That’s a wrap on the second annual Pop-Punk and Emo nostalgia extravaganza, When We Were Young, which took place over the weekend in Las Vegas.
LISTEN NOW: Rise Against at WWWY 2023
Loads of former angst-filled teens packed the festival and paid a pretty penny to relive their glory days with bands like Green Day, blink-182, The Offspring, Good Charlotte, Yellowcard and more. While surely a priceless experience for all attendees, it was also special for the attending bands — many who have called each other family since the Vans Warped Tour days.
“A lot of the bands that are on this bill, we were all very, very active [in the] mid-2000s,” Rise Against's Tim McIlrath shared with Audacy’s Nicole Alvarez. “I don’t think anybody out here, or very few, started this whole journey with like, a major label deal and a silver spoon. It’s a family reunion for sure and everyone here keeps talking about Warped Tour because we all did Warped Tour and it feels like Warped Tour.”
LISTEN NOW: Something Corporate at WWWY 2023
Added Pierre Bouvier of Simple Plan, “I haven’t given this many hugs in a long time…. It’s a beautiful thing. Everybody’s friends and everybody’s happy to be here. And, the fans, it’s because of their asking for this type of festival that it’s actually happening.”
While the family vibes are still abundant after 20+ years, so is the impact of the music. Seeing crowds dance the night away singing along to every word was a magical sight for the bands, some even claim the festival nights marked the best times of their career.
“It’s really incredible because to me, I almost feel like, in my opinion — for many, many reasons — this is like the best time of our career,” shared the members of Simple Plan. “Now, we’re a little older, you get some hindsight in life and you’re like, ’this is pretty incredible…’ To me, I feel like I’m at an age now where I can appreciate it more and when I go out there, I take it less for granted.”
LISTEN NOW: Simple Plan at WWWY 2023
Something Corporate agreed as they shared the event was just as special for them as it was for their fans. “20 years later, is probably the sweet spot for when it cycles back in and everyone," added Andrew McMahon. "It means so much to them and it’s so rewarding to see that because it means so much to us too.”
“I think the thing about this scene that is so impactful on the people it affected — is the lyrics and the content and also the age at which all of us wrote these parts and these songs. It’s like, we were so full of angst and energy, it was very authentic, it was easy in that regard. It meant everything to us and the people listening to it.”
Listen to the full interviews above, and follow along with Audacy on X and Instagram for extra coverage from the weekend.