Sleeping With Sirens Sells out the Boeing Center

October finally brought its first taste of cold weather to San Antonio on October 16th, but things were about to heat up as Sleeping With Sirens made their return to the Alamo City for a sold-out night at the Boeing Center at Tech Port. I’ve followed this band’s music since the early days of “With Ears To See And Eyes To Hear,” having seen them perform at the White Rabbit back in 2010 and the big stage at the early Warped Tour days. Known for Kellin’s signature sad loverboy vocal melodies, emotionally charged anthems, and performances that are definitely the “bombdotcom,” Sleeping With Sirens was ready to give San Antonio a night to remember. With Rain City Drive and Shyeye joining the lineup, this gloomy October evening was shaping up to be anything but quiet.

Before the night could get started, however, I had my own race against the clock. Stuck at work with two callouts, I was doing everything I could to leave right on time and beat the inevitable rush-hour traffic. Naturally, I managed to miss an exit along the way but somehow still pulled up to the venue just in time. (Shout out to security for directions; you’re the best.) Parking had opened at 3:30 PM, with doors following at 6 PM, and by the time I made my way inside, an enormous line had already formed at the merch table. The excitement was practically impossible to miss as fans geared up for what was sure to be an unforgettable night.

Having just seen Sleeping With Sirens at Louder Than Life a few weeks earlier, I already had a pretty good idea of what they were capable of. After returning to the festival following the storm evacuation, I caught their set and witnessed some of the most relentless crowd surfing I had seen all weekend. No joke, they had the most crowdsurfers out of any set that I attended, with a close tie to Pierce the Veil. Now, with a sold-out crowd packed into the Boeing Center, I was stoked to see whether San Antonio could match, or even surpass, that same level of energy.

First up was Shyeye, led by Nashville-based vocalist Destiny Keller, who wasted no time bringing the energy. “San Antonio, how are we feeling?” Keller shouted as the band kicked off their set with “Falling,” an upbeat, heavy-hitting track that turned heads and had the first hands of the night swaying from side to side.

I first discovered Shyeye through their collaboration with Showing Teeth on “Knot,” as well as their work with Hail the Sun on “I Can Tell By The Scars.” Having just seen Hail the Sun perform two days prior, I was excited to finally catch Shyeye live! Their setlist offered a solid mix of rock ballads and heavy, grunge-inspired tracks, with “Wolf” and “Nothing” being a few of my personal standouts. The band also gave fans a preview of an unreleased song called “Threads,” which Keller described as a heavier track expected to drop within the next month or so.

“Let’s keep the energy up. We’re going to jump together. Jump! Jump! Jump!” she called out, encouraging the crowd to let loose and get their blood flowing. The audience seemed pretty reserved at first, but everyone gradually warmed up, cheering and headbanging along to the hard-hitting guitar riffs and rhythms. Don’t let the name “Shyeye” fool you; they’re anything but shy, and they were a great band to hype up the night’s following acts, Rain City Drive and Sleeping With Sirens. They closed out their set with "Knot" (my favorite song of theirs), leaving the crowd energized for the rest of the evening.

Before we dive into Rain City Drive's performance, let me tell you why this band deserves a spot on your everyday playlist. (Yeah, you’re getting an unofficial sales pitch, and I don’t make a commission.) Their lyrics have a way of pulling at your heartstrings, sometimes even bringing tears to your eyes, while their infectious melodies will have you singing until your voice gives out and dancing like nobody's watching. (You’ve been warned.)

If you're already familiar with Rain City Drive, you know you're in for one hell of a night when they take the stage. But if this was your first introduction to their music, I envy you! There's something special about discovering a band for the first time at a live show, and if given the chance, I'd relive coming across this band one more time.

When Matt McAndrew wasn't dominating the stage with confidence and aura, he was showing love to the other bands on the lineup and cracking jokes with the crowd. At one point, he even gave a shoutout to the band's merch table, letting everyone know they had Tech Decks for sale. "If everyone buys a Tech Deck, we would have made our money for this entire tour," he joked.

The post-hardcore outfit from Florida looked like they were having the time of their lives up there. Between spinning around the stage, interacting with each other, and getting the crowd involved, there was always something happening, and the music sounded just as good as they looked. The guitars had this groovy, spacey sound to them, with delay effects and tapping that really stood out to me. Even with everything going on, the drums sounded incredibly snazzy, and I loved how well everything came together live.

They played my favorite song of theirs, "Talk to a Friend," and hearing the rest of the crowd (or should we start calling ourselves "The Current"?) sing along made it hit even harder. The song touches on self-criticism and how we sometimes treat ourselves worse than we'd ever treat someone we care about. It's one of those songs where the lyrics hit a little too close to home, and hearing everyone sing their hearts out made the moment that much more special. Even after the show, those words were still ringing in my head, and I have absolutely no shame in admitting that I've had the song on repeat ever since.

