2024 has been an amazing year filled with some of the best concerts I have been to. From getting to see some of the best up and coming artists like Charlotte Sands, Bailey Spinn, and Senses. To seeing some of the most established bands in the music industry like Def Leppard, Creed, and P!nk. To all the bands in between those levels. But there is always one concert that ends up being the last one you see of the year. For me it was Escape the Fate at the Glass House in Pomona. They were playing three final shows of the year with two being in Arizona, and one in Cali. The Glass House show was the first of their final three shows, and opening the night were some local megastars like Cascade Effect and Tornadic. Fans packed in the Glass House to sing their emo hearts out and rage in the mosh pit one last time in 2024.

The first band I got to experience this night was thrash metallers Tornadic. Within moments of their first song, fans pushed open one of the biggest pits I’ve seen at the Glass House. Tornadic is a thrash metal band, and the fans in the crowd were ready to rage and spin up the pit for their whole set. Vocalist Dylan Castiglione was channeling Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed’s energy with his vocal presence. It also happened to be his 19th Birthday that night, and the band got the whole crowd to sing him Happy Birthday. Guitarist Andres Vaca and JT Sawyer acted as a new form of the terror twins, bouncing riffs back and forth throughout the songs. Drummer River Spijkers was a beast on the double kick, unleashing furious beats that sent the mosh pitters into a frenzy. There tends to be a stereotype that bass players are either the most stoic presence on stage, or they are the most chaotic. Enzo Schifferle embodied the latter. From jumping, to full body head banging, and even throwing in some back bends. Schifferle was all over the place, but never missing a beat. Tornadic even sang us a thrash metal version of the Mariah Carey classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which was a song the moshers probably never thought they would be raging to. Tornadic got the crowd's energy dialed up to 11 and ready to continue rocking out for the rest of the night.

Up next was a band known as Cascade Effect. These guys had a grittier look to them, and I was excited to see what they were about to bring to the people of Pomona. Opening with the tune “My Devil’s Hour,” guitarist Shaun Frude and Alex Peterson played with so much groove to their melodies. Even finding time to throw in solo’s that kept with the flow of the song. Vocalist Dustin Keimig was effortlessly floating between clean melodic singing and guttural screams that unleashed his inner fury. While bassist Bobby Fernandez and drummer Seth Roscamp were locked in with each other, holding up the backbone of the band. Along with the groove metal sound, Cascade Effect carried with them a big bombastic sound and bounce to the music that was infectious to people’s necks. Causing them to bop and headbang to songs like “Squall,” “Embodied,” “Suffering in Silence,” “Fear Romancer,” “Dirge,” and ending with “God Particle.” Cascade Effect was easily the heaviest band of the night, but never felt out of place on the bill.

It was then time to let our inner emo out for the mighty Escape the Fate. As luck would have it, December 19th is also National Emo Day, and the elder emo’s came out to support the band. Vocalist Craig Mabbitt was on top of his game this night, connecting with fans, and singing with such passion. Many times letting the audience take over his vocal duties while he took in our singing and stood there with the biggest smile on his face. He’s been singing with this band for the last seventeen years, and moments like this show he does not take any performance for granted. Lead guitarist Matti Hoffman proves that emo is not a phase, as he embodies the look of a mid 2000’s emo boi. Even playing his guitar with ease and an expression like he could be doing this in his sleep. Rhythm guitarist TJ Bell adds a more aggressive nature to his playing, often whipping his guitar around his body. Bassist Erik Jensen helps provide backing vocals that elevate Mabbitt’s own vocals and adds a dynamic touch to them. While founding member and drummer Robert Ortiz acts like the cool guy at the back of the stage with his sunglasses on in doors. But you can catch him standing and playing or shouting to the crowd, seeing just how much he still enjoys playing his music. Escape the Fate drafted a killer setlist of songs that included so many fan favorites like “H8 Myself,” “Lightning Strike,” “The Flood,” “10 Miles,” “Live Fast,” “Ungrateful,” “Gorgeous Nightmare,” “Low,” “Ashley,” “Something,” “Broken Heart,” and coming out for a three song encore with “Cheers to Goodbye,” “This War is Ours,” and ending with “One For the Money.” With he final song being one of the bands biggest sing a longs, it had the crowd screaming with every last bit of energy they had to give.

This was my final show of 2024, and it was one of the best ways to end my concert season for the year. What helped make this show so special was the people I got to see it with. Some of my best friends like Amanda, whose band has opened for Escape the Fate before, along with Sway and Holli. It was a night of amazing hangs, laughs, making the best memories, maybe a couple drinks, and all of us sing screaming in each other's faces until the music finally ended. When the lights finally came up, I couldn’t be happier than just taking in the show that occurred with the people I was with. There’s nothing like bonding over music and Escape the Fate with these three people was the perfect way to end the year. Here’s to what is to come in 2025.