Logan Melia: Hi. How are you doing?  

Jaret Reddick: I’m doing great. How are you?  

Logan: I’m doing well. How’s the tour been? You’re out with Simple Plan, Lolo, and 3OH!3 right now, how’s that been?  

Jaret: Man, it’s, you know, in one way it’s like a family reunion because Simple Plan have been our little brothers since 2002, you know, when we first brought them to Texas and then took them to the UK and now they’re taking us all over the USA and so, yeah, it’s great. And then 3OH!3, we just love those guys so much and Lolo as well and so it’s just, it’s been a lot of fun and the crowds have been absolutely amazing, you know, kudos to Simple Plan for putting this thing together and taking us out and really, really bringing it.  

Logan: Yeah, they are, to you guys too, but incredible live bands. I mean, they are jumping all over the place, they’re a joy to see.  

Jaret: It’s a really, really energetic and fun night. I mean, and that’s, you know, that’s, again, kudos to them for picking the right bands because it’s, man, everybody is leaving with a big smile on their face and that’s what it’s all about.  

Logan: Yeah. Do you have any tours that you remember where you’re just like, God, this lineup was just, you know, if we could do that tour again, you know, is there anything that sticks out in your mind?  

Jaret: Yeah, I mean, there’s so many of them. You know, we’re pretty lucky in that for the most part, our entire career, we’ve hand selected who it is we tour with and, you know, we really haven’t supported many bands. It’s usually been our thing and, but the two co-headlines we did, one with Less Than Jake and one with Real Big Fish are definitely up there with this one as far as the best tours we’ve ever done.  

Logan: Are you a big ska guy? I mean, I wouldn’t say that I’m a big ska guy, but I mean, I love those bands as their music and people. I mean, you know, it’s really to me, it sort of fits in.  

Jaret: I don’t even think about it as ska, I think about those guys as being warped tour bands, you know, because that’s where we all grew up, you know, and seeing each other every summer and that’s where we got to be close and stuff. So it’s funny. It’s really until that I read it every once in a while, I’ll just be like, yeah, Less Than Jake just played our hometown of Dallas and I saw a bunch of posts about it and was like, the ska came to, I forget that they’re a ska band, you know, but yeah, they’re a rock band to me, you know, and, and they’re my buddies and they’re, I can’t think of any band that I like watching more than I do Less Than Jake. Maybe Bad Religion, but, but Less Than Jake being definitely one of my favorite live bands ever.  

Logan: Yeah. Now you mentioned Warped. You have an insanely busy year, you’re touring with Simple Plain, you’re doing a Warped or Bus Tour, you’re hitting Warped, Four Chords, Aftershock, you got a million things and then on top of it all, Wembley. 

Logan: It’s a huge year for you guys. 

Jaret: Huge year for us. I mean, and coming off of our biggest touring year ever and now, you know, doing some of these rock festivals for the first time and just really loving it and, and as I said, as you said, Warped Tour is back. So we have those three weekends and then, yeah, our biggest headlining show ever, Wembley Arena, December 13th and, you know, it’s looking like we’re going to sell it out. And that’s just one of those achievements that, you know, it’s, it’s much like, you know, I guess, you know, we’re sort of stacking those up, you know, we’re Grammy nominated, we just crossed a billion streams and now we’re going to headline Wembley Arena, you know, so it’s like, those are, those are like doctorates, you know, it’s, we’ll always have those things.  

Logan: You mentioned Grammys and the blue tuxes. I did some research that you guys won an award that didn’t win the Grammy, but you won the worst dressed that night from a fashion reporter. 

Jaret: We did, yep. From two actually we won it. We were named Joan Rivers “Worst Dressed” and People Magazines actually.  

Logan: Now in retrospect, would you wear the same, going back in time, would you wear the same blue tuxes? Because I personally think that they’re probably one of the best of the night, but would you have taken it up or would you have kept with the blue tuxes?  

Jaret: No, we would have done it again. I mean, we got so much press out of that, you know, I mean, Jimmy Kimmel even pointed us out on his show before we would ever, we’ve done him three times now, but you know, before we were ever even on there and he pointed out to our tuxes and so yeah, we got a, we got a lot of miles out of that. And also we looked so fun that Brad Paisley was there, he was at his first Grammys and he was, he was walking through and he was like, he was like, hey, I’m here by myself and you guys look fun. Can I just walk through this red carpet with you? And I’m like, yes, Brad Paisley, you sure can, you know, it’s super fun. Yeah, it’s super fun.  

Logan: Now you mentioned Warped earlier and you said like, you know, your bands come up together and stuff like that and I mean, this is the first Warped in, what is it, seven years at this point? Is it a lot of familiar faces?  

