The Warning commanded the stage at Pier 17 in NYC this past Thursday. The three-sister rock band from Monterrey, Mexico, opened their first headline show of 2026 with “MORE” which certainly left the crowd wanting MORE. Each member brought their own unique energy and presence to the stage in a way that perfectly complemented each other. It is very rare, but also so inspiring to see this chemistry they have between them. Itmakes you believe they weren’t put on this planet to do anything but create and share music with the world.
Cred. Ryan Muir
They captivated the crowd throughout the entire set, playing their hits from previous albums ERROR and Keep Me Fed. Their crowd and fan base ranged from young girls, who couldn’t have been much older than 10 years old, all the way to fans in their 60’s. The trio also excitingly performed new pieces which will be on theirupcoming album Everything’s Falling, set to be released on August 28th, 2026. These new songs offer catchy hooks that will be stuck in your head. I haven’t been able to stop singing along to the breakdown/bridge section of “Kerosene” since seeing them play it at this show. They hold a strong identity in the way they express themselves musically and stylistically. There is no mistaking them for anyone else. You KNOW when you’re listening to The Warning.
A beautiful moment during the show was at the end of “MARTIRIO.” The crowd was so immersed in the music, they continued singing the melody (completely unprovoked by the band) after the song ended. The band also honors and celebrates their home country by including songs written in Spanish, “MARTIRIO” and recently released “Ego” being two of them. Since I personally do not speak Spanish, I wasn’t able to understand the song literally, but I could still understand and know what they were feeling while performing these songs. The emotion and energy that were transferred through their performance are something I don’t get to experience very often. As a musician myself, I can confidently say that this is a special gift to have. It also proves that music is not just notes being played or just entertainment, but it is also a universal language that everyone can understand.
Cred. Ryan Muir
They rocked the stage looking as glam as ever. Paulina’s fiery, bright red hair complemented her intensity behind the kit. Dany was giving an ultra–cool-girl look with her long baggy shorts and boxing-style boots. Alejandra styled patchwork jeans and fingerless gloves for a look with a vintage feel. The location of this show just made it that much more special as well. Pier 17 provides an absolutely iconic NYC backdrop. The Brooklyn Bridge glowed right behind the stage, while in the other direction, the Statue of Liberty stood tall.
After the show, I had the opportunity to meet the girls and say hi. Even though they are badass musicians who exude confidence, they were gracious and appreciative of their supportive fan base. They truly deserve all the success that has come their way, and their status as one of the best young bands out there. The headlining spot is where they belong, and hopefully we’llget to see more headlining tours and shows from them as they enter this new album cycle!
Seeing YUNGBLUD’s sold-out show Friday at the Greek Theater made me realize how important family, community, and human connection really are.
That feeling started when the opening band, The Warning, came out and instantly caught my attention. At first, they just seemed unbelievably in sync. Every drumbeat, every guitar riff, every pause felt perfectly timed down to the millisecond, yet somehow effortless at the same time. I couldn’t figure out why until Daniella Villarreal introduced herself along with the other members, Paulina and Alejandra, and I realized they were sisters.
Suddenly, everything clicked.
They’ve been performing together for over 13 years, starting as a small cover band from Monterrey, Mexico, after their cover of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” went viral. Now they’re touring arenas around the world. Watching them felt like watching a sibling connection come to life. They were peaceful yet chaotic, intense yet completely connected. And honestly, that’s what siblings are. There’s arguing, forgiveness, chaos, and love all mixed together. Every loud drumbeat almost felt symbolic, like every past argument floating away into the air while they created something beautiful together.
It only felt fitting that my older brother was there with me.
As the loud rock music filled the arena, I started noticing something quieter underneath it all. As I looked around, I realized how many families were there together. Parents with kids, siblings, friends with their arms around each other. For a generation constantly glued to phones, this felt different. This was the only concert I’ve been to where I saw more people cheering together than on their phones recording. People crave real community now more than ever. Everyone was actually living in the moment instead of watching it through a screen. Music was bringing people together in real life.
Then it was finally time for YUNGBLUD to come out.
Cred. Tom Pallant
Before he even stepped on stage, the word “hello” appeared across the screens in multiple languages. It instantly made the entire arena feel welcoming, like no matter what your background, everyone belonged there that night. We were all there for the same reason: to let go for a few hours and just feel alive while jamming out to some rock n roll.
Then, suddenly, confetti exploded through the crowd.
