Nostalgia aside, Lucas felt genuine joy seeing his original co-stars arrive - Julie, Ty, Sarah, Nolan, Rico, Ed, Sofia, Eric, Jesse, and Ariel. These weren't just colleagues anymore; they were his first TV family.
Watching Nolan and Rico, now 18 and nearly 19, along with 19-year-old Ariel, Lucas felt time's passage acutely. He remembered their first scenes together when they were just kids. Now they were young adults.
He led the group to the VIP lounge where Jennifer waited to greet them.
"It's wonderful to finally meet you all," Jennifer said warmly, her smile genuine.
Nolan and Rico shuffled slightly, suddenly shy in the presence of an Oscar winner. "Hi, nice to meet you too."
"You're even more beautiful in person," Jennifer said to Sarah. "Lucas has told me so much about you all."
Sarah looked pleasantly surprised at the compliment from Jennifer Lawrence herself. "Thank you," she replied with a sincere smile.
Soon, Julie, Ariel, and the others gathered around Jennifer, the initial awkwardness melting away. She clicked especially well with Ariel, Sarah, Julie, Sofia, and Jesse, while Lucas caught up with the guys.
"This guy just has it all. Beautiful girlfriend, fame and was rich," Ty shook his head. "I don't even feel jealous anymore. I'm just numb at this point."
The others chuckled as Lucas smiled. "Hey, at least you guys taught me what not to do."
"And there's the Lucas we know," Ty grinned. "Still a smartass after all these years."
The conversation flowed naturally between them, catching up on projects and sharing industry stories, until Lucas turned to Nolan. "How's the music career coming along?"
"It's going pretty well," Nolan said, lighting up at the question. "Just finished recording my EP. The label's pretty excited about it. Still feels surreal having actual studio time and everything."
Before they could dive deeper, Christopher and Steven called everyone together. The atmosphere shifted to focused professionalism - they all understood the unique challenge ahead. Filming during a live concert meant zero room for error. With just days to rehearse and one shot to get it right, the pressure was on.
***
The days leading up to the concert saw hotels around Staples Center filling up with excited fans. Finally, March 18 arrived.
Lines started forming early morning, the air electric with anticipation. News vans lined the street as reporters covered the growing crowd. Inside the venue, fans buzzed with excitement as they found their seats.
"I can't believe we're actually here!" a young woman squealed to her friend. "My hands are literally shaking."
"Did you see how many celebrities are here?" another fan pointed toward the VIP section. "This is insane!"
The arena hummed with thousands of conversations as more people filtered in, the energy building with each passing minute.
Lucas's concert had become the event of the year, drawing an impressive array of celebrities. Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Dwayne Johnson, Lady Gaga, Chris Pratt, Ryan Reynolds, Robert Downey Jr., and Taylor Swift all made appearances.
Even Leonardo DiCaprio, known for avoiding public events, took his place in the VIP section alongside the Modern Family cast.
"Oh my god, there's Julie Bowen and Sarah Hyland!" a young man nudged his girlfriend excitedly.
"They must be here supporting Dylan," she replied, scanning the crowd. "Look - Ty Burrell, Eric Stonestreet, Ed O'Neill... even Christopher and Steven are here."
"That's actually surprising. Those two barely show up to anything outside production."
The concert also drew prominent YouTubers who'd been granted permission to film limited footage. Logan and Jake Paul, Casey Neistat, David Dobrik, Jenna Marbles, and Shane Dawson were scattered throughout the venue. For once, these internet celebrities found themselves just being fans among the crowd.
Liza Koshy, filming a quick vlog, couldn't contain her excitement. "You guys, I'm literally shaking right now," she whispered into her camera. "I've been following Lucas since his first Modern Family episode. Never thought I'd actually get to see him perform live. Like, what is life right now?"
Liza panned her camera across the VIP section. "There's Leonardo DiCaprio! And oh my god, Jennifer Lawrence." She zoomed slightly on Jennifer. "Look at her, guys. Oscar winner, literal Katniss Everdeen, and Lucas Knight's girlfriend. Some girls really have it all. Like, can you save some perfection for the rest of us?"
Her commentary was suddenly drowned out by the rising roar of the crowd as the first bass notes thundered through the arena. The energy in the venue shifted instantly - thousands of fans surging to their feet, the anticipation almost tangible in the air.
