Story of the Year and Silverstein have started a sensational summer tradition in 2026, and the alternative music scene is buzzing about it! This past Friday, the post-hardcore veterans brought their "Camp Screamo" tour to The Espee in San Antonio along with Origami Angel and Ally Nicholson for a memorable (and sweaty) night of crowdsurfing, moshing, and celebrating both the music that shaped us for decades and the new generation carrying the scene forward.
Shortly after the venue doors opened, Ally Nicholas took the stage and delivered a mesmerizing performance of her song "Bored." For a lot of us in attendance, myself included, this song was our first introduction to her music, and it didn't take long for her to turn heads and draw a crowd up to the barricade. Guitarist and producer Diego Ferrero and drummer Josh Parra of Point North joined Ally on stage and threw down for a loaded 30-minute set that felt heavy, emotional, and impossible not to headbang to. I really enjoyed her intense stage presence and how she showcased her incredible vocal range from powerful belts to soft melodies in songs such as "Fall Into" and "All Summer Long."
She has truly crafted a sound of her own with metal, grunge, and alternative pop influences mixed in the brew. If you missed her performance or are interested in seeing her live again, you're in luck! She'll be back in San Antonio in October touring with Ivri, but until then, I highly recommend jamming her debut EP, Nevermind The Hurry, available now on all streaming platforms!
Ally Nicholas performing at The Espee, San Antonio, TX. Photos by Ryan Cagle.
Origami Angel wasted no time getting on stage to get the party started. From the moment guitarist/vocalist Ryland Heagy chugged the heavy pop-punk-style riffs for "Dirty Mirror Selfie," the energy shifted immensely and only increased throughout their performance. Even the blistering Texas heat couldn't stop them from delivering one of the most explosive sets I've ever seen at The Espee. Their sound production sounded much larger than what you'd expect from only two members in the band, and the audience was loving every minute of it.
I've been listening to Origami Angel for a little over a month now; however, I didn't expect such a whirlwind of a performance! Aside from their technical guitar work and emotionally charged melodies, their music celebrates themes of self-reflection, being your authentic self, and finding meaning in oddly specific moments like getting together to eat fries on a stormy day, filling up water cups with Dr. Pepper, watching Danny Phantom and eating Happy Meals, and even googling how much roller coasters cost.
They definitely showed how the scene continues to grow and evolve with the next generation, and it was cool seeing the elder emo crowd join in and embrace their own spin of emo pop punk. My favorite songs from their set were "Self Destruct" and "Bossa Nova Corps," and they even received an encore chant after "666 Flags." Throughout their set, they shouted out Ally Nicholson for putting on an incredible performance and hyped everyone up for the headliners for the night.
Origami Angel live at The Espee, San Antonio, TX. Photo by Ryan Cagle.
Before Silverstein even took the stage, it was undeniable how much of an impact the Canadian rock band left on the music scene here in San Antonio. Over the last two decades, they've become local favorites here, performing at nearly every venue you could possibly think of and remaining a staple at Wednesday night Emo Night events across the city. Vocalist Shane Told even made a recent appearance as a DJ at one of them. The entire general admission area was sold out and ready for a chaotic time, and chants of "Silverstein! Silverstein! Silverstein!" grew louder each fleeting moment before they broke into cheers as the stage lights dimmed down along with the sunset.
Playing into the "Camp Screamo" theme, the band took the stage dressed in Boy Scout-inspired camping outfits and a simple mission statement: to get as many people moving as humanly possible. An enormous circle formed in the center of the shaded floor area during their first song, "Negative Space," just about the size of the deadly whirlpool in the latest Odyssey movie, and fans pushed closer to the stage to scream back the lyrics of "Drain the Blood." It was clear that Silverstein was leaning heavily into performing fan favorites with waves of crowdsurfers letting loose for "Smashed Into Pieces," The Afterglow," and "Bad Habits."
