After 7 years, Pierce The Veil returned to Brazil stronger than ever. The post-hardcore band played a unique show in São Paulo, with Gloria as the opening act. Together, the two groups delivered a night of reverence for heavy music on Easter Sunday.
The combination of the two bands couldn't have been more perfect. In the national scene, Gloria is the closest equivalent to Pierce The Veil in terms of trajectory. Both bands were important names in the emergence and strengthening of the scene in the early 2000s, each in their respective country – too heavy to be considered "emo," but still winning over part of that audience.
The audience at Pierce The Veil was ecstatic to welcome Gloria. The Brazilians performed to an engaged and enthusiastic crowd that seemed to belong to them. Audio opened up several mosh pits and filled with voices singing hits like "Anemia," "Bicho do Mato," and "Horizontes.".
As a band, the musicians have built a true monument to their trajectory in live performances. It's impossible to see Gloria's energy on stage and not reflect on their importance in Brazilian rock. Listening to their older songs is to recognize sounds that shaped the musical taste of an entire generation.
At the end of the show, Mi Vieira expressed his delight with the audience's reception and thanked everyone who arrived early to see them. "This is how the scene stays alive, with you all supporting us at the shows," he emphasized. More information about future Gloria shows can be found on the band's social media .
For Pierce The Veil, the return to Brazil was remarkable in several ways. The São Paulo show was the last date of the South American leg of the tour promoting the album The Jaws of Life (2023). The group drew a crowd twice as large as the last time, in 2016, when they performed at Carioca Club.
Initially, Sunday's show was scheduled for the same venue as their last visit, but it was soon moved to Audio , which has a capacity of 3,200 people. The band's growth in Brazil after 7 years without releasing albums or visiting the country is impressive.
Pierce The Veil delivers a nearly 1 hour and 30 minute show that doesn't let the energy drop for a single moment. Between songs from the new album and classic favorites like "Bulls In The Bronx" and "Caraphernelia," the fans scream all the lyrics and frequently open up mosh pits, while on stage the musicians' energy is just as chaotic as theirs.
The dynamic of the original trio is explosive. Driven by Loniel Robinson , Vic Fuentes (vocals), Jaime Preciado (bass), and Tony Perry (guitar) spend the entire show running around the stage and jumping from one side to the other. The guitarist and bassist perform aerial maneuvers with their instruments. While Tony remains more restrained on his side of the stage, Jaime seems to want to occupy all the space at once, also being the one who smiles and interacts most with the audience.
The evening's speeches were given by Vic Fuentes, who repeatedly emphasized Pierce The Veil's happiness at being back in Brazil. He said it was always a pleasure to be in São Paulo and demonstrated the group's intention to put on "the best show ever ," since it was the last of the tour. Vic created an emotional moment for the fans by playing an acoustic version of "Bulletproof Love" alone on stage. Towards the end of the setlist, as is customary, he chose a fan to join him on stage for "Hold On Till May," which has become a kind of anthem connecting fans and band.
The combination of Gloria and Pierce The Veil warmed hearts and celebrated 20 years of hardcore's strength in Brazil. Although the genre has gone through highs and lows in terms of popularity, it's on nights like Sunday that it's gratifying to see the fans' passion and loyalty to bands that have accompanied them for a good part of their lives and that continue to deliver shows as energetic as in their early days, and increasingly cathartic.
Our contributor Mara Alonso captured the moment – check out the photos below.
