. Sticking around for their set later that day, they played their hits “Rhythm of Love”, “Hey There Delilah” and a surprise cover of fellow Chicago area natives, Fall Out Boy’s “Dance, Dance”. A splendid set as they kick off their “Delilah vs. Juliet” tour with We The Kings.
I got my steps in as I was running between stages trying to catch as many artists as I could. I stopped by to see The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, who I would interview later that day, at 12:10 and split their set with Destroy Boys who tore up the Pink Stage starting at 12:20. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus played their latest single “Slipping Through (No Kings)” off their 2025 record “X’s For Eyes”. This was their first record in 7 years as they were welcomed back to When We Were Young for the second year in a row. Destroy Boys continued to wrangle in new fans as they cement themselves as new pillars in the scene. Their 2024 record “Funeral Soundtrack #4” was well represented with 4 of their 9 songs on their set coming from that record.
In 2025, Mayday Parade is celebrating 20 years as a band and releasing a 3-part album on top of the festivities. Having released the first two albums, “Sweet” in April and “Sad” earlier this month, you can hear these tunes live as they join All Time Low for the “Everyone’s Talking” tour that will stop in Iowa on October 29th. Rallying back and forth all day, the Pink Stage and 7-Eleven stage continued serving each other pop punk and emo favorites with Boys Like Girls, who followed next. Recently releasing their first live record, the Massachusetts quartet will take a well-deserved break after their “Basements to Bleachers” tour comes to a close. Boys Like Girls final date this year will be at Warped Tour Orlando.
If you had any built-up energy inside you, waiting to be released at the right moment, DRAIN would have been the time to do it. A live act that you feel through every bone in your body, fans were treated to three tracks off their latest record “…IS YOUR FRIEND” and a cover of Descendant’s “Good Good Things”. DRAIN is on tour supporting Kublai Khan TX this fall on tour. Straylight Run began their all-to-be brief set with a personal favorite, “Mistakes We Knew We Were Making”. Playing heavily from their self titled LP, it was a joy to see a band that has only performed seven shows since 2009. On a busy weekend, playing a side show as well, the New York indie rockers were well worth the wait. Fellow New Yorker Adam Lazarra from Taking Back Sunday came out to celebrate with Straylight Run, performing their closing track “Existentialism on Prom Night” together. An incredible set to witness.
We The Kings and The Cab were a great back-to-back combo at the Ghost Stage. “Check Yes, Juliet”, “Secret Valentine”, and even a cover of Las Vegas’ own The Killers with “Mr. Brightside”, We The Kings gave the crowd everything they had in the tank. Travis Clark sounded phenomenal, leading the band through a dynamite set. If you’re dying to hear more We The Kings like myself, you can see them on the “Delilah vs. Juliet” tour with The Plain White T’s this fall. I had a chance to chat with Travis, Coley, Hunter, and Sebastian after their set, stay tuned to 89.7 KRUI for the interview. The Cab soon followed, continuing on their first tour in 11 years. Their limited run will include opening for All Time Low on the “Everyone’s Talking” tour, coming to Vibrant Music Hall on October 29th. While watching The Cab play at When We Were Young, I was hit with the realization that I knew exactly where I was going to be on the 29th.
Simple Plan has been on my list for a while, so I was thrilled to see that the pop punk veterans bring the same energy and excitement I had heard so much about. Lively and live is the best way to see music, and the Montréal natives delivered. Bringing out dozens of Scooby Doo’s and all their hits like “Perfect” and “I’d Do Anything”, I couldn’t imagine When We Were Young without them. On the neighboring Pink Stage right after Simple Plan was “the scariest band at this fucking fest. Act accordingly”. Those words came out of Bryan Garris’ mouth, frontman for the Kentucky’s Knocked Loose. Known for their destructive pits, brutal wall of death, and torrential crowd surfers, this was a must see set for me. I began to lose track of what song they were on because I was so lost in the nauseatingly good riffs. Hitting five songs off “You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To”, there was no shortage of this breakout album. Go see Knocked Loose, you will want to see them again. They will be supporting Metallica in Europe next year and have just been announced that they will be returning to the Las Vegas Festival Grounds for Sick New World on April 25th, 2026.
