Emos of all ages landed in Las Vegas early last week for a chance to catch a When We Were Young festival pre-show. Atlas’ pick for Friday night was Story of the Year’s epic headliner at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, nestled right in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip. The band was joined by The Cab (reunited for the first time in a decade), The Rocket Summer and Her Leather Jacket for a magical musical mashup that packed the house.
The crash of bowling balls could be heard in the background as Her Leather Jacket took the stage to kick off a very long night at the alley. The Nashville band played a heavy rocking set that energized the early crowd as the room filled in for the rest of the show. They were clearly excited to be there and ready for a successful festival weekend.
The Rocket Summer- another Atlas favorite- recently ended a tour with just enough time to make the jump over to Vegas for his first WWWY appearance. His set kicked right into gear with “Break It Out” and “Brat Pack”, leaning into the nostalgia of his older music to perfectly fit in with the theme of the festival weekend. Like the rest of the room watching the show, singer Bryce Avary is a Story of the Year fan and put that professional enthusiasm into a set bursting with positive energy. The fans were ready for him, singing with passion to “Do You Feel” and “Shatter Us” to keep everyone wired for the rest of the night.
The Cab’s hometown welcomed them back with open arms as the band emerged looking refreshed and excited to be reunited with each other and their longtime fans. The band gave their support slot the energy of a headlining set, pouring gratitude into every song. The room was full of family, close friends and more familiar faces, so between staples like “I’ll Run”, “Bad” and “Bounce”, they also added in a new song from their comeback EP and a very emotional snippet of “Vegas Skies”. Singer Alex DeLeon sang with a confidence that belied his decade-long absence from the stage while the rest of the group whirled behind him to hold down these songs that are so beloved by the fans. Judging by the response, The Cab has been sorely missed and they promised not to stay away from their hometown for too long next time.
Rock icons Story of the Year turned up the strobes and every amp they had and launched a set that turned the pit into a tornado. They made every minute of their performance count, sweating it out to “Our Time is Now” and “Tear Me to Pieces” and debuting new single “Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb)” to a huge response. The openers on this lineup all cited the members of Story of the Year as inspirations and even mentors over the years and with the power they bring to the stage, it’s easy to see why. The night came to a rousing conclusion- still backed by the crash of bowling pins- with “Until the Day I Die”. It may have been midnight the evening before a wild festival weekend but fans spilled out onto the Las Vegas Strip ready to keep the party going all night long.
