Only six months ago, Story of the Year was on tour celebrating 20 years of Page Avenue with Youth Fountain and We the Kings. This time they got together with The Used and newcomers Amira Elfeky for another thrilling tour of all things rock.
Opening was 22-year-old singer-songwriter Amira Elfeky, based out of LA. Her and the band combine nu-metal influences, moody gothic flair, and of-the-heart songwriting into a commanding but fathomable rock sound. Sadly, I missed the beginning of her set, but I was able to catch the last of it. I was instantly reminded of Evanescence as Elfeky was pouring her heart to the crowd through her lyrics with her long, dark hair flying around. Her band was behind her head-banging, singing choruses, and spinning around. Of the songs I was able to listen to, “Everything I Do Is For You,” “Remains of Us,” and “A Dozen Roses” are my favorites. She has a soft, angelic yet gothic voice that encapsulates you. I quickly added her on social media, and I am definitely looking forward to seeing more of her on future tours.
Up next was Story of the Year, based out of St. Louis, MO, and one of my favorite bands. They were previously known as 67 North (1995-1998) and Big Blue Monkey (1998-2002) before finally settling on their current name.
I saw them last year while on tour with Yellowcard, Mayday Parade, and This Wild Life. They have an action-packed, thrilling stage presence with a production value to boot. They started off with a Marky Mark intro, followed by “And the Hero Will Drown” off of Page Avenue. Their set was comprised of songs also from In the Wake of Determination (2005), The Black Swan (2008), and Tear Me to Pieces (2023). With as many albums as they have, they could’ve put a stack of different setlists together, and the crowd still would’ve loved it.
Unfortunately, Adam wasn’t able to make it on tour, so Jason from Senses Fail was filling in. While I was on the 2nd level of Ram’s Head, I recorded a part of “In the Shadows,” and it was exciting to see the crowd jumping, head nodding, and yelling along as singer Dan Marsala pointed the mic out to the crowd during the chorus. After “In the Shadows,” they finished with “Tear Me to Pieces” and “Until the Day I Die.” For both songs, within seconds of beginning, the crowd started singing along like they didn’t want the set to end. These guys have been around for over two decades, and they don’t seem like they’ll stop anytime soon; at least, the fans certainly hope so.
Closing out the night was The Used. They too are no strangers to touring, as they had a summer and fall tour last year, which also came around to Baltimore with Don Brocco, Death By Romy, and co-headlined with Pierce the Veil for The Creative Control Tour. From Orem, UT, they’ve been around since 2000 and quickly gained popularity with their Alternative/Indie Rock Sound and tons of hits like “Taste of Ink,” “Box of Sharp Objects,” “Buried Myself Alive,” and “Pretty Handsome Awkward.”
They came out swinging with “Pretty Handsome Awkward,” “Say Days Ago,” and “Buried Myself Alive,” for an exciting two-hour show. They also played songs from Lies for the Liars, Heartwork, and In Love and Death, as well as their newly released single “Medz.”
Parts four and five of their setlist included hits “Medz,” “Giving Up,” “I Caught Fire,” “Taste of Ink,” “On My Own,” and ending with “Box Full of Sharp Objects.” This last part had my most favorite songs by them, and the crowd applauded them for giving them all of the nostalgic memories as these songs were played. Much Like Story of the Year, their setlist was met with cheering, singing, crowd-surfing, and a yell for yet another encore.
Story of the Year and The Used have played a lot of festivals together but not many tours. I’d love to see another tour mashup with these bands in the future.
