The When We Were Young Festival will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada at Las Vegas Festival Grounds on October 22nd, 23rd, and 29th, 2022. Live Nation, the creators of this festival, is promising over 60 acts which sparks the question: Is it too good to be true?

Personally, I cannot see any of this working out. While the idea is nice, it’s going to be difficult to work all of these promises out in an organized manner.

First of all, with over 60 acts placed on the lineup, it’s going to be almost impossible to include them all in a fair manner in the span of three days. The hours are supposed to run from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., and each act’s set time will vary. Furthermore, they have listed their only two headliners as Paramore and My Chemical Romance, so what are they going to do on the third day? 

Many people on the internet have voiced their fears and frustrations regarding this festival and, honestly, rightfully so. Their website, whenwewereyoungfestival.com, stated that parking will not be allowed on festival grounds, and the closest hotel is about a 12 minute walk. While you can be dropped off by a taxi or limousine at their transportation site, it can still be deemed as unsafe. Not to mention, the only sort of bag allowed in the festival has to be clear and no means of self defense weapons are allowed.

There is also rising suspicion among the internet when it comes to the creators of this festival. The company, Live Nation, are the same creators of Astroworld. This disaster of a music festival took place this past November in Houston. That night, 10 people were killed while watching Travis Scott’s performance. With the lack of organization and the overwhelming amount of fans back then, it is truly difficult to believe that When We Were Young could run smoothly. 

Not only are people concerned with the organization, but it’s easy to believe that this entire event could be a scam. For example, whenwewereyoungfestival.com is offering a “VIP Cabana” for those 21+ for $12,500. GA tickets are already pricey to begin with at $249.99. The other ticket options are GA+ at $419.99 and VIP at $519.99. You also have the option of purchasing their Hotel and Ticket Package, starting at $499.00. The festival is open for all ages, except for those purchasing cabanas (21+). All ticket purchases are final, meaning there are no refunds, which can be suspicious for those showing interest.

Overall, When We Were Young sounds like a dream come true for past emo-kids and fans of the newer alternative bands included in the lineup. However, it is difficult to imagine that the creators can carry through with all of these ideas. It is completely valid to fear whether this festival will meet fans’ expectations, and hopefully it will all work out for the better.