Review + Photos: So What?! Music Festival 2022

After three years, So What?! Music Festival finally came back to life and boy did it hit heavy. The three-day festival got a major upgrade and was held in Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, where the Texas Rangers used to call home. This year’s festival, thanks to the team at Third String Productions, was headlined by artists such as Sum 41, 2 Chainz, Underoath, Waka Flocka, Blackbear, and 3OH!3. With the Texas heat and merch tents galore, it was giving major Warped Tour vibes. We were super grateful for plenty of stadium seats (in the shade or sun depending on your preference), easy access to water and free Monster drinks, and food trucks of all varieties. Bands performed on 7 different stages so you could always be surrounded with new music and artists. From pop-punk to rap to metal, anyone attending the festival could find an artist they enjoyed.

Day 1

We caught sets of Day 1 artists including Palisades, Be//gotten, Afterlife, Lorna Shore, Colorblind, Sueco, 24KGoldn, 3OH!3, and Bilmuri.

After staying relatively quiet for the past couple years and with a shift in the lineup, Palisades gave a warm welcome to Day 1 of the fest. I was curious to see how the new lineup would work now that Brandon Elgar was on lead vocals, but there was no doubt that he could deliver. The band is currently on a headlining tour, and their new album Reaching Hypercritical, is debuting 7/22 next month.

Next up was hometown heroes Be//gotten on the Revolver stage and many came to show their support. The band always puts on an action-packed performance, really giving their all into their sets. From their makeup to their movements, the audience can appreciate the effort and energy. You can check out their new EP here.

Florida metal band Afterlife was up next and played songs off their newest album, Part of Me. This would be another energy packed set early on in the day, and they set the bar high for following acts. The band just kicked off on the “Krewe Du Sang” Tour with fellow So What?! bands Cane Hill, VCTMS, and Moodring. Check them out in a city near you!

Heavy hitters in the metal scene, Lorna Shore, were not an act to be missed. The band has seen tremendous growth in the last few years and the momentum won’t be stopping anytime soon. I was thankful to have the photo pit to capture photos, as the sun was getting to me and I was not prepared to go into the heated (literally and metaphorically) crowd. The band closed out with the fan favorite song, “To the Hellfire.”

Austinites Colorblind were up next and I was super excited to see them perform in a festival setting. I have seen them from their very first few shows to festivals (including So What?! in 2017) and am glad they are getting the recognition they deserve. The band just finished their run with Attack Attack! and have a new song, “Love Is Red” releasing later this week.

I’m not sure how I discovered Sueco, but I know after hearing “Paralyzed” that I was hooked. Performing on the Hot Topic stage, Sueco gave a phenomenal first impression show, as he went up to the crowd to sing as well as crowd surfed during his set.

The sun was setting and it was time to check out Flow’s Backyard stage for one of the headliners, 24kGoldn. I knew when security started take out their phones to record that it was going to be a special performance. With the bright LED lights and catchy pop rap, this was one of my favorite sets of So What?! My personal favorite songs of 24kGoldn include “In My Head” ft. Travis Barker, and “More than Friends.”

Everyone’s favorite duo from the Myspace days was up next, 3OH!3. As soon as the band asked to see the 3OH!3 hands, the crowd knew what to do and put up the infamous hand pose. The audience was a mix of all ages, and of course we went wild when they played “Don’t Trust Me.”

Closing out Day 1 was Bilmuri, the indie-pop project of former Attack Attack! vocalist, Johnny Franck. Smiles were shared all around and the crowd had fun throwing balloons throughout the set. If you’re wondering what type of music Bilmuri makes, this music video is a good starting point.

Day 2

With newly formed blisters and no sunburns, my energy was still high and I knew I had to persevere through Day 2. That was cut short later that day when even my electrolyte tabs couldn’t stop me from feeling down and out from the heat. Luckily I was able to bounce back just in time to photograph Sum 41’s headlining set.

Day 2 artists included VCTMS, Stand Atlantic, Volumes, nothing,nowhere., Knocked Loose, and Sum 41.

