Fall Out Boy has been an integral part of many college students' elementary and middle school lives. Whether you loved or hated the extremely long song titles, bassist Pete Wentz’s signature guyliner, and, of course, the music itself, you can't feign ignorance of their impact on pop punk and music as a whole. On Sunday, March 6, 2016, the band teenage America grew up with, stopped by Syracuse for their “Wintour Is Coming” winter tour. With openers AWOLNATION and PVRIS, they took the OnCenter by storm.
First to take the stage was PVRIS, an alternative rock trio from Lowell, Massachusetts. With dramatically contrasting black and white lighting and set design, the band got the crowd excited with songs such as “You and I,” “My House” and “White Noise.” Audience members said that the trio sounded similar to CHVRCHES and Metric. The PVRIS's lead singer, Lyndsey Gunnulfsen, was a particular point of contention. Maddie Breaux, a freshman magazine major, said she was “extremely talented and had a lot of energy, but I wasn’t sure what she was saying.” Despite Gunnulfsen’s lack of coherence, the band showed considerable talent and hyped the crowd up for the acts that followed.
Up next was AWOLNATION, the solo project for songwriter and musician Aaron Bruno. Eager to follow up PVRIS, the group played their greatest hits “Sail” and “Hollow Moon,” as well as lesser-known songs like “Run” and “Burn It Down.” While the performance’s lighting design was exceptional, the music itself left much to be desired. It was extremely loud, even for a rock show, and not cohesive compared to the other two acts. However, many audience members enjoyed it. Megan Choate, a freshman public relations major, said, “They were great, although my ears definitely feel blocked.”
By this point, the crowd was anxious to see Fall Out Boy. Although they were temporarily distracted by the speakers playing hits from Panic! at The Disco between acts, it was clear whom they were here to see. The sold-out show had every level of fan, from casual Fall Out Boy lovers to the borderline obsessives. The hardcore fans were easy to spot; many of them painted a black and white American flag on half of their faces, resembling the boy on the cover of the most recent album “American Beauty/American Psycho”. One even dressed up as the lead singer, Patrick Stump. It was clear that no matter how well the opening acts played, the crowd would not be satisfied until the main performer began.
Finally, the headliner appeared, and they did not disappoint. Not only did they play a mix of newer and older material, but they also provided special effects that perfectly complemented each song. From the confetti accompanying their first song, “Irresistible,” to the David Bowie tribute during “Save Rock and Roll,” to the pyrotechnics during “Centuries” and “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)," the band’s stage presence was as powerful as the quality of their performance. They also made sure to play classic crowd favorites such as “Sugar, We’re Going Down,” “The Take Over, The Breaks Over,” “Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy” and “Thnks fr th Mmrs.” Between sets of songs, the band made sure to let their fans know they were greatly appreciated. Pete Wentz, the bassist and face of the band, did this the most. In addition to gratuitously throwing guitar picks to the audience, he gave a speech using basketball metaphors, letting fans know that they could “reach the f*cking basket” if they tried hard enough and never gave up. The concert ended as Fall Out Boy concerts traditionally do, with the band performing “Saturday” from their debut album and Wentz touching the hands of as many fans as he could.
Even though not everyone painted their face or dressed up as a band member, each person leaving the venue had the same expression of awe and happiness on their face. The concert served as proof that, no matter who you are, you can always feel better if you “Dance, Dance” to a band you love.
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