When We Were Young Tribute at The Lansdowne
- Hayes Rose
- Oct 25
- 5 min read
When When We Were Young Fest kicked off overseas this past weekend, what did Aussies do? We threw our own.
Last Words pulled together six of my absolute favourite vocalists from rising Australian bands to take over The Lansdowne stage, each performing three nostalgic, emo era anthems backed by the incredible crew from Elara. The energy, the nostalgia, the connection. it was pure magic.
As someone from a small town who’s always dreamed of being part of this scene, this night meant the world to me. Meeting old friends, making new ones, and being surrounded by people who share the same love for music reminded me exactly why I started Hot & Heavy.
Huge shoutout to matt and Dan from Last Words and The Lansdowne for creating such an unforgettable night.
now.... Let’s break down the lineup shall we?
Lauren from Aurateque
Lauren was nothing short of phenomenal. Her live vocals are on a Spiritbox level. no.... better than that! yes! i mean it!
both her cleans and screams were flawless. My friends and I were absolutely blown away, our jaws were on the floor!
the following morning, we listened to Aurateque’s entire discography on the very long 4 hour road tip home.
all i could think about is her covering 'all i wanted' by paramore and of course, it's right there on her insta. nailed it.
Her cover of “If I’m James Dean, You’re Audrey Hepburn” by Sleeping With Sirens was a standout moment. She’s got incredible presence, power, and charisma. everything you want in a lead vocalist.
We had a beautiful chat after her set, and I’ll admit, I got emotional. I was just so grateful to witness that kind of raw talent. Lauren is going places, and for my fellow nu punk fans, keep her on your radar.
She set the bar high for the night.
did everyone else follow through?
Nic from Live Like Animals
Nic from Live Like Animals is another artist who deserves so much more recognition. His performance of The Plot In You’s “Forgotten” was incredible. the crowd was screaming every word with him. especially that one part... you know what i'm talking about.
Even though I had to sit down for part of the set (after being up since 5am and travelling all day)
I could feel the energy radiating from the crowd. The sound was crisp, Nic’s vocals were on point.
the crowd control?!
immaculate.
Not a single person stood still, the entire room moved together. That’s exactly how a gig should feel.
Rory from St. Sinner
Rory from St. Sinner never fails to impress.
this was easily one of his best performances yet. He poured so much emotion into every note, and you could feel how much he lives and breathes this scene.
His st.sinner bandmates Caleb and Sam were front row, moshing to “Counting Worms” by Knocked Loose, hyping him up the entire time. The love in the room was unreal. I gifted Rory some hotdogs (as you do), and maybe that was the key to unlocking such a powerful set
because he absolutely crushed it.
This was my fourth time seeing him live, and I can confidently say Rory and the St. Sinner crew are destined for big things.
Rory, if you’re reading this, your kindness, talent, and passion are unmatched. Keep going. the scene needs you.
Noah from Days Like These
I’ll admit, I’m not as familiar with Days Like These as some of the other acts, but Noah really impressed me. It was strange (in a good way) seeing him step out from behind the drum kit, and he proved he’s got serious range as an artist. the energy is unmatched!
His set was full of great song choices, and even though I didn’t know two of them, my friends and I were vibing regardless.
Having his partner perform alongside him was such a sweet touch, and you could feel how much that moment meant to them both.
nic jumped back on stage and the duo pulled off a great cover of 'makedamnsure' by taking back sunday.
i will say tho.... days like these need to hurry up with new music. i'm getting impatient.
Tom from Sienna Skies
phenomenal as always.
Tom was one of my favourites of the night. There wasn’t a single person in that crowd who disagreed that he should be selling out arenas. The energy he brought was unreal. he knows exactly how to get a crowd moving.
His song choices were perfect throwbacks, full of nostalgia, and the audience was absolutely eating it up. Seeing his bandmate Michael there cheering him on made the moment even better. my fav cover was 'if you can't hang' by sleeping with sirens
That’s what I love most about this scene, everyone genuinely supports one another. Sienna Skies are growing fast, and they deserve every single bit of success.
Mikaila from Yours Truly
i'm scared for this one.... but I’m going to be honest, I was a little disappointed, but not because of Mikaila herself. I adore Yours Truly, and this was my first time seeing her perform solo or just any yours truly member for that matter and with her being the final act, my expectations were high. i wanted a perfect send off. i didn't get it.
When I noticed her reading from notes on her phone, I was nit impressed at first, but she later explained she was nervous and had them as backup. Totally understandable. we’ve all been there.
Unfortunately, the sound during her set wasn’t great; the guitar kept cutting out, and they had to restart a song. shit happens tho right?
It’s a tough situation for any artist, especially closing out the live sets. I still have so much respect for her for pushing through. You could see she was tired and frustrated afterward, but I hope she knows the crowd loved her regardless. I’m looking forward to seeing Yours Truly again soon. my love for the band hasn’t changed one bit and i'm sending a huge virtual hug her way.
Final Thoughts
Despite those few sound hiccups, the atmosphere of the night was glowing. Everyone was kind, supportive, and full of energy. I cried three songs in and teared up multiple times throughout the night. it was just that powerful. or i'm just a huge sook and needs more therapy. but this is my therapy. it works.
Matt and Dan from Last Words have built something truly special. The thought, effort, and passion that go into their shows are unmatched, and I’m beyond honoured that the Hot & Heavy show gets to be part of it.
This community feels like home to me. Nights like this are why I started Hot & Heavy in the first place. they remind me why I keep going, even when life gets rough.
The friends I’ve made, the connections, the talent, the joy i get to not only witness but experience myself... I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. The scene is alive. You just have to look a little closer.
Here’s to what’s next. Who knows, maybe Hot & Heavy and Last Words might even team up in the future. All I know is, this community changed my life, and I can’t wait to see it grow.
10/10! they broke the scale. Go support these events. You won’t regret it.
to find more events from last words. follow them over on instagram here.
