After holding on to these tickets for a while, the day has finally been and gone - I saw Fall Out Boy again, but this time, I was in the thick of it, down in the pit. It's been a good few days, and I'm ready to reflect on an insane night of live music, and potentially one of the greatest gigs I've been to in my life (and I've been to a few!).
Venue
Let's chat - once again - about the O2 in terms of venues. If your gonna go, by god make sure you have O2 priority. Not only did it let me skip the lines in terms of buying my tickets online before they sold out in minutes, but it also means you get access to bars that have a slight discount on drinks and priority only merch stalls. They're small upgrades, sure, but it's helpful when your out in the seats and want to burn some time before the support acts come on. I didn't use any of those perks this time around, but it's really aided my concert experience before. In terms of getting there, I commuted in from Norwich - which is no mean feat, but actually decently easy to get a train to Stratford from. It's a straight shot (even at 2 and a half hours) and the tube is so simple to get to North Greenwich, so we were at the O2 with time to spare. Food options there are brilliant, and there's something around for everyone, whether you want a sit down meal or something quick and easy. Even though it's London pricing - with a pint clocking in at an eye watering £8 each, your paying for the convenience - I guess.
Merchandise
Merchandising was a little strange this time around. It seemed like there were only a few designs of things, in contrast to the US tours, which included a vast range of shirts and accessories, even individual lyric shirts for each date. But, I wont complain, because even though there were only a few options, designs were really cool and vivid. Although they clocked in at about £35 for a shirt, and £25 for a tote, it all looked really good - just don't pay any attention to the £75 farce that is the hoodies. Bonkers! I got myself a tee that I sort of haven't taken off since I got home, and is great quality, both in build and printing.
( Image from TikTok)
The Pit
I've never been standing at the O2 before, and holy shit. It really makes you realise how big it is. Getting in is relatively easy, join one huge line, get filtered in, go through security, get a wristband, and there you go. There were three bars, and a merch stand all there at the back, and ahead is the standing area. There were also toilets that were a short walk away, so no issues if you need to just hop out and get straight back into the action. It was great, and as people started to filter in, you really get to take in the enormity of the whole place. There were plenty of security guards and people to help if you needed anything, and it felt very friendly down there. No complaints!
Support Acts
There were two different bands who supported Fall Out Boy, namely Nothing, Nowhere and PVRIS. As we went into the arena, we were already half way through Nothing, Nowhere's set. They were pretty good, with solid drums and pretty decent instrumentation throughout their set. To a lot of people, the style was a bit divisive, they were more alternative rock/screamo, but as someone who's into that, I didn't really mind. Sometimes, sure, the music was a touch cringe, and the lead vocalist's voice was quite indulgent, in terms of the pop punk rasp and over pronunciation, but all in all they were a decent warm up act which really thrived in the more extreme moments of their tracks - nothing to write home about but nonetheless good.
PVRIS was a band I had never heard of before, and kept getting mixed up with Pervis, no idea why, but apparently they're called 'Paris' just with the misspelling. Cool. I was really pleasantly surprised by these guys, as the music was awesome, and their stage presence was really really good. The lead singers voice had some brilliant range, and their drummer was working overtime during their set with vicious accuracy both in the more sombre tracks and the demanding and atmospheric breakdowns. It was really nice alternative rock/pop that was both catchy and really well constructed, and when the tech was bought into question too, this could have been a PVRIS headlining set. The subtle haze and flashing lights helped compliment the atmosphere of their killer music, and have caused me to have a listen of their stuff after the concert, good shit.
(PVRIS on stage at the O2 - Image courtesy of me)
Fall Out Boy
Holy shit. I knew these guys were good, but they are really on a whole other level. They had taken their live show from where I saw them at Hella Mega to a whole new level, with insane set pieces and performances that were some of the best I've seen them play. Not only was the production value increased, but these guys were playing like their lives depended on it. Andy Hurley was his usual insane self on the drums, nailing the complex fills and grooves with pinpoint accuracy, Joe Trohman was, as always, dynamic and crushing in his lead guitar. He was always the one to tie the song together with the high end licks and slam through some tracks with some really impressive harmonics. Pete Wentz was as always the frontman of the band, joyously leaping around the stage playing his heart out - you can tell he's enjoying himself on stage, and every bassline came smooth and slick. Patrick Stump has done the one thing no one thought he could do, which is get somehow even better. His vocals were perfect, adding new harmonies and not afraid to hit those insane and crushing highs and those perfect bassy lows. Not only has his guitar playing not lost any of it's insane precision, but in himself performing in stage he seems more confident and happy to be front and centre, unafraid of a solo, or an entire piano medley. The setlist was also one of the nest, and with the added suspense of the Magic 8 Ball section, it all tied itself together perfectly. Have a look at this setlist from the night, courtesy of Setlist.FM:
Love From the Other Side
The Phoenix
Sugar, We're Goin Down
Uma Thurman
A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More "Touch Me"
Dead on Arrival
Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy (with Awsten Knight from Waterparks)
Calm Before the Storm
This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race
Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes
Heaven, Iowa
Bang the Doldrums
Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet
Fake Out
Mr. Blue Sky (Electric Light Orchestra cover) (Partial, Piano Medley)
I’ve Got All This Ringing In My Ears and None On My Fingers (Partial, Piano Medley)
Golden (Partial, Piano Medley)
So Much (for) Stardust (Live Debut)
Baby Annihilation
Song 2 (Blur cover)
Dance, Dance
Hold Me Like a Grudge
The (Shipped) Gold Standard (Live Debut, Magic 8 Ball Song)
Young Volcanoes (Magic 8 Ball Song)
My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)
Thnks fr th Mmrs
Centuries
Saturday
(Fall Out Boy playing Heaven, Iowa - Image courtesy of Me)
Two live debuts in one night - including the title track off their new album, that felt like a bit of a huge moment! I was absolutely stunned at this setlist, as it pretty much covered all bases in terms of their discography, sure nothing off MANIA but it's really letting the deeper cuts shine as well as the most known tracks - and even took a dive into their earliest discography with a shock appearance from Awsten Knight. All in all, an amazing setlist that really combines new and old in the most perfect ways possible, and when it's underpinned by the insane set pieces - like the dog swaying perilously during Heaven,Iowa, the underwater scene and rotating starfish during Uma Thurman and the owl made of tree roots' glowing eyes for Fake Out this was a show with nothing left to spare, or to chance.
(Fall Out Boy playing Uma Thurman - Image courtesy of Me)
Overall
I said at the beginning of this post and I'll reiterate it again, this was probably one of the best concert experiences I've had to date. The venue was brilliant, the merchandise (although a touch pricey) was sweet, and the openers were equally as good. The band themselves however, outdid themselves to every degree - the music was clean, the setlist perfect, and the visuals leaving me speechless. Stunning work, I'm just jealous of the people seeing them again the night after, and anywhere else they end up going, but hey - my night was pretty special, and I couldn't ask for more. Enjoy a couple more pics at the bottom of this post, taken mid concert!
Rating- 10/10
(The woodland set - Image courtesy of Me)
(Fall Out Boy playing Young Volcanos - Image courtesy of Me)
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