It felt like all of our worries were being thrown into the air alongside it. For a second, nothing else mattered besides just being there in the moment.
And once he hit the stage, the energy completely exploded.
Besides making amazing music, he is one heck of a performer. At one point, he randomly jumped off the stage and started climbing the arena handrails while yelling, “ARE YOU MOTHERF***ERS READY?!” The crowd went insane, everyone cheering, some even holding their breaths… Hoping he didn’t fall. Eventually, he ended up standing on a chair in the middle of the crowd, continuing to scream. From that moment on, I knew this concert was going to be unlike anything else.
Cred. Tom Pallant
When he started performing “Lowlife,” the entire arena loosened up even more. Everyone screamed the “La-La-La” lyrics together, and for the first time, I fully looked around the crowd and realized there wasn’t a single empty seat in the place. I really tried to find one for a good minute, but I couldn’t. Thousands of people from all over Los Angeles had come together for this moment.
One of the most emotional moments of the night came when YUNGBLUD dedicated Black Sabbath’s “Changes” to his late mentor and friend, Ozzy Osbourne. Before starting the song, he told us we needed to sing loud enough for Ozzy to hear us from heaven, especially because Ozzy’s family was in the audience. As soon as the crowd heard this, they instantly understood the assignment. This is one of my favorite songs, so I was screaming at the top of my lungs. Everyone sang together like one giant family. You could hear the raw emotion in YUNGBLUD’s voice during that performance, and honestly, it gave me chills.
Of course, in true YUNGBLUD fashion, he made the crowd stick out their tongues. My brother and I doing that together reminded me of when we were little kids. YUNGBLUD even started calling out people who refused to do it, projecting them on the giant screen until they finally gave in. The entire arena was dying laughing. At one point, the cameraman showed this one kid absolutely rocking out with his tongue out, throwing devil horns, and headbanging so hard that it caught YUNGBLUD’s attention enough that he not only brought him on stage, but he put him on his shoulders. I’ve never seen an artist interact with fans so personally before.
But beyond the chaos and fun, what made this concert really special during Mental Health Awareness Month was how openly YUNGBLUD talked about mental health.
Cred. Tom Pallant
When he performed “The Funeral” and the crowd screamed, “I hate myself, but that’s alright,” it didn’t feel hopeless. It felt real. YUNGBLUD has always been open about his own struggles with intrusive thoughts and insecurity, and instead of pretending those feelings don’t exist, he talks about learning how to live alongside them without letting them completely take over his life. I think that honesty matters a lot right now because social media makes it seem like everyone else has everything figured out when they really don’t. He serves as a reminder that even successful artists struggle with their mental health.
He constantly reminds fans that they are not alone, and he backs those words up with action. He has worked with organizations like Mind, where he pledged to donate £1 (up to £25,000) split between Mind and Sound Mind Live for every use of the “Breakdown” CapCut/TikTok template. He continues encouraging open conversations about mental health instead of avoiding them.
One of my favorite moments of the entire night was when he told everyone to turn to the strangers next to them and say, “Hello motherf***er,” and then, “I love you.” It sounds ridiculous, but in that moment, it actually felt genuine. For a few seconds, thousands of strangers became one giant family.
The concert ended with “Zombie,” a song inspired by watching his grandmother struggle with alcoholism and slowly losing herself. The song captures something so many people are scared to admit: the fear of becoming a burden, the fear of appearing weak, and the universal feeling that you have to go through your darkest moments alone. But standing in that crowd, surrounded by thousands of other people screaming those lyrics together, I didn’t feel alone at all.
Cred. Tom Pallant
That’s what made this concert so powerful to me.
In a world where social media usually only shows people’s happiest moments, YUNGBLUD doesn’t run away from the darker emotions. He dives directly into them. He talks about grief, insecurity, loneliness, anxiety, and self-hatred openly instead of hiding them. And I think that’s exactly why so many people connect with him so deeply.
By the end of the night, there had been screaming, laughing, crying, and complete chaos. But more importantly, I walked away realizing something I think a lot of people need to hear during Mental Health Awareness Month:
No matter how alone you feel sometimes, you never truly are.
YUNGBLUD is bringing the rock star back to rock. At just 27, the British firebrand stunned 45,000 fans and the world at Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell show with a jaw-dropping, emotional cover of “Changes.” Critics and legends alike are calling it one of the greatest live performances of the past 25 years. In a genre starved…
