Morgan Wolstencroft Attending the When We Were Young Festival in 2024 was an unforgettable experience. Filled with nostalgia, excitement, and a vibrant atmosphere, I had the absolute best weekend of my life. From the moment I arrived at the fairgrounds in Vegas, the energy was OVERWHELMING (in the best way possible). I was immediately enveloped in a sea of like-minded individuals (who were wearing the most amazing fits) who were just as eager to relive our youth through music, food, and activities.
THE ATMOSPHERE
The overall atmosphere was so, SO chaotic. But, like, in the best way. The beautifully decorated stages, colorful lighting, and the buzz of excitement from fellow festival-goers created an inviting and inclusive vibe. Despite the packed-out, LARGE crowds, the areas were well-organized, and I never felt overwhelmed. There were plenty of shaded spots to relax, and the overall layout made it easy to navigate between stages. My personal favorite spot was the MCR-themed shade area, covered with the classic WWWY purple flooring and black umbrellas above us. Having plenty of places to purchase merch for the festival and from your favorite bands around, you never had to stay in line too long.
There were so many cool spots to take photos! There were backdrops, sets, and of course, the WWWY archway. At the base held all of the most iconic albums! (Most of which were being played by the artists that day). There were also a TON of interactive activities you could do if you wanted to tear yourself away from the stages.
As the sun began to set, the festival transformed into a mesmerizing display with lights illuminating the performances. The stages held FIREWORK displays, and confetti canons galore. The sense of community was strong; people mingled freely and shared stories, food and drinks, and many wore their favorite band merch, sparking conversations and connections.
Photos by Sophia Juliette and Jazmyn Le. Copyright © 2024 Sophia Juliette, Jazmyn Le + WWWY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
THE FOOD
The food options at the festival were surprisingly diverse, catering to a wide range of dietary preferences. I was particularly impressed with the absolute MASS of food trucks scattered throughout the festival grounds. Lining the walls of the festival grounds were endless stalls with banners that clearly displayed what was served so as not to waste anyone’s time.
Early on in the day I learned to keep a Liquid Death on me at all times. Food wise, there were treats for absolutely anyone and everyone. There were gourmet burgers, vegan tacos, and even artisan pizza. I started with some tacos that were SO GOOD, my mouth still waters thinking about it. During the middle of the day, when I was starting to get worn out, I picked myself up with some Ghost Hydration, a GIANT fruit cup, and some spam masubi. I ended the night with some delicious pasta and a refreshing BeatBox. The fresh ingredients and generous portions made for the perfect festival fare.
Additionally, I appreciated the presence of local vendors offering unique dishes that highlighted regional flavors. The lines moved quickly, which was a bonus, allowing more time to enjoy the music and activities.
Photos by Chelsea Christensen. Copyright © 2024 Chelsea Christensen + WWWY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
THE MUSIC (finally!)
Okay. The moment we’ve been waiting for. The music.
Of course, the music was the heart of the festival. With a lineup that featured a mix of iconic acts and rising stars, I was thrilled to see some of my all-time favorites perform live. The nostalgic setlists brought me back to my teenage years, filled with anthems that shaped my musical taste. The sound quality was excellent, and the enthusiasm from the crowd amplified the experience.
Here’s a quick breakdown of each of the artists that I saw, even though EVERY SINGLE BAND WAS SO GOOD. I honestly wished the festival could’ve never ended. I could have spent every second seeing every artist and doing everything there was to do, but it also made the moments I did have even more remarkable.
Daisy Grenade
Kicking off the day, I made my way over to catch Daisy Grenade at the Pink Stage (after snagging a bite to eat first). DG has only been active for just a few years. But I’m honestly so SO glad that WWWY decided to bring them on.
I personally thought it was terrific to break up the nostalgia-fest with a bit of fresh ears and eyes. It helped bring in a younger generation to sing along and enjoy the festival, too. Music is the best way to bridge the gap between generations, so this was so lovely. Daisy Grenade themselves were SO. DAMN. GOOD. They absolutely brought the best energy to start the day. I literally followed them on Spotify as soon as the set was over so I could go re-listen to their music after the show was over.
