May 8th was a night for all the kids who are still nostalgic for MySpace and just want to be themselves. Diva Bleach and Lake Drive took over El Cid with support from SUNBURNT. It was the kind of lineup that makes you miss the early 2000s. The crowd was filled with smiles throughout the night and positive vibrations.

SUNBURNT, with their youthful energy, will bring you back to the days of going to a punk show during high school. It was refreshing to see the lead singer's joy on stage as well. Their songs felt very nostalgic and relatable at the same time. I especially enjoyed seeing them perform “Unconditional” and “Tunnel Vision.” “Unconditional” feels like a reminder to take a chance on love; you'll never know where it will take you. I'm really excited to see what SUNBURNT does next, and if you're a fan of bands like Broadside, Felicity, and With Confidence, you'll love SUNBURNT.

Now when Lake Drive hit the stage, well, let's just say they start at 100% and they keep it at 100%. I first saw them perform in 2024, and they've definitely come a long way since that time. I've been wanting to catch them again for a while, so I'm really happy I got to this time. Lake Drive has this way of being goofy but also looking cool at the same time. They have a genuine energy that just puts a smile on the faces of anyone who gets the opportunity to see them perform. I've photographed a lot of singers over the years, and I gotta say Rayven's been one of the most fun to capture. There's so much emotion and energy in how he moves on stage that really keeps the audience locked in. He really gives off main character energy in the best way possible.

They played new and unreleased music as well, such as their song “Obsessed.” Some other songs they performed include “Kissing in a Coffin,” “If You Say So,” and “Don't Call.” A moment that stood out to me was them talking about a hate comment they received before going into the song “If You Say So.” Their confident energy, even in the face of criticism, is how you know this band has what it takes to get through any obstacle thrown at them.

Diva Bleach came on to close out the night with a bang, and they were dressed to deliver a set to remember. One of the first things I noticed was the lead singer Sydney's outfit. It felt very ethereal, like a fairy princess's dress. It gave a whimsical feeling to her movements on stage. There were plenty of hair-flip moments as well as Sydney interacting with everyone in the band on stage.

The band had good crowd interaction skills as well; at times they even got down and pointed the mic at the audience.

During their song “Beaches,” they had everyone get to the ground during one point of the song. The crowd was dancing along and had a lot of energy, especially during songs such as “Kiss Her Goodbye” and “One More Time.”

During “One More Time,” Patrick Gilchrist from Not My Weekend came up on stage and performed with Sydney. They matched energies up on stage, and it was honestly one of the best moments of the night; you could see the crowd getting into it too. Not to mention “One More Time” is also a highly relatable song. Other songs they performed that night include “We Don't Talk About It,” “Obsessed,” “Hate Me,” “Crawling,” “Make It Stop,” “Eggshells,” “Pillowcase,” “Cross My Heart,” “Clean,” “I Like U,” and “Torn in Two.”

Their confidence was radiant, and they put on a killer performance that would even have new fans listening to their music after the show on repeat.

The night went by in a flash, and one of the best parts was how SUNBURNT, Lake Drive, and Diva Bleach are all uniquely different but still blend well together. You can tell they all are passionate about what they do and have a lot of appreciation for their fans. The community they have is a genuine one too.

All of these bands have a lot of potential, and I'm excited to see what they do next.