Jaret: Yeah, it’s definitely, as I said, it’s like a, you know, like a high school reunion or summer camp reunion or, you know, family reunion or whatever, but it’s, yeah, it’s, I mean, it’s, you know, it’s not quite the same in that, you know, originally your Warped tour for however many years we did it, we were on it for about 15 years, I think. And you know, you’re on it the whole summer and so, you know, you’re, all the buses are parked together and you’re, you know, that’s where you, you’re all hanging out and stuff like that. It’s a little bit different since most of us have to fly in for the shows, you know, and so you see as many people as you can. It’s a little bit overwhelming, but it’s, you know, it’s great to see everybody.  

Logan: I saw Dan Povenmire made an appearance and like, you know, many kids my age, my introduction to Bowling for Soup was, you know, through Phineas and Ferb and everything. So how did bringing Dan out come to be?  

Jaret: That was cool. You know, he’s done that a few times. I can’t really remember the first time we did it. We did it at the Anaheim house. Oh no, I do remember.  

Logan: Is that When We Were Young? 

Jaret: When We Were Young.   

Logan: That’s right. 

Jaret: We did that the first time and he loved it, had so much fun. So then he and Swampy both came, oh, and Vincent, who plays Phineas, all came to our Anaheim House of Blues show last year and we did a little thing and then, but yeah, this one was really cool because Phineas and Ferb, it was the week of the day of the debut of the new episodes.  

Logan: The re-premiere. Yeah. 

Jaret: And so they did a whole exhibit, but like put together a whole installation at Warped Tour and people could walk through it and stuff. And so it just added to the show that Dan was able to come up in the jacket and do the voice and we shot love handle shirts out of the t-shirt cannon and my son was there who’s 19. He was able to do that. So it’s just a great day.  

Logan: That’s awesome. Yeah. I was about, I remember my older sister telling me, I was watching Phineas and Ferb with her and she’s like, they’re like an actual rock band, Love Handle. That’s how I fell down this rabbit hole and fell in love with you guys playing and it’s been very cool seeing that come to be with Dan on stage.  

Jaret: Yeah. And just generations and generations of people who love that show so much. And it’s certainly been a pleasure to be a part of it all this time.  

Logan: Now you’ve been still producing great music, like “Pop Drunk Snot Bread”, I love, you guys are still out cooking, “Don’t Mind If We Do” came out a few years ago. You had the release of “Fishing for Woo’s”. Those creative juices are still flowing, which you can’t say for a lot of bands that came up in the same era. What’s the secret to you guys still putting out good quality stuff?  

Jaret: Yeah, it’s just because we still enjoy ourselves and we never really tried to mess with the formula. We just do what we do and we didn’t try to change with the times or anything like that or evolve or copy any styles or trends or anything like that. We just stayed who we were. I think Bowling for Soup fans would agree that every once in a while you just need a little dose of Bowling for Soup to brighten your day. And we figured that out pretty early, that that was our thing and we really just stuck to that. And we still enjoy what we’re doing. We still love being around each other. So it’s been a blessing for sure.  

Logan: And you added “Turbulence” to the setlist I saw for this tour right now. How do you pick, because you play your hits, but how do you swap in those more deep cut type songs?  

Jaret: Yeah “Turbulence” was an interesting conversation actually. It’s really interesting that you would bring that up because we do that during our full set. It’s usually after I do a whole discussion, a quick two, three minutes about mental health because mental health is really something that is important to me and it’s something that I’ve had issues with in the past and I just really like to communicate that out into the world so that people know that A. it can really happen to anybody. But “Turbulence”, it was really just knowing the Simple Plan audience and knowing that they have those songs like “Perfect” and the “Unnamed Song” and those songs that are just really, really heartfelt. And it was like, you know what, this audience, even though we’re only up there 40 minutes, I think they’re really going to be able to take something away from, with the song Turbulence. And so, actually, it was Rob’s idea, I think, and then we just talked about it as a band and we were like, yeah, let’s just try it and see. And it’s really working. It’s a nice, nice little, we’re really, really in your face for like 30 minutes and then it’s a little breath of fresh air, then we’re in your face for another 10 and then we’re done.  

Logan: Yeah. Well, you mentioned a 40 minute set. Do you remember the longest set you’ve ever played?  

Jaret: Oh, yeah, sure. I mean, you know, yeah, we’ve played three hour shows, I mean, plenty of times and we were one of those bands, you know, when we were back in the bar days, like they would have to pull us off the stage. And our 20th anniversary show, I think, was two and a half hours. And they were literally like, it was a union crew, and our tour manager literally had to walk up on stage and be like, they are going to turn on the lights, you need to get off the stage. So, we don’t, I don’t really see us doing that anymore. We’ve gotten a little older and it gets hot up there, but yeah, I mean, we’ve played some long shows. 

Logan: Yeah. Getting old sucks, but you know, everybody’s doing it as you are.  
Jaret: It’s better than the alternative, right? 
 
Logan: Yeah. Okay. Final one. You got, you know, just a big anniversary tour, you’re opening up. What’s next on that? Are you guys writing, do you write on the road a lot, what’s coming up for Bowling for Soup?  