With amps covered in New Jersey fanfare and the sun beginning it’s decent behind the Spring Mountains, there was no better time to hear The Gaslight Anthem. Bringing a softer and older vibe to the festival compared to other bands sharing the bill, this was a welcomed change of pace being serenaded to the tune of “Positive Charge”. Quickly ending the more laid-back vibe was Bad Religion. Swiftly moving people’s feet and frying their vocal chords to the tune of “American Jesus”, the oldest band at the festival made waves like they were 20 years old playing in a basement. The punk legends will be opening for The Offspring on their “Supercharged in ‘26” tour that will come to Sioux City, Iowa on February 7th.
Set Your Goals was one of my most anticipated sets of the weekend. I have been dying to see the California duo of Jordan Brown and Matt Wilson for years and they did not disappoint. Making their return to the stage this past February, Set Your Goals made it seem like no time had passed by bringing the same energy you would feel at a house show of theirs 20 years ago. The band is celebrating two decades of music and will continue next year at Slam Dunk Festival in England. Something I really appreciated about Set Your Goals was their changing of the setlist. While in Las Vegas, the Bay Area hardcore outfit played three shows, and each one carrying a different collection of their tunes. Hitting tracks from “Mutiny!”, “This Will Be the Death of Us”, and even a deep cut off “The Reset Demo”, it was everything a fan could have dreamed of. The Saturday crowd was treated to the song “This Will Be the Death of Us” accompanied by Vince Caruana from The Movielife. I had a chance to sit down with Jordan and Matt, talking about new music they are working on, favorite movies of the year, and much more. Stay tuned for the interview on 89.7 KRUI.
Chiodos tore through their set as they continue their “20 Years of All’s Well That Ends Well” tour with support from Hawthorne Heights, Holywtr, and Big Ass Truck. This tour will be stopping at the Val Air Ballroom on December 7th. Not long after was letlive. who continued the streak of heavy hitters on the Aliianz Stage. The Los Angeles group disbanded in 2017 but came back this year for the “sincerely yours” farewell tour. A proper goodbye to the guys who played in every backyard and basement possible.
All Time Low had an incredibly busy weekend with the release of their latest record “Everyone’s Talking”. The scene legends continue their jam-packed year as they’ve joined The Jonas Brothers on stage, accompanied The Savannah Bananas at Camden Yards, and played their latest single “The Weather” on The TODAY Show. The Maryland natives show no signs of slowing down as their “Everyone’s Talking Tour” crosses the country, including a stop in Iowa at Vibrant Music Hall on October 29th. The Maryland rockers began their weekend on Friday night with a show on Freemont Street to celebrate their 9th LP’s release. Being lit up by thousands of Freemont Street light bulbs, the band played 17 songs including a live debut of “Little Bit”. All Time Low’s sets at When We Were Young also held surprises in hand as they played “Hate This Song” with Eric Vanlerberghe from I Prevail along with performing “Monsters” with blackbear. Closing their set with “Dear Maria, Count Me In” under a heavy forecast of confetti, All Time Low was a standout at When We Were Young.
California punk rockers, and doctors, The Offspring took to the 7-Eleven Stage at 6:05. Brandon Pertzbron began hitting the high hat, Noodles reminded the crowd that “You gotta keep ‘em separated”, and the band broke into “Come Out and Play” off their 1994 breakthrough record “Smash”. The Offspring continues to impress today with an energetic live performance that stirs up images reminiscent of their 1994 Woodstock gig. Giving love to their record “Americana”, Dexter Holland sang “The Kids Aren’t Alright” and the fun, ska adjacent “Why Don’t You Get a Job”. For the most famous track off that record, The Offspring held a surprise in store. The original “Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)”, Guy Cohen was brought on stage in his famous red hat and light blue football jersey. Dancing along to the 1998 hit, The Offspring continues to tear down the house live. They will be on the “Worldwide in ‘26” tour this winter with Bad Religion promoting their latest record “Supercharged”. They will be playing the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City on February 7th.
Pop punk princess Avril Lavigne appeared atop over a dozen amps with the iconic drum hits of “Girlfriend” accompanying her entrance. Playing through all the fan favorites like “What the Hell” and “Sk8er Boi”, Lavigne also dove into her most recent record, 2022’s “Love Sux” playing its lead single “Bite Me”. This album was produced by blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and alternative producing legend John Feldmann who has worked with everyone from Good Charlotte to Korn. Pierre Bouvier from Simple Plan was brought out to sing “Young and Dumb” on night one while Derek Whibley from Sum 41 came out of retirement to play “In Too Deep” on the second night.
