“Ear Blasting Upgrade” Fallout Boy-Buffalo
Any concert lover knows that the worst place to sit is any row considered the “nose bleeds.” This area is the highest point of the arena, and the furthest from the band. In this spot, the only hope you have of seeing the action would be to fix your eyes on the screen provided. This screen, although very helpful, cannot compare to the thrill of being right in front of your favorite band. So imagine my excitement when my 300 row ticket was upgraded to 115. My seat was moved to the very right of the stage, and although this upgrade was much appreciated, and gave me a much better view...I was right next to the speakers. It was an ear blasting upgrade; however, the concert was an absolutely amazing experience.
The concert began with a heavy metal opening, courtesy of a band called Every Time I Die. They hyped the fans up, and got everyone head banging, just in time for Machine Gun Kelly (who had a few things to say about Slim Shadys new song, which referenced him). The second opening group used both their rap skills, and elaborate sets to excite the fans for the main event.
But when Fall Out Boy finally took the stage, they did not use fancy props or sets to hype the crowd. Rather, they relied on the pep of the bass guitar player, Pete Wentz, and the fantastical pyrotechnics, lights, and jumbo television. The stage was stripped of everything, but the platform for the drums, in order to give the guys plenty of room to run, spin, jump, and preform.
And they did just that.
The band entered from below the stage after a 30 second countdown on the jumbo screen. When they hit the main level a burst of smoke, confetti, and purple light announced their arrival. And all of their songs were just as visually exciting, as their over the top entrance that had the fans screaming.
Every song they performed had a different motion picture attached to it. One of my personal favorites was the story attached to the classic song “Centuries.” The video panned over a post apocalyptic town. In this place no people lived, yet the flora and fauna that surrounded the area slowly began to take over. The abandoned town once gray and dull, slowly turned into a beautiful garden of purples, greens, and yellows. The grass, trees, flowers, and weeds all proved that, just like the song states, you will “remember me for centuries.” The beautiful story being told on the screen was perfectly accented by flawlessly timed red sparks that shot out from the ceiling and floor, along with red lights.
One thing that impressed me throughout the entire performance was the connection that the band members made with the audience. Early on in the show the bass guitar player, Pete Wentz, called down people who had side seats to sit closer to the front. He told the crowd that the people who he called down looked as if they were having a great time, and would enjoy the closer seats. Yet, the connection did not end there! Multiple times throughout the show fans were laughing
hysterically due to popular references made in different videos. For example, the bands mascot for this tour was a purple llama, and this llama made multiple appearances during the show. This purple alpaca was seen on the jumbo screen for the bands song “Grand Theft Autumn/Where is your boy” playing the biggest game of this generation: Fortnite.
One of the crowd favorites was the amazing show of talent given by drummer Andy Hurley. The drum set and himself rose from the middle of the arena emerging from below. Popular songs of the year were played, as he drummed along suspended by a glowing, and ever changing, platform. He played bits and pieces of multiple songs, yet the overall drum solo only lasted about three minutes. But he had everyone in the arena on their feet screaming and dancing in support.
Now I realize that anyone reading this article wants to know all the details about the songs, lights, and visuals that Fall Out Boy provided; however, just for a moment I would like to touch on two messages that the band told their fans. The first message was metaphor about how people should never become like the prehistoric animals found in museums. Pete Wentz told the crowd how upset he gets when he sees a once ferocious animal being awed at by children, as if the creature was never a threat. As if it was always a fuzzy wax statue. Wentz told the people to “stay dangerous.” To never lose their fire. To never stop living life. To never become a simple statue. While this message was very moving, the band still had more to say. They later commented about the idea of love, and how important it was. The band told the people that everyone has an “infinite capacity for love” and that spreading love is the most important thing, since love is what makes us all the same.
I am by no means a expert, but I would rate this concert a 4/5. The lights, strobes, flames, sparks, smoke, and motion pictures all added to the music that I absolutely love. The hype of the band, and the opening groups, all did a wonderful job of getting the fans on their feet the entire time.
I am used to playing Fall Out Boy in my room, dancing while I am home alone. This was my first time seeing them in concert. And I think it is safe to say, that the phone volume that I am used to does not even begin to compare to the giant speakers that I was placed directly next to. This ear blasting upgrade is definitely one that I would love to repeat.
Thank you Fall Out Boy for the amazing night.