Jaret: Yeah, as you said, you know, we have this tour, we still got another three weeks left and then we’ll be home for a little bit and then we’re touring some dates in the south to get to Orlando Warped Tour. And we’re playing Epcot as well for two days. And then we got the Wembley Arena show and then in February we’ll be in the studio recording a new album. So, and between now and then we’re releasing “Hangover You Don’t Deserve Live” that we recorded in Manchester last year.  

Logan: I love live records, such a fan.  

Jaret: Thank you. Yeah, well, we’re excited about it. You know, it’s our, I think it’s our third or fourth live record. And so this one, it’s really, really cool because it’s the whole “Hangover You Don’t Deserve” album front to back and then some fun stuff at the end, but yeah, it’s just an exciting time for us. And then there’ll be more, we’ll be in Australia some next year, back to the UK again some next year and then a full US tour late in the summer and fall.  

Logan: That’s exciting stuff. Well, you can catch Bowling for Soup in Council Bluffs, Iowa on August 20th. I’m in Chicago right now, you guys are playing the 24th at Northerly, I’m very excited for that. It’s awesome. You got a good stretch. Well, thank you so much for spending time with me. 

Jaret: Thanks for having me. 

Logan: I really appreciate it. It means a lot.  

Jaret: Thanks brother.

To quote my interview with Brendan Brown of Wheatus, “if you went to a Bowling for Soup show and the PA caught on fire and all of the microphones failed and somebody stole all the guitars, Jared Reddick could stand there without a microphone and entertain 2,000 people by himself for three hours. He could do it”. I couldn’t agree more. The energy Bowling for Soup brings to the stage is contagious, making even tho most stagnant viewers give a little toe tap or head bounce. Bowling for Soup will play their biggest headlining gig at Wembley Arena on December 13th with support from Wheatus and Punk Rock Factory. A handful of US dates, including Innings Festival, have been announced as we await the new album and tour dates for later in 2026. You can keep up with the latest Bowling for Soup news here.

The post Interview: Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Tom Higgenson: I don’t think they’re like considered to be emo in the same scene. 

DeMar Hamilton: But they could be on the festival and it would be, it’d be awesome.  

Logan Melia: They were. First year, Avril Lavigne played weekend one, got sick, weekend two, they came in.

Tim Lopez: No shit? 

Logan: Yeah, so they like weren’t ‘on’ on the lineup but you know. They’re one of my all-time favorites.

DeMar: I love them, yeah they’re awesome.

Logan: All right, Plain White T’s, how are we feeling guys? 

Tim: Feeling good how are you? 

Mike Retondo: Feeling great man.

Logan: When We Were Young and we had a big show yesterday with Hawthorne Heights.

Tim: Oh yeah. 

Logan: How was that?

Tim: That was amazing. It was a pool party. 

Logan: You guys jumped in at all? 

Tim: None of us jumped in the pool. I didn’t bring trunks to be honest.

DeMar: We did that emo’s not dead cruise so it was like oh this is the cruise but in Vegas at our hotel.

Tim: Thats exactly what it was.

Logan: How do you like the Vegas Vibe so far?

Tim: I mean, I like it. I like Vegas in short spurts.  

Logan: Weekends.  

Tim: Yep, exactly. 

Mike: It’s nice this year. We did it two years ago, this fest, and it’s a lot cooler now than it was two years ago.  

Tim: Like temperature wise. 

Mike: Vegas breeze rolling through. 

Tim: I feel like Vegas is getting like a little grittier. 

Mike: Grittier? 

Tim: Yeah. 

DeMar: Going back to its roots. 

Tim: Yeah, I think so. As I was driving in, I was like, yeah, this is where like all the bodies are buried.  

De’Mar: Yeah, it is kind of sketchy. 

Logan: On the Uber over here, there was a place with a bunch of tanks and ammunition.  

DeMar: Yeah, right across right here.

Logan: Yeah, that’s my first time here. I woke up, you know, kind of got in the car and that was one of the first things I saw.  

Tim: Yeah, greeted with that. Welcome.  

Logan: Yeah. You guys are on the road quick with the Delilah v. Juliette Tour. So you keep going, are you guys excited for that?  

Tom: Oh, yeah, yeah. Cannot wait and Emo Nite is opening by like spinning a bunch and DJing emo bangers to get the crowd going so it’s going to be a super fun tour. 

Logan: Do you guys have any favorites that you go sneak on to that pre-show playlist?

Tom: Yes.

Tim: Ooh probably but I don’t know if we’re controlling that thing, I don’t know.

DeMar: I’m sure they’re gonna play some some Panic!, some Fall Out Boy you know Taking Back Sunday, Ocean Avenue.

Tom: Yeah the hits.

Logan: Now you’re from the Chicago suburbs, I’m from Westmont, Illinois.

Tom: Oh no shit?

