Sleeping With Sirens bring explosive energy out of Sylvee crowd

WORDS BY MIA KIEFER, PHOTOS BY LUCERO DUNSCOMBE

Sleeping With Sirens | Lucero Dunscombe

Bringing their “An Ending In Itself” tour to The Sylvee in Madison on the evening of October 21st, Sleeping With Sirens, along with openers Shyeye and Rain City Drive, delivered a show brimming with energy and nostalgia.

Shyeye opened up with a stellar set, quickly proving that they’re a band you should add to your rotation. Their music is reminiscent of 2000s alternative rock, balancing melodic vocals and heavy instrumentation. Shyeye’s setlist felt familiar without sounding recycled, and their homage to earlier emo-adjacent bands doesn’t detract from their quality, acknowledging the history of the scene while bringing something new to the table. 

Vocalist Destiny Keller expressed her gratitude to Sleeping With Sirens for choosing them as openers, revealing that she didn’t ever think she was capable of achieving something like this (hence the name Shyeye). Started just two years ago, I can imagine how surreal that experience of performing alongside a huge name such as Sleeping With Sirens was for the band. Overall, their set was intimate despite the larger venue.

Following up, Rain City Drive kept the audience engaged with a dynamic mix of danceable high energy songs and songs that were slower and more introspective. Frontman Matt McAndrew explained the meaning and inspiration behind a few of the tracks, devoting one to anyone going through a breakup or other hardship. Another was dedicated to anyone experiencing grief, as well as McAndrew’s late father, who passed away when he was young. 

These tender moments fit seamlessly into their set, holding space for the audience to feel and express bittersweet emotions. Rain City Drive certainly struck a chord with the audience, many of which could be heard singing along with their poignant track, “Neverbloom.” By the end of their set, the crowd was sufficiently warmed up, brimming with potential energy just waiting to be released.

As a longtime fan, I knew what to expect when Sleeping With Sirens took the stage. However, I hadn’t considered the free-flowing aspect of a general admission show, as opposed to a stadium with bleachers or seats, and was unprepared for the sheer amount of energy that accumulated in the space. 

When the headliner came on stage, they brought an undeniable energy shift with them. Under red lights, Sleeping With Sirens began their set with “Kick Me,” a strong contender for the best opener in their discography. Jumping, kicking and stirring the sea of bodies before them into a frenzy, the band members were in constant motion from the set’s start to its end. Guitarists Tony Pizzuti and Nick Martin covered every inch of the stage, delivering aggressive riffs between melodic hooks. Matty Best’s drumming served as the rhythm’s backbone, precise and powerful, creating a propulsive groove in combination with the bass guitar. Justin Hills, the bassist of the band since its formation in 2009, even did the splits while still playing. Their evocative energy nurtured the crowd; screaming along, dancing and moshing, the audience returned that exhilaration. “God damn, Wisconsin!” Kellin Quinn yelled at the end of their first song, “Holy shit!”

The setlist had something for every fan. Classics like “The Bomb Dot Com V2.0,” a longtime favorite of mine, and “A Trophy Father’s Trophy Son” prompted fans to sing along, regardless of their vocal range (I know I was struggling to hit those high notes). Songs from their new album, such as “An Ending In Itself” and “Forever/Always,” prove that the band isn’t just a nostalgic favorite, but still has that special sauce that makes you want to bang your head and whip your fringe back and forth. Each new track evoked the feeling of being 14 and discovering “emo” all over again. With crowd-surfing, frenzied circle pits and walls of death, the audience matched the band’s intensity from start to finish.

After playing the upbeat opening “Do It Now Remember It Later” from their sophomore album, the band left the stage in typical Sleeping With Sirens fashion, teasing their fans who anticipated hearing “If You Can’t Hang” – their most popular track. Eager for more, the crowd continued cheering in an attempt to coax them back out. Although it took a moment to get their footing, their fragmented shouts consolidated into clear chants, demanding an encore in unison. At last, Sleeping With Sirens fulfilled their wishes, treating them to the fan favorites “If I’m James Dean, You’re Aubrey Hepburn” and “If You Can’t Hang” with the same energy and intensity they carried a decade ago. 

While celebrating “An Ending In Itself,” their set began as an album rollout and by the end felt like a reunion, with the crowd singing along every word. After years of touring and releasing music, Sleeping With Sirens still puts on an exceptional performance from start to finish, with new tracks driving their setlist and classics to bring it home.