Photo by Channel Purple/WWWY
Tonight Alive
Tonight Alive is one of my all-time favorite bands, so this was an extra treat for me. Having seen them the first time in Ohio back in 2015, I was just blown away by the singer Jenna McDougall’s voice. Her vocal prowess was as impressive as ever, filling the Ghost Stage with her powerful energy and heartfelt passion. I honestly don’t know how it’s possible, but they were even better than they were back in 2015.
Photo by Sophia Juliette/WWWY
Against The Current
Having always loved them, especially lead singer Chrissy Costanza, but never having seen them live before, I was RUNNING over to the Allianz stage to catch this set.
Against The Current has been fairly consistently active since they first began, so they had an amazing set of songs to work with. My favorite is when they brought out Legends Never Die, because I am (unfortunately) insanely into video games and DIED when they released that for League of Legends/Arcane. The entire crowd was right there with me, singing along, and in amazement of how good they were.
We Are The In Crowd
Another amazing addition to the festival, as WATIC hasn’t played stateside since 2015. They had a reunion for the Slam Dunk Festival in 2021, but that’s it. Making this a 100% cannot miss opportunity for me and I was high-tailing my way over to the Verizon stage so I could be as close to the barrier as I could. I can’t express the amount of joy I had to see them, and the girl next to me was crying as we sang along to “The Best Thing (That Never Happened)” together, which was a total mood.
Photo by Mando Hundreds/WWWY
Cobra Starship
I had to take a quick little break to hit the merch booth, snag some lunch, and then I made my way over to the Purple Stage to catch Cobra Starship. Their set was the biggest throwback of the entire day, filled with a purple hoodie quick change, myspace references, guest appearances, and a wild amount of crowd surfing. I had such a good time and it was about this time in the day that I could definitely tell I was going to lose my voice by the end of the day.
Photo by Channel Purple/WWWY
Motion City Soundtrack
Keeping in theme with “bands I had no chance of ever seeing again but somehow got to at this festival”, I ran back over to the Ghost Stage to check out Motion City Soundtrack. Having been a band that I used to listen to in my dad’s truck on the way to school, I was OVER THE MOON excited to see them. I called my dad while they were playing “Everything is Alright” and then PATRICK STUMP came out to join them?? Honestly so iconic, I was so hapy.
Photo by Chelsea Christensen/WWWY
A Day To Remember
Right before this, I kind of ended up set hopping between a couple of different artists while I went to go get something to eat, but I made sure to head on over to be able to catch them. I was so happy that WWWY had added on a few “heavier” bands, which really broke up the day a bit. Starting a set with Downfall Of Us All and not expecting the entire crowd to end up with limbs broken was a high bar, BUT WE MADE IT THROUGH (thanks to the amazing staff at WWWY allowing everyone to mosh safely). When they started playing If It Means A Lot To You and confetti canons went off? Not a single dry eye in the crowd.
Hey Monday
Hot take: When having to choose between the co-headliner Fall Out Boy or Hey Monday, I HAD to choose Hey Monday. Hold On Tight was MY album when I was younger. It’s what really got me into pop-punk, it’s what gave me little starry-eyed dreams of someday making my own music, and I was RIGHT at the barricade singing (screaming/sobbing?) along to every single word. The entire set was just full of love, they had the AMAZING Jess Bowman (of The Summer Set) on the drums, and Cassadee Pope brought out all the other female-fronted artists to join her on stage and sing alongside her, making it an absolutely iconic moment and reaffirming that festivals without women aren’t festivals at all.
Photo by Chelsea Christensen/WWWY
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
I honestly feel like trying to find the words to describe how amazing seeing MCR live was is impossible. Vocals? Amazing. Instruments? Amazing. The theatrics? It was what the emo era was DEFINED by! MCR found their way into my heart by always making space for LGBTQIA+ fans and artists, never leaving us to feel alone when we were young. That sentiment was driven home while thousands of us stood side by side to sing along to every song they played, crying together, laughing together, and ending the night with a show-stopping bang.
Photo by Sophia Juliette/WWWY
In conclusion, When We Were Young 2024 was more than just a music festival; it was a celebration of culture, community, and the enduring power of music. The food, the atmosphere, the variety of activities, and the stellar lineup all contributed to an extraordinary experience. I can’t wait to return and relive the magic again!
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