Logan: Yeah right next to Lombard and I’m not sure I’m familiar with the current scene, but they got a cool couple of DIY venues. There’s one called Basement of the Coven in the bottom of a salon that you got like a ladder down or whatever, and your guys’ name is on the wall.

DeMar: No way!

Logan: I’m being completely serious right now. 

Tim: Like a sticker or we have been there? 

Logan: I don’t think you guys have been there. 

Tim: You gotta climb down a ladder to get into the place? 

Mike: That sounds awesome!

Tom: We should go play it!

Logan: Yeah, it’s awesome. Basement of the Coven. It’s right in downtown Lombard and right next to the train station in this little outlet. 

Tim: Dude we should go play it.

Logan: If you guys really want we can set it up.

Tim: Send the info.

Mike: Next to the train stop video building.

Logan: How was the scene when you guys were growing up there in Lombard, what was it like?  

Tom: It was so awesome.  

Mike: Great library. Lilacia Park is beautiful.  

DeMar: I love it.

Tom: I literally just, on the way here today in the car, listened to our friends Lucky Boys Confusion. I don’t know if you know them from back in the day, but they just released one of their independent albums digitally on Spotify. And so rocking that on the way here and thinking back to all those old suburban scene shows. We played with them all the time, Show Off all the time, DeMar’s band, Knockout, Mike’s old man, Tone Deaf George. It was a vibrant scene.  Everybody, all the bands just kind of helping each other out and just trying to build this thing that eventually we moved it into the city and you know we’re selling out The Metro and the freaking Fireside Bowl and places like that. So yeah it was really the scene was important to us back in the day.  

Logan: I did some research. 17 shows was my count for how many times you guys played The Metro.

Tim: Woah!

Logan: Do you remember the very first one?  

Tom: I do. These guys weren’t even in the band. When we started, one of our original goals was to play The Metro. That was like my favorite venue going to shows in the city and within about a year or so we got our first gig there so it was cool. Yeah, actually they let us into The Metro before the Fireside and before any of those other cool venues.

Mike: Who was there? 

Tom: It was with Woolworthy, who I believe is still maybe a band. 

Mike: I was at that show and I have the ticket stub. 

Tom: No shit? Yeah crazy.  

Mike: Didn’t play but it was a fan. I love Woolworthy.  

Logan: Well, I want to thank you guys so much for sitting down and taking time with me. I’m looking forward to your set later today. 

Tom: See you in Lombard, man.  

Logan: I’ll be there. 

The Plain White T’s showed once again what makes them the connective tissue for so many music fans, even beyond the scene. Hitting tracks off of 5 separate albums, and even throwing in a cover by Chicago suburb brethren Fall Out Boy with their song “Dance, Dance”, the Lombard locals flaunted their expansive and entrapping discography. They will wrap up the year opening for Waterparks in December and playing the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in Chicago. You can find tour dates here as we await what is next for the quintet.

The post Interview: KRUI With The Plain White T’s appeared first on KRUI Radio.

I had the chance to sit down with Andrew McMahon while at When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas. Known best for his illustrious collection of projects Jack’s Mannequin, Something Corporate, and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, McMahon’s catalogue reaches depths very few do. We spoke about his historic gig at Red Rocks this summer, playing at Notre Dame Stadium, and how incredible of a movie “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” is.

Logan Melia: How you doing, Andrew?  

Andrew McMahon: I’m doing good. How are you?  

Logan: I’m doing really well. Bottom of my heart, thank you so much. I’m a huge fan. This is so cool for me.  

Andrew: Absolutely. My pleasure. Thanks for having me.  

Logan: So, my first introduction to you was Something Corporate in 2024, last year at Riot Fest. 

Andrew: No shit. Okay, amazing. 

Logan: Yeah, so I’m new on the street. 

Andrew: You’re new in here. I love it.  

Logan: And I heard “If U C Jordan” and I went, what’s going on at that stage? And I booked it over there. 

Andrew: That’s amazing. 

Logan:I just, I fell in love with you guys and all your work.  

Andrew: Thank you.  

Logan: This return, between Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate, how’s it been for you so far? 

Andrew: It’s been good. You know, like, I’ve been on this sort of mission to revisit these projects that were sort of foundational to my becoming the artist that I am and the writer that I am. And it felt like there was, like, some unfinished business there, you know? I’m 43 as of this year, but I was kind of leading in my 40th birthday I was like, I want to, you know, now I feel like I have enough hindsight and my feet on the ground. Let’s reframe this music in a different time, you know. So it’s been a crazy two years. It’s like I’m getting to relive the memories that, that sort of led to the writing of these songs. But getting to do it, I think, in a way that’s a little more holistic and a little more engaged and aware and seeing people still love these songs. It’s like, it’s pretty powerful.  

Logan: You played quite the gig at Red Rocks this summer. With all your bands. I wasn’t there, but it looked absolutely incredible. Did you just decide one day, you know what, I want to be on stage the whole night? How did that come to be?  

