I am here at Vista Murrieta High School for Neon Trees’ big homecoming show.
Cars are starting to flow in for the show, which is a fundraiser for the school’s extracurricular programs.
I got here a little while ago and had a chance to watch the band soundcheck and also caught up with singer Tyler Glenn.
The stage, which looks fantastic and has lights, a photo pit and more, is set up in the end zone of the Broncos’ football field.
“We always figured we’d like to go back to one of our schools,” singer Tyler Glenn said.
Neither Glenn nor guitarist Chris Allen, who also grew up in Murrieta, attended Vista Murrieta, but their siblings did. And when the high school reached out, they were happy to get involved.
“We live right down the street,” Glenn said.
The stadium is a large venue for a city that didn’t really have them when Glenn was growing up here as a young musician.
“You really had coffee shops and juice bars,” he said.
Glenn said that years ago, when he was growing up in Murrieta, he wanted to throw a show with Phantom Planet and other bands. He gave a presentation to the community, but ultimately didn’t put on the show because he didn’t have the permits.
Saturday’s show is a bit of a fulfillment of that dream, but this time the charismatic frontman will be the one on the stage.