show review: Fall Out Boy kicks off the So Much For (2our) Dust Tour
Just to set the scene for you – it’s February 28th, and the first day of Fall Out Boy’s ‘So Much For (2our) Dust’ is about to kick off in Portland, Oregon. It’s rainy, crew is running all over Moda Center to make sure everything is set for opening night, and fans have started to congregate at the doors. I’ve been here working since noon, and the excitement definitely isn’t limited to those outside the venue as the sense of anticipation is strong inside as well. No one’s truly seen the show yet, not in all its glory.
Patrick Stump and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy.
There’s a clear theme to be seen as fans spill into the venue: lots of purple and black and stars, outrageous costumes (I talked to a wizard at some point if that goes to say anything), and the necessary emo staples to any 2000s Warped Tour-esque outfit. I couldn’t be anything less than impressed with this crowd’s devotion and creativity, to be honest. That’s one thing that I truly do love about Fall Out Boy shows: the band does such an incredible job of mixing the old with the new, something that a lot of other artists tend to struggle with. As a band that’s been around since 2001, they’ve had a lot to say over the years, but this tour managed to perfectly encapsulate the progress that they’ve made musically in the past two decades while reflecting back on their original sound, resulting in a concert palatable to fans of every era.
The show begins with a thematic instrumental known as none other than “Love From The Other Side,” the opening track of Fall Out Boy’s most recent album. The guitar begins to kick in and all four members take the stage in a delightfully dramatic fashion, causing a roar from the anxious crowd. The production this tour is incredible, with an overarching stage setup detailed with dozens of odd-looking little dudes and intricate engravings, complete with pyro heating up the arena every other beat. (Side note for those who may not do well with loud noises - this show has a lot of fireworks and loud booms! You may want to bring headphones or earplugs if you plan on attending and are sensitive to loud noises!)
A homage to the “Save Rock & Roll” lovers (AKA me), they then jump directly into “The Phoenix,” and let me tell you that song is crazy live. Constant fireworks, frontman Patrick Stump’s incredible vocals, bassist Pete Wentz’s insane flamethrower bass guitar (Pictured below, because I’m assuming you may be struggling to picture what a flamethrower bass guitar combo would look like), there’s nothing like it.
But don’t worry, it doesn’t stop there. We’re going further back, I promise. There’s a few Fall Out Boy songs that you simply have to hear if you see them live, it’s practically a rite of passage, and “Sugar, We’re Going Down” is obviously one of those, if not the biggest one. I’d go as far to argue however that the coolest part of it all is the way that Fall Out Boy incorporates the older songs into their sets in such a fun and original way. I don’t know about y’all, but I haven’t seen any other bands tour with a giant puppeteered dog head that tries to eat band members while onstage, yet here Fall Out Boy is, getting eaten onstage by a giant Doberman! Personally, I enjoy seeing bands engaging in silly antics like this, because who really wants to watch a band just stand there in one spot for a two-hour set? Not me, I want to see Fall Out Boy singing “Thnks Fr Th Mmrs” from the mouth of a puppet, y’know?
Enough with that discourse though, Fall Out Boy’s been a band that has stuck with me through so many stages of my life as well as many others, and it really was special seeing them last week so unexpectedly. This was a show that truly felt sincere from the energy and enthusiasm that the band put into the set, to Pete talking about the existential dread associated with their recent album that I’m sure so many of us can relate with, to the community created by fans that was ever so apparent through their light project during “Heaven, Iowa.”
One moment that really stuck with me was Pete Wentz speaking to the crowd, specifically in reference to fans telling them that the band saved their life:
“...You saved your life. This band, or this music, is like the fucking gasoline or whatever, but you are the fucking engine. You saved your life. It’s really important for you to recognize that.”
It’s so insanely important for people to hear things like that, especially from those that they may idolize the most, and understand that the credit goes to them. I’m glad that Pete took a moment in the show to address that, and feel like that’s something that everyone who is currently or has struggled in the past to hear, and wanted to mention that here for those reading to take in as well. Even if it’s not applicable to you with Fall Out Boy, it may be somewhere else in your life and you deserve to hear it.
That being said, I would urge everyone to see Fall Out Boy this upcoming tour; this is one of those shows that you’re going to regret not going to later.
Get tickets to So Much For (2our) Dust here today!