Andrew: Honestly, my, so my managers are based in Denver. And so Red Rocks is like, aside from being one of the most revered venues in the world, it’s in their backyard. And, they came to me one day and they were like, look, Red Rocks is willing to make an offer if you’ll do a show with two of your three bands. If you get two of the three, we’ll do it. And I thought about it and I was like, that’s too many people, I can’t sell that many tickets. I gave them all the reasons. And I finally landed on like, well, if we’re going to do this, we should just do it with everybody.  

Logan: Do it all out. 

Andrew: This feels important enough. Let’s not limit what can be played. Let’s just get all of these, let’s give it. Let’s get a stage for all of the songs from all of the years with everybody. And I was terrified and I worked, we worked tirelessly for a year to put the show together. I’s probably one of my proudest moments making music. And to get to share it with all of these characters and amazing musicians that helped bring all the songs to life originally. It was special in a way that it’s hard to describe. 

Logan: It was all three of it. Did you start rehearsing with one band specifically? Or did you just, what was the process? 

Andrew: Well, so luckily Something Corporate had been on the road for a good chunk of that year. So we sort of already had our feedback. The Jack’s Mannequin and Wilderness bands are virtually the same, give or take a guy or two. So it was really a matter of like getting that stuff back up and running and learning those songs. And then we just kind of put everybody in a room for five days up in Denver with the production build. Learned what it was going to look like, how it was going to feel. Because usually you do these production rehearsals and you get like a test run in a smaller venue. We didn’t have that. It was like, we were booting up the most ambitious show we’ve ever performed for the first time at Red Rocks, you know? So it was all of us kind of like living together for a week and, and running through sets and through sections of the show and going okay, this works. This doesn’t work. And editing in real time, it was pretty intense.  

Logan: You also played a pretty cool gig opening up for Billy Joel for the first gig at Notre Dame Stadium ever, I believe. 

Andrew: I mean, that I don’t know, but I know I did play, I know I played Notre Dame with Billy Joel. So that’s an interesting thought that it was their first gig ever there. That would be wild. 

Logan: I believe it was.  

Andrew: Yeah. I got to do maybe six or seven shows with him over the course of a few years and he was my idol. That was, for me, when I started playing piano and singing, it was all about Billy Joel. It was the first concert I ever attended. He was the music I was learning on a piano. He was the artist I was emulating when I was writing my songs, 9, 10, 11, 12 years old. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I was going to share a stage with him. And he was so kind and invited me back so many times. I was raised in an Irish Catholic family.  

Logan: Me as well.  

Andrew: My whole family flew out so that they could be there and see a show at Notre Dame. Because my brothers, their father, my two brothers and sister, their father went to Notre Dame. So we were like, it was a Notre Dame household and still is to this day.  

Logan: Playing USC right now. 

Andrew: I am getting the updates constantly on my phone. But it was a big night for my family to not only see me play with Billy, who was a family hero, but to do it at Notre Dame, which was their team.  

Logan: That’s holy ground in more ways than one right there. You have a TV show that you are working on.  

Andrew: I’m working on a TV show!  

Logan: I just did some research for this. I was like, okay, play some really cool gigs and all that stuff. We have a TV show in the mix. So what’s going on there? 

Andrew: I met this really great producer guy named Adam Londy a few years ago. He was trying to option the rights for my book that I put out, the memoir that I put out. They weren’t available at the time. He came back to me a few months later. He was like, look, I just want to do a show with you. Here’s my idea. What if the jumping off point is Orange County, where you grew up. And it’s loosely based on one of your old songs, a song called “Konstantine”. Just kind of like a rom-com, but it’s about a couple that should maybe never get together. I was like, sounds cool. Weirdly, I’ve been along for the ride. We have the amazing Pat Cunnane who is a really in-demand screenwriter right now. And then Paris Hilton jumped on board to get in the mix and produce and possibly narrate. I’ve worked in TV on and off for years. I’ve scored stuff for television. I’ve written for film. But it’s the first time I’m there from the jump and get to be a part of the creative team. It’s super exciting. For all the nostalgia going around right now, this show is going to be based in the early aughts. And we’re really going to be reflecting the culture of that time back. It’s also why Paris was such a great fit for it. But it’s in its infancy. We still have to write the pilot, get greenlit, cast, and do the whole thing. But it will be how I spend probably a chunk of next year. 

Logan: That’s exciting.  

Andrew: I’m super excited. I’m a TV junkie so this is allowing me to stretch out and diversify into a world where I actually spend a lot offtime.  

Logan: What are you watching right now?  

Andrew: I’m just in the middle of the first season, “The Fucking End of the World”. I don’t know if you’ve seen that.  

Logan: I have not, no.  

