Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, Sacramento (How Fall Out Boy Rocked Sac-Town)
The Golden 1 Center wasn't just buzzing, it was exploding with the collective energy of every Fall Out Boy fan in Sacramento on Sunday’s long awaited stop of Fall Out Boy’s So Much For (2)our Dust tour. After a rainy day, the clouds parted as eager fans lined up and made their way into the arena. The crowd made for the eclectic bunch, spanning multiple generations of folks living (or reliving) that teenage angst that is so perfectly captured in FOB’s pop punk anthems. But one thing was absolutely certain: the excitement in the air was contagious. It was impossible to not notice just how happy and excited everyone was to be there.
Kicking off the night was Daisy Grenade. Despite being the first of four bands to play, they performed with the energy and confidence of headliners. Their bubblegum take on pop punk brings a refreshing flavor to the genre, and proves to be a winning formula. Many fans seemed to already be familiar with their music, singing along to “Are You Scared Of Me Yet?” as Dani Nigro and Keaton Whittaker traded verses and ran across the stage. If their excellent performance wasn’t enough to get everyone out of their seat, their amazing rendition of Nirvana’s “Polly” absolutely was.
Next up was The Maine, a rock band that seemed to have one goal for their performance: get everyone up and dancing. Frontman John O'Callaghan was exceptional at engaging the crowd. During “Dirty, Pretty, Beautiful”, he called to a fan on the floor to come up to the rail and show their best dance moves. Later in the set, O’Callaghan pointed out another fan on the rail who was singing along to “Girls Do What They Want” and invited him on stage to sing with the band. The fan, Jason, became a crowd favorite for the rest of the night with chants for him happening between the next sets.
After The Maine got the audience engaged, Jimmy Eat World came on to hit us with a perfect dose of nostalgia. Their 15 song set was filled with hit after hit, reminding everyone just how important they are to the emo scene. They closed their set with “The Middle” and the sold out arena excitedly sang along.
But now was the time that everyone was waiting for. The buzz of the crowd slowly grew louder and louder as the anticipation built up as the crew prepared for Fall Out Boy to start. Once their 2023 version of “We Didn’t Start The Fire” began playing over the PA, everyone knew it was show time.
Fall Out Boy quite literally started their show with a bang as pyro went off perfectly in time to the opening power chords of “Love From the Other Side”. The leading single of their 2023 album “So Much (for) Stardust” proved to be the perfect intro to kick off an explosive night. Next up was “The Phoenix”, featuring enough pyro to burn down the arena. And if the pyro from the stage wasn’t enough, Pete Wentz had it covered with his flamethrowing bass that he used to give extra bursts of flames to the performance. It truly was awe inspiring.
The stage seemed to be a performer in its own right, shape shifting several times throughout the night. Emulating deserts during “Uma Thurman”, adapting into what felt like a small club venue for “Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy”, or growing a giant tree for Patrick Stump’s moment on the piano, this stage could do it all. A crowd favorite was when a giant Doberman sings along to “This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race”. The elaborate theatrics undoubtedly made this show one of the most iconic to have graced the Golden 1 Center.
The theatrics weren’t limited to the stage. After Stump’s piano medley including “Golden”, “What a Catch, Donnie” and Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”, Wentz took it upon himself to demonstrate another skill of his: magic. After speaking through “20 Dollar Nose Bleed”, Wentz stood on Stump’s Piano and swiftly disappeared; quickly appearing on top of the tree center stage for the band’s rendition of “Crazy Train”. Suddenly the music stops and Wentz is gone again, this time appearing at the soundboard in the back of the arena to kick off “Dance, Dance”. It is a truly enjoyable moment that kept fans on their toes trying to figure out where he would pop up next.
The entire band made it apparent just how excited and grateful they are to be performing to a crowd of this magnitude, and the crowd made it obvious how excited they were to be there. Before the show, fans passed out pink slips of paper, which everyone used to color their flashlights pink during “Fake Out” in a magnificent display of coordination and adoration.
The night was filled with a perfect balance of longtime hits, as well as new fan favorites in a setlist that was crafted meticulously to deliver the best possible FOB experience, and that is exactly what it delivered. The band’s explosive performance, crowd’s pure elation, and operatic stage design combined for an unforgettable experience that makes the heartbreak of it being over feel so good.
Photos and Review by Kyle Hotchkiss
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