As if "Talk to a Friend" hadn't already hit me hard enough, Matt McAndrew took a moment to share something deeply personal with the crowd before their next song.

"This next song I wrote about my dad, who passed away. There's a lot of stuff that I wish he was here to see today. This is a shoutout to him and to anyone who's missing anyone tonight. This song is Neverbloom."

And just like that, the waterworks started. Looking around, I could see I wasn't the only one getting emotional. It was hard not to think about the people we've lost and all the things we wish they were still here to experience with us. This is one of the reasons I love going to shows so much. You can go from singing your heart out and having the time of your life to trying your hardest not to cry during the very next song. "Neverbloom" was definitely one of those moments I'll be thinking about for a while.

And if you haven't gotten enough of Rain City Drive yet, you're in luck! The band dropped their latest single, "Slither," a week ago, so you've got another reason to keep them on repeat. Whether you've been following them for years or just discovered them that night, make sure to give it a listen. And to those who are reading this and hearing about Rain City Drive for the first time, I hope you left with a few new songs to obsess over. (You're welcome.)

By the time Sleeping With Sirens was ready to take the stage, you couldn't find an empty spot inside the Boeing Center at Tech Port. Fans had traveled from all over Texas to be there, and I even overheard a few conversations about people flying in from Mexico and other states just for this show. With that kind of dedication, I had a feeling San Antonio was about to go absolutely nuts.

And what better way to kick things off than with "Kick Me!” Before the song erupted, the band gave the crowd one simple instruction: "When this kicks in, bang your heads with us. Let's go!" And believe me, nobody needed to be told twice. The second the song kicked in, the entire venue lost their minds. Fans were screaming every word back at Kellin, heads were banging, and the energy inside the room went through the roof. Sleeping With Sirens wasted absolutely no time reminding everyone why they were there.

As a concert photographer myself, I was also excited for another reason. One of my favorite concert photographers was working with Sleeping With Sirens on this tour, (shout out James Coffman) and I couldn't wait to see what he'd capture that night. With the amount of movement and energy coming from both the band and the crowd, there was no shortage of moments worth taken photos of.

At one point, Kellin Quinn took a moment to talk about the band's history with San Antonio, and you could tell this city held a special place in his heart.

"San Antonio, Texas. We played Dallas. We played Houston. But I was looking forward to San Antonio, Texas. This band has a lot of history with San Antonio because I remember when we were first starting out, no one knew who the **** we were. We went to a little venue called The White Rabbit for the first time."

The crowd erupted at the mention of The White Rabbit, a venue that longtime San Antonio concertgoers know all too well.

Kellin continued, "I thought to myself, well, if every show can be like this, then I'll have the best time of my life. Thank you so much. Let's have the night of our lives."

And with that, the band launched into "An Ending of Itself." If anyone thought the crowd was going to slow down after "Kick Me," they were in for a rude awakening. The song kept building, with Kellin's vocals cutting through the mix as the guitars and drums pushed everything forward. Then came that breakdown. It hit like a freight train, and the floor immediately opened up for the first two-step pit of the night.

But somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, something completely unexpected was happening in the crowd. Someone had just proposed! Even Kellin Quinn caught wind of what was going on and stopped to acknowledge the couple, asking, "What did they say?"

They said yes!

Between the crushing breakdowns, fans screaming their hearts out, and now a marriage proposal, San Antonio was already giving Sleeping With Sirens a night to remember. I mean, getting engaged at a Sleeping With Sirens show? That's one hell of a story to tell for the rest of your lives.

Before performing "Forever/Always," Kellin Quinn took a moment to talk about the importance of having someone in your life who will always be there for you.

"That person in your life that you can lean on. That you can tell anything to. That you can trust no matter what. That person that makes you better. That person that lifts you up. If you got that person in your life, put your hands up. Hold on to that person with everything you got. Cause you're going to go through things in life that are going to be really hard and are going to test you, but if you got somebody that can be there for you, that can carry you through it, then you're better off than being alone."

I'm not going to lie, that speech rocked me. I came to this show expecting to scream my lungs out, take a couple thousand photos, and have a good time, but I wasn't expecting a few words from Kellin to bring me to tears.

I could go on for days about how much Sleeping With Sirens and their music have meant to me over the years. Their songs have gotten me through some of the best and worst moments of my life, and getting to hear them live will never get old.