Andrew: It’s “The End of the Fucking World”, I think it’s called, it’s amazing. “House of Guinness” was a big one that I’ve been into. Task is the other one that is a newer show that I’ve been watching. I just revisited a bunch of old “Serpent”, serial killer kind of shit. But the go-to’s are “The Office”, “Parks and Rec”, “30 Rock”. Those are my comforts. We’re watching “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” with my daughter right now.  

Logan: Andy Samberg, he’s great. 

Andrew: Andy Samberg is my fucking hero. I can’t wait until my daughter is old enough so I can show her “Popstar”, which is one of my favorites. 

Logan: “Never Stop, Never Stopping”. 

Andrew: “Never Stop, Never Stopping”. We can go into all the songs. But yes, it’s great. I’m trying to think what else has been top of mind at the moment. Those are the big ones that I’m into right now. I just saw “Game of Thrones” for the first time this year. 

Logan: How was that? I never watched it.  

Andrew: I was traveling a ton. I watched every season, every episode in like two months.  

Logan: Oh wow.  

Andrew: I spent way too much time watching Game of Thrones. It was great though. 

Logan: Won’t keep you too much longer. Do you remember the first song? Maybe not for Something Corporate or anything like that. But the first time you put together a song and you went, I got a verse, a chorus, another verse. Do you remember that song and what it was?  

Andrew: Yeah, it was called “Believe”. I was nine, it was the first song I ever wrote. It was for my uncle who had recently passed away. It’s what drove me to play the piano. I always had a piano in my house. We went through this family tragedy. Truthfully, my uncle was just so important to all of us. He was really kind of like a de facto patriarch in the family, just like this guy who meant so much to everybody. I found myself sitting down at the piano for really the first time and writing a song to process that grief. That was it for me. I was like, oh shit, this is what I do now. I never looked back. 

Logan: You made a hell of a career out of it.  

Andrew: Thank you. I appreciate it.  

Logan: What up-and-coming artists do you have your eye on? Do you have your eye on anyone?  

Andrew: I guess he’s probably a little further along than up-and-coming, but Medium Build has been, for me, huge. I love what he’s saying. I think he’s a true poet and has his eye on the prize in a way that I really appreciate. There’s an artist named Annika Bennett. Again, she’s been around for a little while, but I think she’s going to continue to do big things. She’s amazing. Those are my two favorites that I’m watching closely and that I’m always hoping are going to just keep getting bigger and bigger because they deserve it.  

Logan: Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to sit down with me. I really, really appreciate it.  

Andrew: Thank you.  

The sun had fully set over Las Vegas as Andrew McMahon led Jack’s Mannequin through a stellar set at the Allianz Stage. McMahon played seven tracks, including “Restless Dream”, which he preceded by forewarning “This is probably ill advised; which is we are going to play a really, really quiet song. Certainly on the metal stage it’s probably even less advised, but you all look beautiful and I’m gonna come down and sing and dance with you guys”. Hopping down into the crowd for the tune off of their 2011 record “People and Things”, it was one of my favorite moments of the festival. That performance of “Restless Dream” encapsulated the warmth of this show, just pure magic. It felt as if the barricades were non-existent and the stage was built into the whole crowd as the chorus of voices sang along. You can catch Jack’s Mannequin on tour this fall across North America. Stay tuned for more coverage from When We Were Young Festival and listen to Downey’s Hour on Monday nights 9-11pm for your latest festival news!

Cover Photo by Sean Jorg. Courtesy of When We Were Young Festival.

The post Interview: Andrew McMahon appeared first on KRUI Radio.

I sat down with Jordan Brown and Matt Wilson of Set Your Goals while at When We Were Young Festival. The California natives made their highly anticipated homecoming this past February, playing their first gig in 6 years. We spoke about their return to live performances, whats next for Set Your Goals, and how good “One Battle After Another” is.

Logan Melia: How are you guys doing today? 

Jordan Brown: It’s hot. 

Matt Wilson: Yeah, exhausted.

Logan: Are you not desert folk? 

Matt: No. We’re actually from California.

Jordan: The 8:30 sun here is blistering. So different from California sun, I think. 

Logan: This is my first time here, does it really get that cold at night? 

Matt: Yeah it’s freezing. 

Jordan: Yeah, it’s freezing here. But Nevada’s awesome. 

Matt: Hoodie or jacket weather the last couple nights. 

Logan: How long have you guys been in Vegas for? 

Jordan: Since Thursday. We got in in the morning and did a rehearsal. We rehearsed at MDV rehearsal space. So, plug for MDV. 

Logan: How was that? 

Jordan:  Very good. They’ve got, like, four rooms for local artists and touring bands who want to stop in and a full back line. You know, bring your own gear or borrow from them. So we got to play there for a few hours. 

Logan: Now, I never thought I was going to be able to see you guys. This is huge. I’m 20. I grew up with guys in the background but a little too young to go to your final gigs.  

Matt: We’re also 20. Our band is 20. 

