It feels like the transition from fall to winter went from zero to one hundred in the Twin Cities. Not that long ago I was enjoying cool weather walks and runs outdoors and now I’m back to hiding inside on the treadmill so I don’t hurt myself on the slippery pavement. With the first real cold of the season coming though on the same night as Senses Fail & Story of the Year, it was incredibly difficult to leave the coziness of my home and venture out into the cold. However, I knew that it would be worth the temporary discomfort and got myself pumped up for the show on the drive over to the Fillmore.

Up first for the night were Jersey rockers Armor for Sleep. This band has always been on the outskirts of my rotation and I have yet to see them live; I was excited to catch them for the first time. Even though Armor for Sleep dropped a brand new record a little less than a month ago (“There Is No Memory”), the band only played a couple of songs from that album, instead favoring tracks from their 2005 release “What to Do When You’re Dead.” Even though I wasn’t familiar with their music, from the first note that emo ages onstage it felt like I was transported back to the sounds of the mid 2000’s, and I was here for it. While the crowd seemed like they needed a little more warming up from the cold, or a familiar song or two tucked away at the end of the set to get into the show, I felt like Armor for Sleep was a great way to start the night. The band’s stage presence overall may not be the wildest I’ve ever seen, but their vibe was a perfect start to the evening.

Next up was another band that brought me right back to the mid 2000’s, Story of the Year. Admittingly, this was another band that I didn’t really get into in the height of their popularity, however seeing them perform for the first time as an opener for Yellowcard a couple of years ago got me hooked on their live set and I’ve been itching to see them again. When Story of the Year got on stage it almost felt like an entirely different show; more of the crowd started to come alive, singing and moving along more and more as the band progressed through their set. One of the best parts about seeing Story of the Year live is just watching the band on stage having an absolute blast during every single song. There was barely more than a second when any given member was in one spot; more often than not they were jumping on or off of the riser or running from one end of the stage to the other or standing on top of amps. The band played a great mix from their discography, sprinkling some of their classic and nostalgic tracks with newer material. I’m bummed that I missed catching Story of the Year the last time (possibly twice) they have been in the Twin Cities since opening for Yellowcard, but seeing them again convinced me they continue to be a must see.

Finally, after what felt like a long wait, which was probably exasperated by the long day I had, it was time for Senses Fail to take the stage. Again, I was late to this band live; I believe the first time I was able to catch them was at Paradise Rock Club in Boston back in 2016 or early 2017, and only once after that at Northern Invasion in 2018. Senses Fail came out on stage one by one before going full force into “Buried A Lie” before getting into “Bonecrusher” and “Calling All Cars.” Even though Senses Fail didn’t quite have the same performance as Story of the Year, their set was still fun to be a part of and watch. Senses Fail brought a lot of energy to the stage, along with a high nostalgia value, playing a selection of songs predominantly from their fan favorite albums “Let It Enfold You” and “Still Searching.” Maybe it was my tiredness from the day in general or the desire to get back home and be cozy inside my own space, but I couldn’t get quite as into their set as others in the crowd. However, that didn’t stop me from enjoying every nostalgia filled moment as the band cruised through their set and closed out the Minneapolis stop of the Scream Team Tour.