Political messages mixed with energetic rock vibes at the When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas.
The fourth annual iteration of the 7-Eleven-sponsored event — celebrating all things pop-punk, emo and hardcore punk — took place at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Saturday and Sunday, with all artists playing sets on both days. Panic! at the Disco and Blink-182 were the headliners, while other prominent acts included Weezer, Avril Lavigne, The Offspring, Simple Plan, All Time Low, The Used, Knocked Loose, Taking Back Sunday and Yellowcard.
“You guys having fun?” Blink-182 vocalist and bassist Mark Hoppus asked the crowd on Saturday. “Well, knock that shit off. This is an emo show, motherfucker.”
Special drop-ins included Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, who joined ex-wife Lavigne onstage Sunday for a rendition of his band’s hit “In Too Deep.” On Saturday, Lavigne welcomed Simple Plan singer and fellow Canadian Pierre Bouvier for a performance of their song “Young & Dumb.” Additionally, singer Blackbear joined All Time Low for a live rendition of their 2020 single “Monsters” for the first time ever.
Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco performs at the When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas.
Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage
Among the festival’s highlights was the first live performance from Panic! at the Disco since the band called it quits in early 2023. The group started the set with debut album A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out in its entirety, in honor of its 20th anniversary.
“I want to say thank you for 20 years of chaos and beauty,” lead singer Brendon Urie told the crowd during the Saturday show.
The festival’s first day coincided with the “No Kings” protests denouncing the Trump administration, and some of the performers’ actions reflected the anti-establishment spirit associated with punk rock. The Offspring’s guitarist Noodles wore a black “No Kings” T-shirt during the set, while Story of the Year’s bassist Adam Russell donned a shirt with the message “Destroy American Fascism.”
Midway through the Used’s set, the band unveiled a “Freedom for Palestine” flag at the back of their stage. Singer Bert McCracken was greeted with a cheer when he declared, “Freedom for fucking Palestine!”