Festival-goers started the mosh early during VCTMS‘ set. This band always packs a punch with their performances and started the day off with a bang. All members are dedicated to giving it their all during sets, whether it’s by singing into the crowd directly or standing while drumming. They are currently supporting Cane Hill on tour right now.

Australian pop-punkers Stand Atlantic pleased fans with their appearance in the US and performed their hits like “Deathwish” (unfortunately nothing,nowhere. did not sing his feature live) and newest single, “dumb.”

Volumes has been a fan favorite for over a decade now and they continue to prove why. They played a mix of old and new, notably “Bend” from their newest album, Happier? It’s always a treat seeing both vocalists Michael Barr and Myke Terry interact or sing with the crowd at the same time.

I feel like nothing,nowhere. came swinging out of the gates since I discovered his music and he’s been hitting the ground running. His catchy songs are undeniable, noting hits like “nightmare” and “hammer” (which So What?! artists Point North do a fantastic cover of).

Knocked Loose is one of the bands that was probably on everyone’s must-see list for the festival. With Bryan Garris’ distinct vocals and the band’s heavy hitting sound, this was a set that got the crowd moving. Knocked Loose will be supporting Bring Me the Horizon later this fall on tour.

It was time for headliner Sum 41 to take the stage and it was exhilarating seeing them perform. The bass from the speakers made it feel like my face was melting off, but I didn’t care as long as I got to see these icons live. At one point, they did a cover of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and had the whole crowd crouching on the ground and then building their way back up to jumping along. I went to watch The Ghost Inside during the middle of their set, and am grateful I was able to catch both bands on the same night.

Day 3

Oh boy, the morning of day 3 was when my blisters had blisters and sunburn started appearing. I knew I had to tough it out for the final day, and my group (unsurprisingly) got a late start. I was determined to make the best out of the last day and power through as much as I could, as some of my favorite bands were playing on this day.

Day 3 artists included Unity-TX, The Plot in You, The Devil Wears Prada, We Came as Romans, Chase Atlantic, and Underoath.

Unity-TX is also another band that I was fortunate enough to see at So What?! back in 2017. They continue to impress with their unique sound and lyrics of substance. Catch them later on tour this year with Silverstein, The Amity Affliction, and Holding Absence.

The Plot in You was up next and this is a band that has perfected their craft. Whether you’re in a singing or screaming mood, their music will fit right in with how you’re feeling. I am anxiously waiting to see if they will be on a US tour this fall.

Metalcore legends, The Devil Wears Prada were performing next and I was so happy to see that this band continues to have insane energy and crowd participation to this day. I can appreciate the way they’ve evolved from songs like “Danger: Wildman” to “Chemical.” They announced their Zombie EPs tour later this fall and I’ll be sure to catch them again to hear these iconic EPs live.

We Came As Romans are no strangers to the scene and I was super stoked to see them perform again. I would say WCAR has one of the strongest fan bases out there and it’s always a pleasure seeing the crowd sing along and vibe to their songs. They’ll be on tour this summer with August Burns Red, Hollow Front, and Void of Vision.

Chase Atlantic‘s set was unfortunately cut early due to some technical difficulties. They were able to play long enough for the crowd’s hype to just get started, but sadly could not continue. The crowd even attempted to sing a cappella while they were waiting to see if things would work properly.

Underoath closed the night and they knocked it out of the park. From their impressive production to posing for the camera, these guys know what they’re doing. Loyal fans stayed in the pit for their entire set and got to hear nostalgic hits like “Reinventing Your Exit” and “It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door.”

And with that So What?! 2022 came to a close. I’m truly thankful that this festival has continued on throughout the years and am super excited to see where it goes next. Seeing Third String Productions, Big Picture Media, Choctaw Stadium, and all the artists and their crew come together to make this festival happen was nothing short of amazing. I’ve been attending this festival for over 10 years now and believe that change can be a good thing, as this festival continues to change and evolve for the better. We look forward to seeing what next year holds!

Post and photos by Megan Choi

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