Jordan: 20 years old. Yeah. We play at 5:40 on the Allianz stage. If you don’t have other interviews, come on by. 

Logan: I will definitely be there. I’m absolutely stoked for you guys. 

Matt: Appreciate that. 

Logan: Your first gig back, Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, how was the preparation for that? How were you feeling going into the gig?  

Matt: We booked an adequate amount of time to get prepared. And we felt really good going into it. It was just so cool to play music again after five years off and see so many old friends and family. People flew in from all over the world. It was crazy. So yeah, it was a warm welcome back. 

Jordan: We didn’t really know what we would be doing exactly. Matt and I hung out in 2023. 

Matt: Yeah. Something like that. 

Jordan: Like, the end of 2023. We went into COVID lockdown like everybody else and just went our own ways, you know, doing our own thing. And then, end of that year, I asked Matt. 

Matt: Whenever “Dune Part 2” came out.  

Jordan: I asked him if he wanted to go see “Dune Part 2”. And so we watched that and then, I thought during the film, ‘Hey, this is some great music. Hans Zimmer is a genius again. I miss music. Matt, do you want to play shows?’ He said, I’ll ask the rest of the guys. And so, we just thought we’d do a couple of shows in our hometown. And then, we got offered When We Were Young and Four Chord Fest within weeks. 

Logan: Which was a crazy lineup. Four Chord Fest. I mean, anything with Jawbreaker. 

Jordan: Yeah. AFI headlining with Jawbreaker. blink-182. 

Matt: blink. Jimmy (Eat World). 

Jordan: Jimmy. 

Matt: Great lineup. 

Jordan: Yeah, Knuckle Puck. 

Matt: I like this lineup, really.  

Logan: Oh this lineup’s awesome. Don’t get me wrong. You mentioned “Dune 2”, they just released a teaser for “Dune 3”. 

Jordan: Yeah. They’ll probably keep going. 

Logan: Are you guys big movies guys? 

Jordan: Oh yeah. 

Matt: Jordan’s the biggest movie guy. 

Jordan: Me and Dan and Matt, though. Matt and I hit up movies pretty frequently. I work at a movie theater on the weekends so, it’s like a nice amenity being able to just hop in and see anything. We watched “One Battle After Another” a few days ago. 

Matt: Best movie of the year. 10 out of 10. 

Jordan: Incredible. It is the best Paul Thomas Anderson movie. It is an odyssey. It’s filmed in VistaVision. It looks and feels exciting. It’s funny and thrilling at the same time. I’ve never laughed so hard and been on the edge of my seat for like nearly three hours. Wish it had been five hours. 

Logan: The Springsteen movie is coming out. Are you guys Springsteen fans? 

Matt: Yes. 

Jordan: Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah. You’ve got a great cast supporting that feature. I think it’s opening later this month. Yeah. I’ll be there. I liked the Bob Dylan movie, that was good. The Queen movie was excellent. Biopics are great. Even if critics are not on them, audiences love them. If you have fun, you’re having fun. 

Logan: You guys announced Slam Dunk Festival, so this is going well. You guys are having fun if you’re still going next year. 

Matt: Yeah. The ball is rolling. 

Logan: The ball is rolling. I understand if you can’t say anything, but have you guys started jamming maybe some new tracks here and there?  

Matt: We are working on some new music. Very excited about it.

Logan: It’s been a minute, but if you can remember back then, how long did it take to get a track going for you guys? Is it a laborious thing or does it kind of fall out of the sky?  

Matt: It depends. There’s some songs where we just, I don’t know, Jordan will come up with an idea that’s really complete. And other ones, it’s just a riff and we build around it. 

Jordan: Mikey and Dan are contributing a lot as well. Mikey, our drummer, plays a lot of guitar. We’ve just been working on one of his songs. We’ve also been working on a song that we first originated in 2019, pre-COVID lockdown. Mikey and I had a batch of, I’d say, 10 to 12 songs pretty ready to go. And then 2020, everything shut down. We went a little hard that first year because we had nothing else to do. But yeah, Matt, I remember you hit me up in 2023 and were like, ‘Hey, I heard some of the songs you and Mikey were working on a few years ago. How do we get this ball rolling?’, and I just had no idea at that time. It’s nice to not have a deadline. Just spend our time with tracking it and getting it to where we’d like to be. 

Logan: When you guys are in the studio, do you ever say, ‘let’s get a banjo in the mix. Let’s do something off the wall.’ Is there any wild ideas that you guys either want to do or have done? 

Jordan: Yeah.  

Matt: I’m trying to think of a good one. We used a shaker in one song, little egg shakers. 

Jordan: We do like percussion. Any sort of texture you can add to the underground of a song. 

Matt: Yeah, we’ve been talking about some very subtle synth, stuff like that. 