At 8:00, Andrew McMahon appeared and settled in behind his baby grand piano. A long time coming, Jack’s Mannequin has been elusive for over the past decade. This year, McMahon gathered together with his band for a lengthy tour that celebrates two decades of this project. Comes after the reunification of McMahon’s other project Something Corporate last year, there is a desire in the air for piano led pop punk. He played a historic gig at Red Rocks this past July, in which Andrew McMahon was the opener, direct support, and headliner playing with all of his bands. Andrew was kind enough to sit down with me before his set to discuss that gig, his tv new show in the works “Aught To Be”, and our shared love for The Lonely Island’s movie “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping”. Stay tuned for the interview on 89.7 KRUI.
Weezer came out to the opening of their song “Sheraton Commander” off their 2022 “SZNZ: Winter”, a tune that I’ve yet to hear utilized by the rock veterans before. This creepy and cold orchestration led way into the riff that started it all for Weezer, “My Name Is Jonas”. Weezer blasted through 5 songs from their debut record and kept all 11 tunes from 2008 and before. Fans were treated to a Pinkerton B-Side, “I Just Threw Out the Love Of My Dreams” with guest singers Blondeshell on night one and Lynn Gunn from PVRIS on night two. Anticipation is high among Weezer fans as their 20th album is well underway. When We Were Young was Weezer’s final North American stop in 2025 as they embark on South American and Australian tours later this year.
“Breathing deeply and walking backwards” Mark Hoppus made my dreams come true by playing “Roller Coaster” near the end of blink-182‘s setlist. Filled with deep cuts, tunes from their latest album, and the hits that made us say “damnit, that was good”, it was a set that brought smiles to the faces of everybody in the crowd. The boyish banter and spiked hair haven’t changed in over 3 decades of this band, and there seems to be no signs that it will change. I, for one, am happy about that fact. Blink-182 will hit the snooze button as they wrapped up their “Missionary Impossible Tour” with these final Vegas dates and will come out of hibernation at Arizona’s Innings Festival in February.
Throughout the day on the 7-11 stage, there were small glimpses of the headliner. Right above the screen I could make out a cursive name in lights that held the months long anticipation of the crowd. Slowly it was raised in front of the screen. Throughout all of blink-182’s set, eyes were occasionally drawn to a drum kit being rolled on the adjacent stage and screens that were being tested. Green Day’s Insomniac deep cut “Panic Song” played over the speakers as a countdown appeared on the screen. Fans in top hats and circus attire were waiting all day for this cabaret of lights, dancing, and music.
The clock hit zero, and the long-awaited return of Panic! At The Disco finally occurred in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 18th. With a bang and a flash, Brendan Urie and his backing band blew the nonexistent roof off the place sliding from “Introduction” to “The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage”. This landmark 2006 record etched itself into emo history with a speed that very few have ever done before. From its biggest hit “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” to the instrumental “Intermission” and “Introduction”, this record is a journey that I am always dying to go on. When We Were Young was the first time many of these songs have been played in over a decade. Fan favorite “Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off” for the first time since 2016, “Build God, Then We’ll Talk” for the first time since 2010, and “Nails For Breakfast, Tacks For Snacks” for the first time since Panic! wrapped its “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out Tour” in 2007. This was a long time coming for so many fans, and Urie delivered. All thirteen tracks off the record were played, and when its all said and done, we weren’t even halfway through the set by the end of the album play. Sixteen more songs spanning the career of the band were featured as this trip down memory lane extended right up until curfew. With tracks including “Nine in the Afternoon”, “House of Memories”, and a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, this was an absolute knockdown set. After playing their highest charting hit, “High Hopes”, I thought this incredible day had come to an end. To my surprise, the band stayed on stage except for an empty drum kit. “I want to bring my oldest friend out on stage” Urie announced as Spencer Smith, the original drummer for Panic! At The Disco, appeared from stage right. Playing the song that got them into all this, the cello began the opening riff of “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” once again. This was Smith’s first return to Panic! since leaving in April of 2015, and the performance was well worth the decade long wait. With a ceiling of fireworks lighting up the Vegas Strip, Urie and the band took a bow.
When We Were Young provided everything a person would need, and much more, to have a memorable day at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. There was a feeling in the air and a glow in the face of all 85,000 attendees on Saturday that said there was no place they’d rather be. Under the shadow of The Strat, we heard all our favorite songs and picked up a few new ones too. A day I will remember forever. I can’t wait to see what rabbits When We Were Young will pull out of it’s hat for 2026. Until then, we will wait with high hopes.
All photos courtesy of When We Were Young Festival.
