Elder Emos Assemble: Pierce the Veil and Sleeping With Sirens Light Up LA

6/26/2025 - The Kia Forum - Inglewood, California.

Three sold-out nights. Black eyeliner, heartbreak, and a whole lot of screaming. Emo reigns again at the Kia Forum.

Fresh off a short East Coast run, Pierce the Veil announced the I Can’t Hear You Tour and I’ve been counting the days ever since. The last time I saw the boys was in San Diego on the Jaws of Life Tour, and that show already set a high bar. But this time they brought Sleeping With Sirens along, and my emo heart couldn’t take it. I’ve waited years to hear “that” collab song live (you know which one) and since their last joint performance was at the original When We Were Young Festival, this night felt overdue.

I jumped on the presale and locked down tickets for two out of the three Kia Forum dates. Every one of them sold out in minutes. For the LA leg, they brought their friends Beach Weather to open.

From the moment I stepped on the grounds, it was clear who was here for PTV and SWS and who was heading next door to The Weeknd at SoFi. Black eyeliner, fishnets, veils, and even wedding dresses were everywhere. Pierce the Veil fans always go all out. The Kia Forum already feels legendary, but that night, it felt sacred.

Beach Weather, led by vocalist Nick Santino, kicked things off and quickly earned their place. Starting with “Chit Chat,” they had the crowd singing, swaying, and vibing. Their viral hit “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” brought the biggest cheer of their set and felt like a perfect primer for the chaos ahead.

Then the energy shifted. Sleeping With Sirens stormed the stage and launched into “Kick Me.” The response was deafening. Kellin Quinn sounded pitch-perfect all night, jumping and swinging his mic with ease. Yes, I caught it on camera. Guitarists Justin Hills and Tony Pizzuti tore through riffs while bassist Nick Martin kept flashing smiles at the crowd. Drummer Matty Best was the anchor through all the chaos.

They blasted through fan favorites like “Leave It All Behind,” “Tally It Up: Settle the Score,” and “Better Off Dead.” Each song was met with roaring sing-alongs, especially on emotional tracks like “A Trophy Father’s Trophy Son” and “With Ears to See, and Eyes to Hear.” The intensity peaked with the raw energy of “Do It Now Remember It Later” and the crowd erupted fully for the classic “If You Can’t Hang.”

Then it happened. The slow, building intro to “Death of an Executioner” played behind long red curtains printed with every Pierce The Veil album logo: Selfish Machines, Misadventures, Collide with the Sky, A Flair for the Dramatic, and Jaws of Life. When the curtains dropped, the arena erupted. Vic Fuentes’ vocals cut through like fire. Jaime Preciado thrashed with his usual energy on bass, Tony Perry shredded every riff with precision, and Loniel Robinson crushed it on drums.

Their setlist was a deep dive into every corner of their discography: “Bulls in the Bronx” got the whole floor moving, a reminder that flamenco-infused breakdowns will never go out of style. “Pass the Nirvana” was pure chaos, with Vic screaming his heart out while the crowd screamed right back. When they launched into “I’m Low on Gas and You Need a Jacket,” I swear you could feel the weight of every lyric. That song never stops hitting.

They pulled back with a snippet of “Where Is My Mind?” by Pixies, a quiet nod to their alt-rock roots, before transitioning into “Floral & Fading,” which slowed things down with a dreamy haze. “Today I Saw the Whole World” got the acoustic treatment, stripped down to let the emotion shine through.

“She Makes Dirty Words Sound Pretty” was one of the night’s most intimate moments, making the whole arena feel small for a minute. Then it was back to full-throttle for “Hell Above” and “Emergency Contact,” which had everyone screaming like it was 2012 and 2023 all at once.

And then came a three song encore and the moment we were all waiting for.

Kellin returned to the stage. You already knew what time it was. “King for a Day” hit like a tidal wave and the crowd absolutely lost it. Singing, moshing, crying. Sometimes all at once. That moment alone was worth the price of all three nights.

"Epic" doesn’t even begin to cover it.