Crowd photos from Silverstein's performance
One of my favorite moments of the night came right before "The Altar/Mary" when Shane got the crowd participating in a hilarious game of "Silverstein Says" building up to one of the largest and wildest mosh pits I've ever seen at a Silverstein concert. Fans went wild at the opening notes of "My Heroine" and sang so loud you could hardly hear the band over the speakers at the outdoor boutique amphitheater. They concluded their set with "Smile In Your Sleep" and "Bleeds No More." Experiencing Silverstein live with this lively crowd at The Espee was truly spectacular, and I'm so grateful to have had the chance to cover this monumental performance.
Silverstein live at The Espee, San Antonio, TX. Photos by Ryan Cagle.
If you are asking, "How do you top that?" I have to tell you that this was only the beginning to this story of the year. As the stage was being prepared for the headlining act, the crowd kept the energy alive by dancing to "Everybody" by the Backstreet Boys and Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." After all, the first rule of Camp Screamo is to have fun and make new memories.
On my way to the photo pit, I spotted a couple holding a square cardboard shield that read "We <3'd you @ Warped Tour Long Beach" and stopped to snap a quick photo of them. This was my first time seeing Story of the Year live, and I had no idea how much I needed this experience in my life.
Crowd photos during Story of the Year's performance.
Story of the Year swept in like a hurricane, delivering a swinging performance of "And The Hero Will Drown," followed by a culmination of breakdowns that shook the earth with their latest single, "Gasoline (All Rage Still Only Numb)."
Vocalist Dan Marsala, guitarist Ryan Phillips, and bassist Adam Russell sprinted back and forth across the stage and up the triangular slope leading up to drummer Adam Russell and only paused to strike a power pose or jump up in the air. It's amazing to see that, after two decades, it's still just another leg day for them up there. It was clear that Story of the Year was determined to show that their new music belongs alongside their classics, and they did an impressive job curating a setlist that balanced their newer material with many fan favorites.
After that night, Dan Marsala's interactions with the crowd made me a lifelong fan of the band. He found a way to make a crowd of over five thousand crack a smile and feel like an intimate small venue when he spoke to us.
"How many of you have seen us before?" There are many first-timers out here tonight? Thanks for hanging out. We're on the Camp Screamo tour with our friends of 27 years, Silverstein. This song goes out to anyone who's been listening to us for 20-plus years. It's called 'Anthem of Our Dying Day.'" - Dan Marsala
Adding to the live experience were CO₂ jet cannons that went off at the peak of their songs, an LED display that played callbacks to their earlier years and album artwork, and an array of different light patterns that set the vibe and atmosphere.
"Real question... Do you guys see shows here a lot? This looks like a farmer's market out here. I love catching a show while I'm picking up some organic milk." - Dan Marsala
It's an awesome feeling going to a show to hear specific songs from a band and finding out that their new music is pure gold. I never expected to see this heavier side of Story of the Year, and I'm glad they've continued creating music that feels true to who they are as they continue to grow.
"We have a new record out called A.R.S.O.N. Has anyone heard it? I have not listened to it once. I don't even know how I remembered the lyrics. I sang it one time. We're really excited about it. It's pretty good. We're going to do one more song off that record and then we're going to move along." - Dan Marsala
A collective "Whoa!" let out from the audience when they played the opening riffs of Blind by Korn and transitioned into Be Quiet and Drive by Deftones. Just when we thought we were going to get a full performance of that cover song, they surprised us with "All The Small Things" by Blink-182! They ended camp with a nightcap in the form of "Until the Day I Die," which had each corner of the amphitheater singing as loud as they could.
Story of the Year live at The Espee, San Antonio, TX. Photos by Ryan Cagle.
Story of the Year and Silverstein are brilliant for putting this tour together. What I thought would be a night of familiar singalongs and reliving the past turned out to be more than I expected, showing us all that this genre of music continues while holding on to its roots. Origami Angel and Ally Nicholas are on the rise in the rock music scene and represent the new generation of heavy music. Camp Screamo concluded on August 7th; however, camp starts right back up in early November! Look out for Camp Screamo round 2 in a city near you!
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