As the night went on, Kellin Quinn called for the spotlight to shine on guitarist Tony Pizzuti, who broke into a guitar solo backed by atmospheric synths. Fans cheered as they pulled out their phones and turned on their flashlights, lighting up the Boeing Center from one end to the other. Looking around and seeing all those lights while Tony played was such a cool moment. The band followed with "I'm Coming Home (Big Gulps)" and a cover of "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls. Hearing thousands of fans sing along to such an iconic song was something else. You could hear people singing their hearts out all around you, and honestly, I couldn't blame them. It's "Iris," after all. How could you not sing along?

"We're the last band playing tonight, right? We have three more songs. Hopefully you all wake up for these. This song is called 'House of Matches.'"

As if anyone in that sold-out crowd needed waking up! "House of Matches" brought out the heavier side of Sleeping With Sirens, with crushing guitars, pounding drums, and Kellin's vocals cutting right through the mix. The song packed one hell of a punch, especially when those heavier sections kicked in. We were getting closer to the end of the night, but the band clearly wasn't ready to let up just yet.

"Thank you so much for spending your evening with us. It means the world," Kellin Quinn told the crowd before taking a quick drink.

"This is tea, by the way. Just in case you were wondering. I'm not just taking pulls of tequila or anything."

Of course, Nick Martin couldn't resist chiming in.

"No, tequila!" Nick shouted.

"No, tea," Kellin replied.

"Tequila!" Nick responded.

"Tea makes my throat MOIST!" Kellin fired back.

Who knew a simple drink of tea could turn into a whole conversation? After getting some laughs out of the crowd, Kellin took a moment to show some love to the other bands on the lineup, asking everyone to make some noise for Shyeye and Rain City Drive.

With only a couple of songs left, Kellin had one more story to share, taking everyone back to the early days of Sleeping With Sirens and the making of Let's Cheers to This.

"This song is about discovering who you are. It's a lifelong journey. I'm still trying to figure it out. Maybe you guys are too."

He went on to explain that when the band was working on the record, they were broke and needed somewhere to rehearse. Unfortunately, finding a space wasn't going so well, so they ended up sleeping in a storage unit in Oregon during the middle of winter. (Yeah, you read that right.)

According to Kellin, Justin Hills had set up plastic walls inside the unit, and they used kerosene lamps to keep warm. Eventually, the band came to stay with Kellin and his wife after she pointed out that breathing in all those fumes probably wasn't the greatest idea.

Looking back on those days, Kellin joked, "I'm pretty sure the kerosene helped us write one of our best records of all time."

But before anyone got any bright ideas about starting a band and recreating those conditions, Kellin had a little disclaimer.

"I'm not saying that if you're in a band, you need to find a rehearsal spot and light kerosene. Please don't do that," he joked. "What I'm saying is, this song is one of my favorite songs off of that record. It's called 'Who Are You Now.' Everyone sing as loud as you can!"

And just like that, we went from laughing about the band's questionable living arrangements to singing along to "Who Are You Now." I've listened to Sleeping With Sirens for years, but hearing Kellin talk about what they went through while making Let's Cheers to This gave me an even greater appreciation for the album.

It's crazy to think that the same band that once slept in a storage unit just to keep making music was now playing to a sold-out crowd in San Antonio. From those early days to hearing thousands of fans sing their songs back to them, they've come a long way. And judging by the crowd that night, those songs still mean just as much to people now as they did when they first came out.

With the night coming to an end, Sleeping With Sirens closed out their set with "Do It Now Remember It Later," but San Antonio wasn't ready to call it quits just yet. The crowd erupted into cheers, begging for an encore, and it wasn't long before the band returned to the stage for two more songs.

They kicked things back off with "If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn," giving longtime fans another chance to sing their hearts out before bringing the night to a close with "If You Can't Hang." What a way to end it! After a night full of nostalgia, laughter, emotional moments, and plenty of screaming, Sleeping With Sirens gave San Antonio one final opportunity to let loose.

As everyone began making their way out, the merch lines filled up once again with fans hoping to grab something before heading home. Stepping outside, we were greeted by that chilly October weather, a pretty big change from the heat we'd been dealing with all night inside the venue. All around me, people were talking about their favorite moments from the show, while others stopped to take photos in front of the Sleeping With Sirens marquee outside the Boeing Center. Even though the music had stopped, nobody seemed quite ready for the night to be over.

From Kellin reminiscing about the band's early days at The White Rabbit to a surprise marriage proposal in the crowd, this show had a little bit of everything. I've said it before, but Sleeping With Sirens has been such a huge part of my life, and nights like this remind me why I fell in love with their music in the first place. San Antonio showed up, sang our hearts out, and gave the band the welcome they deserved. It was truly a night to remember.

The An Ending in Itself Tour continues through the northern United States and into Canada before heading overseas to Europe, where Sleeping With Sirens will be joined by Arm's Length and Like Roses. If they're coming to a city near you, don't miss your chance to experience this tour for yourself.