The entire arena vibrated with excitement, the combined force of twenty thousand people stamping and cheering making the ground shake. The atmosphere was electric, building to a fever pitch as the lights began to dim.
Darkness enveloped the arena for one breathless moment. Then, in a burst of light, Lucas appeared center stage. The crowd erupted - "LUCAS! LUCAS!" - their screams reaching deafening levels.
"OH MY GOD, HE'S RIGHT THERE!"
"LUCAS, WE LOVE YOU!"
"MARRY ME, LUCAS!"
---
Lucas gazed out at the sea of faces before him - thousands of people screaming his name in unison. Despite all his success, this was different. The raw energy of twenty thousand fans in one place, all here for him, hit differently than anything he'd experienced before.
'I can't deny it - this feels incredible,' he thought, surprised by how much he was enjoying the pure adoration radiating from the crowd. The rush of having an entire arena chanting his name was intoxicating.
He lifted the mic to his lips. "Los Angeles... it's good to be home."
The simple greeting set off another earthquake of screams, the venue literally trembling from the response.
"I see some of you brought marriage proposal signs," he said, scanning the crowd with an amused smile. "Just so you know, there's a very scary Oscar winner watching from the VIP section who might have something to say about that."
The crowd erupted in laughter. The giant screens focused on Jennifer, who was covering her mouth, smiling. She mouthed something that had fans guessing - probably "He's mine" or "Don't even try."
"But seriously," Lucas continued, his tone growing warmer. "Seeing all of you here tonight... this means more than you know. Some of you have been supporting me since my first appearance on Modern Family. Others joined along the way. But every single one of you made this possible."
"WE LOVE YOU LUCAS!" several fans screamed.
"And that right there is exactly why I wanted my first concert to be special." He adjusted his guitar strap. "So let's make this a night to remember."
The opening notes of "Perfect" began to fill the arena, and the crowd's screams transformed into a collective gasp of recognition. Twenty thousand voices fell silent, waiting for those first lyrics.
Lucas's voice carried "Perfect" through the arena as thousands of fans sang along, their voices joining his in perfect harmony. Behind the scenes, the Modern Family production team sprang into action, their cameras capturing not just Lucas, but focusing on Sarah and the other cast members in the VIP section.
"We are still kids, but we're so in love, fightin' against all odds
I know we'll be alright this time. Darling, just hold my hand, be my girl, I'll be your man. I see my future in your eyes."
Most fans were too caught up in the performance to notice the production team at first. Only midway through the song did those near the cast start spotting cameras and crew members that seemed out of place for a concert.
"Wait, what's happening?" a fan whispered to her friend, noticing the Modern Family actors shifting into character. "Are they filming something?"
Her friend shrugged, confused. "During a concert? No way..."
Their confusion turned to shock when Sarah made her way to the stage.
The crowd watched, stunned, as she and Lucas performed together, their interaction clearly scripted for the show. The cameramen circled them, capturing what looked like an intimate moment between their characters.
Reality slowly dawned on the nearby fans - they weren't just at a concert, they were witnessing the filming of a Modern Family episode.
The fact that Lucas could seamlessly blend his concert performance with acting, all while maintaining his chemistry with Sarah despite Jennifer watching from the VIP section, left them amazed.
As the scene wrapped, Lucas and Sarah broke character, taking a bow together as the crowd erupted in applause.
"You guys were amazing," Lucas said into the mic. "Most concerts, the audience needs to be told when cameras are rolling, but you all just naturally gave us the perfect atmosphere. Thank you."
"Seriously, you've all been incredible," Sarah added warmly. "This is definitely going down as one of my favorite Dylan and Haley moments."
The crowd roared in response, many fans thrilled to realize they'd just become part of Modern Family history. The opening song of Lucas's most anticipated concert would be immortalized in their favorite show.
Though some fans grumbled about the concert being "interrupted" by filming, even they had to admit there was something special about being present for such a unique moment. It wasn't every day you got to be an extra in one of television's biggest shows while attending a major concert.
After the shoot wrapped, Lucas turned to Sarah with a warm smile. "Let's give it up one more time for Sarah Hyland, everyone!" He waited for the applause to die down before adding, "And special thanks to my girlfriend for not storming the stage during that scene."
The camera caught Jennifer shaking her head and laughing in the VIP section as the crowd chuckled at Lucas's quip.
As Sarah made her way back to her seat, Lucas smoothly steered the concert back to its planned course, the unexpected TV shoot becoming just another unique moment in an already special night.