Story of the Year at The Pageant: 40-Year-Old EMO Is Still a Thing
There are two types of people on Valentine’s Day:
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Candlelight dinner, soft music, discussing feelings.
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Screaming “Until the Day I Die” at full volume with your spouse.
We chose correctly.
On February 14th, Story of the Year hosted their ARSON album release party at The Pageant, and if you’ve ever wondered what 15 years of loyalty looks like, it looks like me yelling lyrics like I’m still 22 and emotionally unstable.
For the record, this was roughly my 15th time seeing them live.
Still undefeated.
Gasoline Was a Warning Shot
They opened with “Gasoline.”
Immediate chaos. Immediate crowd ignition. No slow build. No polite easing into it.
Just boom.
You knew within 30 seconds this wasn’t going to be a high energy set. This was a hometown statement.
Yes, They Played the New Album. And Yes, The Crowd Already Knew It.
Here’s the part I loved most.
They played a ton of songs from ARSON.
Because… it’s an album release party.
Imagine that.
And somehow, the crowd already knew the new songs word for word.
Disconnected?
Full scream-along.
Into the Dark (live debut).
No hesitation.
3 am (live debut).
People screaming it like it’s been out since 2003.
St. Louis does not casually attend Story of the Year concerts.
We study for them.
Disconnected Is Elite
Let’s talk about “Disconnected.”
That song live? Different animal.
It’s my favorite off the new album and it absolutely delivered.
Loud. Emotional. Clean. Aggressive. Everything you want.
There’s something therapeutic about screaming emotionally charged lyrics next to your wife on Valentine’s Day.
Cheaper than couples therapy.
The Setlist Was a Perfect Balance
They didn’t abandon the classics either.
You got:
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And the Hero Will Drown
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Anthem of Our Dying Day
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Sidewalks
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In the Shadows
And of course, they closed the night with Until the Day I Die.
If you didn’t lose your voice by the encore, you weren’t committed.
The Theatrics? On Point.
Story of the Year has always leaned into energy.
This wasn’t “stand still and strum.”
It was jumping, crowd engagement, full-send performance.
The lighting, the pacing, the emotion — it all felt intentional. This wasn’t a band going through motions.
This was a St. Louis band playing in St. Louis, reminding everyone why they’re still here.
The Pageant Is Still Elite
Let’s just say it:
The Pageant is an elite venue.
Great sound.
Great sightlines.
Not the kind of place where you’re watching a band through someone’s iPhone screen from 200 feet away.
It’s intimate but loud. Clean but chaotic. Exactly what this show needed.
The Real Story
There’s something different about seeing a band in their hometown.
The crowd isn’t just there for content. They’re there because this band was part of their teenage soundtrack.
The energy wasn’t manufactured.
It was earned.
And watching a room full of 40-somethings channel their inner EMO on Valentine’s Day was oddly heartwarming.
Loud therapy.
STL edition.
Final Verdict
Story of the Year proved something Saturday night.
You can grow up.
You can have kids.
You can have a mortgage.
But you can still scream lyrics like it’s 2005.
And honestly? That might be healthier than pretending we’re too mature for it.
If this is what 15 shows deep feels like…
I’ll see you at 30.
You Think They’re Eating Babies?
