Scene bangs, studded bracelets and a sea of black clothing lined up all the way down the block to see Pierce The Veil’s acoustic mini-set at Frank’s Place, off of Fulton and Stanislaus on Wednesday, March 15.

New Rock 104.1, which hosted the event, kicked off 2023 with its first Soundhouse event of the year, inviting well-known bands to play acoustic mini-sets for free throughout Fresno. Best Coast, Wilderado and Cannons are some of the bands that have performed for the Soundhouse event. 

“It’s not a plugged-in show. It’s not a full rock show. It’s something really unique and fun, which is why we call it Soundhouse,” said Jason Squires, also known as Hammer, New Rock 104.1 host, in an interview with The Collegian. “We want you to feel intimate and have a good time here.”

After New Rock 104.1 announced in its social media posts that bands such as Free and Pierce The Veil would perform, the news spread like wildfire throughout Fresno, with hundreds of people anticipating the event and lining up the night before. 

After asking attendees how long they had been standing in line for the show,  Eliana Martinez told The Collegian she began camping the night before.

“I’ve actually been here since 8 p.m. yesterday. I was, like, sleeping in my car,” Martinez said. 

A total of 250 attendees were allowed entry into the show, each of them being provided a stamp in order to enter. Those who entered first made a beeline toward the front of the stage to see the band more up-close and personal. 

Pierce the Veil emerged from the side of the stage a little after 6:30 p.m., kicking things off with the nostalgic song “Disasterology” from its second album, “Selfish Machines.” The built-up energy from the fans poured into the lounge as they screamed in enthusiasm, showing why many decided to camp out the night before.

Although they were only able to play a five-song setlist, audience members treated the show as if it was a full concert, reminiscing and enjoying their favorite 2000s pop-punk band for free. 

“We should come to Fresno more often,” said bassist Jaime Preciado during the band’s performance, laughing along with the audience. 

It was a nod to their previous Fresno show back in 2016. 

The band continued to play a few more classics as well as new songs such as “Emergency Contact” off of their newest album, “The Jaws of Life.” 

The band is also preparing for its Pierce the Veil The Jaws of Life Tour, but before it left Fresno, lead singer Vic Fuentes treated the audience with a solo encore of “Stained Glass Eyes and Colorful Tears.” The audience sang the night away with Fuentes until he exited the stage.

A wave of nostalgia and excitement swept across the venue throughout the night. Although I do not have much of an emotional connection with the band, it was hard to not to feel this connection with both audience members and the group. 

Growing up, I had many friends who were obsessed with Pierce the Veil. I’m still filled with awe to see that a range of young children and much older adults attended the show.  The group’s influence continues to impact new generations today.