Pierce The Veil Live in Bristow
BY ANNA PORCELLABetween the introduction of When We Were Young Fest, the reuniting of My Chemical Romance, and the resurrection of Warped Tour - the emo revival is among us. Pierce the Veil, post-hardcore/rock trio based out of San Diego, have found themselves at the forefront of the scene once more with the 2023 release of their fifth studio album and first release in seven years, The Jaws of Life. Following a handful of arena shows in 2024, an opening slot for Blink-182 on their farewell tour, and several festival appearances, Pierce the Veil is embarking on their headlining I Can’t Hear You World Tour, with support from Daisy Grenade and Beach Weather on select dates and fellow scene icons Sleeping With Sirens on all dates. It is the band’s biggest tour yet, hitting amphitheaters and arenas across the US for the first leg. The tour arrived at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia to perfect weather, with fans dressed for the occasion - there are nods to album covers in veils and white dresses, scene classic knee high converse and fingerless gloves, and the iconic suit and sunglasses from “King For a Day.” Whether they’re old or new fans, Pierce the Veil has curated a tour experience built for both.
As the horns of “El Rey,” a track by Vicente Fernández, echoes through the pavilion, chants of the band’s name rises from the crowd. Five glowing red logos, each representing an album, appear on panels of fabric stretching across the stage. “El Rey” gives way to the siren-esque introduction of “Death of an Executioner,” a lead single from The Jaws of Life, and the panels give way just as the pounding lead riff begins and the band takes the stage. The trio consists of Vic Fuentes on vocals and guitar, Jaime Preciado on bass, and Tony Perry on lead guitar, and backed by touring member Loniel Robinson on drums.
The I Can’t Hear You Tour acts as an eras tour of sorts, a celebration of the past and present of the band. Songs from each of their five albums are gracing the setlist, including their debut A Flair for the Dramatic, which is notoriously frequently left out of the band’s live shows. A number of the songs played have not been played live for several years, including “I’d Rather Die Than Be Famous” (first time since 2009), “Wonderless” (first time since 2010), “Floral & Fading” (first time since 2017), and more. The oldies received equally enthusiastic responses as the hits, Fuentes telling the crowd Bristow was the first audience to crowdsurf to “Wonderless” in fifteen years.
As much as the audience loved hearing deep cuts and old fan favorites, there was no louder response from the crowd as the one received for the final song of the setlist, “King for a Day.” The Collide With the Sky track featuring Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens is single handedly one of the most iconic scene hits of the 2010s, receiving an additional revival through TikTok in the early 2020s. Quinn joins the band onstage for the performance of the song at every show, an incredibly special conclusion to a tour made for the fans.
Pierce the Veil continues to be a withstanding force in the scene, proving their longevity with every show and every callback to their early years. With The Jaws of Life, a matured version of their traditional sound, they continue to evolve in a way that stays true to their roots.
The I Can’t Hear You Tour will continue across the US and into Europe through the fall.
