News Summary
The Best Friends Forever Festival in Las Vegas featured a dynamic lineup of emo revival bands performing despite challenging weather. Highlights included energetic sets from Snowing, Superchunk, and Jawbreaker among others, culminating in a celebrated performance by Jimmy Eat World. The festival provided a platform for both legacy and reunion acts, fostering a strong connection among fans of the emo revival scene.
Las Vegas, Nevada – The second annual Best Friends Forever Festival showcased a vibrant lineup of emo revival bands and memorable performances despite challenging weather conditions over the weekend in Downtown Las Vegas.
The festival kicked off with Snowing, who opened the event by dispelling labels of being a mere “90s revival emo” band with their unique mid-tempo approach. Following them was Miley, who played slow-to-mid tempo rock infused with shoegaze influences.
Superchunk set an energetic tone early in the lineup with a hyped rendition of their song “Precision Auto,” successfully maintaining a high energy throughout their set. Speedy Ortiz kept the momentum going, performing well-crafted indie rock that entertained the crowd, while Bear vs Shark turned the festival space into an engaging punk dance party, get people moving with thrown tambourines.
The weather took a turn as lightning forced festival-goers to seek shelter in a merchandise tent during a downpour, cutting the set of Narrow Head short. Nonetheless, the festival continued with Cursive, who played their post-hardcore classic “Domestica” in a well-received first showing of the weekend.
Knapsack delighted fans with a highly anticipated reunion set, delivering emotionally charged indie rock. Mineral, performing their farewell set, struck a chord with memorable anthems that resonated powerfully with the audience. Reviving excitement later in the day were Rival Schools, fronted by Walter Schreifels, who kept the crowd lively as the festival progressed.
Minus the Bear closed the first day with a genre-bending performance that effectively tied together the festival experience.
The second day began with Tigers Jaw, who charmed the audience with jangly melodies and vocal interplay between Ben Walsh and Brianna Collins. Pretty Girls Make Graves followed, raising the energy of the festival with their urgent art-punk sound. Pedro the Lion delivered a strong set of introspective songs that deeply resonated with festival-goers, while Hey Mercedes got the crowd involved with sing-alongs during their melodic punk performance.
An unexpected moment occurred when a crowd surfer bravely landed headfirst onto the street but fortunately avoided serious injury. The music continued as Texas Is the Reason performed classics, even referencing Fugazi’s “Waiting Room,” demonstrating their lasting influence. J. Robbins showcased material from his band Burning Airlines with a dynamic performance that entranced listeners.
Jawbreaker closed Saturday with a career-spanning set that included popular tracks from “24 Hour Revenge Therapy” and “Dear You.” These Arms Are Snakes energized a slightly weary crowd with their chaotic performance, combined with engaging crowd interaction. Meanwhile, The Appleseed Cast delivered soaring rock that translated well to the larger festival stage.
Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate) infused their set with heartfelt and comedic moments, juxtaposing emotional tracks with light banter. Marietta further energized the crowd with catchy riffs and engaging melodies, sparking youthful enthusiasm.
The festival culminated in a highly anticipated set from Jimmy Eat World on Sunday, showcasing songs from their beloved album “Clarity.” Despite the inclement weather, performances were only delayed by about an hour, failing to dampen the festival spirit.
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Additional Resources
- New Noise Magazine
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- Brooklyn Vegan
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