Pierce the Veil, Sleeping with Sirens, and Beach Weather take on Arizona heat

Written and Photographed

As the desert sun blazed over Phoenix, fans gathered early at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre for a night packed with nostalgia, sweat, and unfiltered emo energy. The lineup promised a journey through the past and present of alternative rock—and it delivered.

Beach Weather opened the evening with the perfect blend of laid-back grooves and summer melancholy. Despite the scorching heat, frontman Nick Santino kept the vibe cool and breezy as the band moved through fan favorites like “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” and “Unlovable.” Their sound floated effortlessly across the amphitheatre, casting a dreamy tone over a crowd eager for the chaos to come.

That calm wouldn’t last long. Sleeping With Sirens hit the stage next, immediately erupting into high-voltage energy with “Kick Me,” and the crowd answered with screams that felt like they hadn’t taken a breath since 2013. Kellin Quinn’s signature vocals sliced through the air—pitch-perfect and raw—as he moved from aggressive anthems to emotionally-charged tracks like “Leave It All Behind.” The emotional high point came with “If You Can’t Hang,” as the entire amphitheatre belted the chorus in perfect unison, momentarily drowning out the band itself.

But the night wasn’t over—not even close. When the lights dimmed again, the amphitheatre exploded in anticipation, and then came the unmistakable opening of Pierce The Veil’s “Emergency Contact.” From that first note, it was chaos in the best way. Vic Fuentes commanded the stage with the ease of a seasoned icon, delivering track after track of blistering emotion and melodic grit. Songs like “Bulls in the Bronx” and “Pass the Nirvana” reminded everyone why this band continues to thrive after all these years. One of the night’s most intimate moments came when Vic grabbed his acoustic guitar and megaphone, stripping everything back for a haunting solo performance that quieted even the most chaotic pockets of the crowd.

The energy peaked during the finale, when Kellin returned to the stage for a seismic performance of “King For A Day.” It was the moment everyone had been waiting for—and it didn’t disappoint. The two frontmen, once again sharing a stage, reignited the fire that made this collab iconic in the first place. The crowd roared, bodies jumped, and for a few minutes, time didn’t seem to exist.

From start to finish, this show was more than a concert—it was a collective release. For those who grew up with these bands in their headphones, it was a powerful reminder of where they’ve been. And for the new wave of fans screaming every word, it was a promise that emo is still very much alive and thriving.

Phoenix was hot—but this show was even hotter.