Jordan: Yeah, I saw John Williams play two summers ago at the Hollywood Bowl, and it was phenomenal. It was like a bucket list thing. But there’s something about cinematic film scores, the cues and the way they lift the scene. So we’ve been playing around with effects, even a basic tremolo effect on some of our guitars. Things that are pleasant to hear in the headphones, but we might also be able to play live if the audience reacts to it once we release them. There’s a great studio in Oakland, California called Shark Fight Studios. It’s like $350 a day, which is very, very affordable compared to LA prices. We hit a day there for drum tracking, and we’ve just been enjoying tracking guitars, bass, vocals with a buddy of ours. He has a recording studio in his ADU in his backyard. So it’s got a very… what is it, the vibe is good? The home vibe is good? 

Matt: The vibe is chill. 

Jordan: The vibe is chill. 

Logan: You mentioned Oakland. Your first gig back in 2016, if I’m correct, was 924 Gilman Street. For any kid who listens to Jawbreaker, that’s the coolest venue in the world.  

Matt: Thank you. I agree. We’re fortunate to have grown up going to shows there. That was incredible, that was a great gig. 

Jordan: Yeah, no barriers. 

Matt: Uncomfortably packed, but that’s the best way to do it. That’s how you do it. 

Jordan: Gilman. Another venue on the rise in Berkeley is Cornerstone. I don’t know if the UC Theater is still doing shows. Berkeley is an incredible city. It would be great to play Gilman again. 

Logan: Do you guys have any dream venues?  

Matt: I would love to play Red Rocks one day. That would be incredible. I guess we played The Gorge on Warped Tour.  

Jordan: Yeah.

Matt: Red Rocks would be unreal. 

Jordan: Outdoor amphitheaters like the Greek Theater, another Berkeley venue. The Greek Theater would be a very neat place to open for anybody if we could get that opportunity. 

Matt: That would be really cool. A hometown venue on the bucket list. 

Logan: Do you guys have any favorite gigs you’ve been to? 

Jordan: So many. You just saw two Oasis shows. 

Matt: Oasis was great. One of the most recent ones was this last Nine Inch Nails tour. The production is incredible. They have a live camera and a see-through screen around the stage that they project onto. It was just so cool. 

Jordan: Going back to John Williams, two nights at the Hollywood Bowl. He played everything from the Jurassic Park theme to Princess Leia’s theme, Yoda’s theme, Asteroid Field. He had some deep cuts. Then he had the Indiana Jones theme. A new pick from the most recent Indiana Jones movie. They had the whole Cal State University Fullerton Choir on stage for A Duel of the Fates. That was an unbelievable experience. That’s probably my most memorable in the last couple of years. 

Matt: Also, last time I was here for Sick New World last year, which this same company does, I saw Danny Elfman and that was unreal. They had like 30 people on stage, it was crazy. A whole orchestra. It was nuts.  

Logan: Do you guys have any dream gigs that you want to play that you’re like, you know what, I want to do something with these artists. I want to do it with a live orchestra. 

Matt: So many. I wouldn’t even know where to start. 

Jordan: I’d really love to play with All Time Low again. It would be great to reconnect with them. They’ve been one of the first bands outside of the hardcore scene that really appreciated us and would take us out. We did our first tour of Australia together. They dropped a new album today. I’ve been listening to it all morning. 

Matt: I just got my haircut in the barbershop tent next to Zach. He was getting his haircut at the same time. 

Jordan: Just talking about Danny Elfman, a couple of the tracks on their new album sound a bit like Oingo Boingo to me. I can hear that 80s horn influence. No horns on the song, but you can just feel the deep roots. Turmoil would be great. We were talking about playing with some friends of ours. Turmoil, Terror, maybe trying to do some throwback type tours that we did in the early years. 

Logan: Anything else you want to talk about as I let you go here? 

Jordan: I just want to thank everyone who’s come out and supported the shows. We booked those February shows and didn’t know. We didn’t have any plans and these offers came. We played Area 15 yesterday, and people were so supportive of us opening that show. 

Matt: We just really appreciate the love after 20 years of doing this. So it’s really cool.

Logan: Thank you so much for taking the time. I’m looking forward to your set tonight!

Set Your Goals played an electric set at the Allianz Stage that was an absolute joy to watch. With enough energy to power the whole festival, Jordan and Matt picked up right where they left off. They have wrapped up their shows for 2025 but recently announced that they will be playing Slam Dunk Festival in May of 2026. You can find tickets here. I’m eagerly awaiting what Jordan and Matt have in store for the future of Set Your Goals. Tune in Monday nights 9-11pm for Downey’s Hour for your latest festival news and more coverage of When We Were Young Festival!

Cover photo by Sophia Juliette, courtesy of When We Were Young Festival.

The post Interview: Set Your Goals at When We Were Young appeared first on KRUI Radio.

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 29^th. 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 29^th. 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 25^th, 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 7^th. 

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 7^th. 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 9^th 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 7^th.

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 20^th 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 18^th. 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.

The post When We Were Young Recap appeared first on KRUI Radio.