The "Jaws of Life" Tour

Featuring Pierce the Veil, LS Dunes, Dayseeker, and Destroy Boys

Photos by: Samantha Madnick

Words by: Rudy Flores

IG: Shutter Hub Media

It's Friday night and we are back on the SDSU campus for another amazing show, namely, PIERCE THE VEIL! The "local band made good" was home for the final show of the US leg of "The Jaws of Life" Tour, along with Destroy Boys, Dayseeker, and L.S. Dunes. The 22 stop tour tour started in Sacramento, and weaved it's way up and down the states before playing to the nearly sold out crowd at Viejas Arena in San Diego, CA!

Starting off the night though, was Destroy Boys out of Sacramento! The four piece gave the crowd the classic punk rock vibe with a new school feel. Led by Alexia Roditis, along with Violet Mayugba, Narsai Malik, and David Orozca sang songs about standing up for yourself and not letting people fuck with you. Which is something I can totally get behind. Their 8 song set was short but VERY impactful. They played a hell of a set, and I personally think the people that shuffled in after really missed out! So if you're looking for some GOOD Punk, DESTROY Boys is where its at.

It's like Forest Gump's momma always used to say, "People gotta quit sleeping on the openers because you never know what you're going to get!"... or something like that. Destroy Boys is DEFINITELY worth checking out if you get the chance!

Up next was Dayseeker, out of the O.C. . Lead Singer, Rory Rodriguez along with Gino Sgambelluri, Mike Karle, and Ramone Valerio brought their (and this is how Wikipedia puts it) "Post Hardcore" (not sure how I feel about that term) sound to the crowd. It was a mix of heart-felt lyrics amidst hard hitting drums and beautifully distorted guitar and bass. Rory's vocals would slip between soft yet powerful, melodic tones and the deep, guttural growls that the genre is known for with ease. They  played a 7 song set featuring multiple songs from their latest studio release "Dark Sun" and ended the night with "Neon Grave" to some VERY loud applause, and like Martha Stewart likes to say... "It's a good thing".

L.S. Dunes, hit the stage to a now almost completely packed arena. They hit the stage hard and it was clear from the jump that we were all in for a wild set. The all star roster of drummer Tucker Rule, bassist Tim Payne (Thursday), guitarist Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), guitarist Travis Steever (Coheed And Cambria) and vocalist Anthony Green (Circa Survive) played songs from their album "Past Lives", which dropped last November on the "Fantasy" label. Their fast and hard style of playing brought back memories of old screamo/hard-core and the fans were here for it! Anthony's energy was palpable as he bounced all over the stage swinging his mic around and around, which at one point it hit the stage.

Now it was time for the main event... PIERCE THE VIEL!! As "El Rey" by the late great Mexican icon Vincente Fernandez played, the crowd began to rise to their feet with phones in hands ready to get the opening song, “Death Of An Executioner.”  As the stage lights turned to an ominous dark green hue, and the opening notes played the entire arena lost it. The screams were so loud they almost completely drowned out the band. It was incredible!  Midway through cannons blasted off showering the now "standing room only" floor in confetti! Only a song in and already off to a bang! The crowd finally got pit going during "Circles", which seemed fitting if you ask me.

The San Diego natives brought an energy and intensity that persisted as they powered through “Caraphernelia,” “Pass The Nirvana,” and “A Match Into Water,” with lead singer-guitarist Vic Fuentes and bassist Jaime Preciado commanding the stage. Lead guitarist Tony Perry mesmerized us all with his intricate riffs and solos, showcasing his stage prowess.

Amidst a chorus of cheers and screams, a poignant moment unfolded as the three bandmates, seated side by side with acoustic guitars in hand, prepared to serenade the audience with “Emergency Contact” — a heartfelt ballad that captures the essence of love, chaos, and all the emotions in between.

Continuing the emotional journey, “Hold On Till May” came next, with Fuentes inviting a fan onstage for a special dedication.

“This song doesn't belong to our band anymore — it belongs to you guys,” he shared, his voice filled with sincerity. Serenading the fan from a stool, he presented her with a signed electric guitar as a token of gratitude. “It is an honor to be a part of your life through our music.” said Vic, which I thought was a pretty damn cool.

Instead of the anticipated “12 Fractures,” the crowd was treated to the fan-favorite “Bulletproof Love.” Which was an awesome deviation from the setlist and was recieved with LOUD cheers of appreciation.

“This is probably the most amazing show we've played in our careers, so thank you. We started playing SOMA and The Epicenter…” Fuentes said, as he gazed into the audience, his eyes filled with wonder. “Thank you all so much.” The rest of the band couldn't have agreed more!

The last parts of the show were filled with high-energy hits, ranging from classics like “Hell Above” and “Besitos” to newer additions like “So Far So Fake” and “The Jaws Of Life.” Once again, bright yellow confetti shot from the stage cannons, covering the audience as “King For A Day” delivered an electrifying finale.

As the audience made their way up the mountainous stairs and out of the Viejas Arena, past the hot dog vendors (which always smell soooooo good), all the way to the packed parking structures, you could tell that everyone could've continued listening to Pierce the Veil play all night long. Vic, Jaime, and Tony put on an amazing show, and it only solidified their status as SD superstars! 

Pierce the Veil:

 LS Dunes

Dayseeker

Destroy Boys