When We Were Young Fest 2023 has been nothing short of a pop-punk playground this weekend in Las Vegas, NV, and will certainly go down in history as a celebration of nostalgia like no other.
As day 2 of the weekend began to wind down, Simple Plan decided to take the event to a whole new level with a star-studded lineup of guest artists to join them on stage for a mind-blowing rendition of their 2002 hit, “I’m Just A Kid.”
Read more: Gabe Saporta Joins The Academy Is… For “Snakes On A Plane” At WWWY
As Pierre Bouvier, Simple Plan‘s charismatic frontman, belted out the familiar lyrics of the iconic track, the crowd was instantly transported back to their teenage years filled with studded belts and baggy jeans. And then, one by one, the surprise guest artists—Jax, Cassadee Pope, MxPx/Goldfinger’s Mike Herrera, Bowling For Soup’s Jaret Reddick, and Plain White T’s Tom Higgenson—flooded the stage to join in on the fun.
Each of these special guest artists has played a massive role in this weekend’s shenanigans, with Jax jumping on during Simple Plan’s Saturday evening performance to join Bouvier on the mic for their collaborative single, “Iconic,” Pope—while not officially on the WWWY bill—performing alongside Yellowcard and Michelle Branch earlier this weekend, Herrera performing with both MxPx and Goldfinger, and Reddick and Higgenson performing with their respective groups.
Read more: Vic Fuentes & Cassadee Pope Join Yellowcard On Stage
The collaboration between Simple Plan and these pop-punk kings and queens was the perfect (pun intended) conclusion to a hot and eventful weekend in Vegas! This special performance at When We Were Young Fest will be remembered as a highlight of the two-day event, showcasing that, even as adults, we can still connect with the music and messages we fell in love with as teens. All we have to say is we’re absolutely addicted (okay, we’ll stop with the puns now) to this performance and would kill to see these artists join forces again in the future.
More on Simple Plan
Simple Plan have continued to be a dominant force in pop-punk as the years have flown by. In 2022, they released their sixth full-length album, Harder Than It Looks. A quintessential and emotionally vibrant collection of pop-punk perfection, it showcased exactly why they are one of the genre’s leading lights. From the powerful “Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare’s Over)” to the beautifully romantic “The Antidote,” it’s a record of immense depth and beauty.
Simple Plan also spent this summer out on the road supporting The Offspring alongside Sum 41. Creating a three-headed pop-punk beast, it was a party to end all parties every single night. From breaking records by packing 25,000 people into Chicago’s Tinley Park to vocalist Pierre Bouvier joining the band on stage alongside Deryck Whibley in New York for “Why Don’t You Get A Job?”, they made sure to have the best time of their lives in as many ways as they could.
More on Bowling For Soup
Bowling For Soup continues to show why they are one of the scene’s most entertaining bands. 2022 saw the release of their latest full-length Pop Drunk Snot Bread. Featuring the band at their most fun (“I Wanna Be Brad Pitt”), thoughtful (“Hello Anxiety”), and inspiring (“Killin Em With Kindness”), it was a reminder of everything that has defined them over the last 30 years. This year has seen them share a new covers’ album as well. Don’t Mind If We Do features Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” Patent Pending’s “Hey Mario,” and even Blue October’s “HRSA.” A mix of genres and styles, it’s proof that nothing is ever off limits and every risk is worth taking.
More on MxPx
MxPx recently released the 14th of their awesome career earlier this year. It’s called Find A Way Home and is as quintessential as it gets from the band. Frenzied, furious, and, most importantly, exceptionally fun, it’s an album that rolls back the years effortlessly.
MxPx is also set to hit the road in 2024 alongside The Ataris. The two bands will be hitting up six cities over February, March, and April. Here are the dates that you need to know.
MxPx 2024 Tour Dates:
- Feb. 9—New York City, NY @ Webster Hall
- Feb. 10—Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
- March 15—Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
- March 16—Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
- April 5—Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
- April 6—Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
