Fall Out Boy, British India @ Festival Hall, Melbourne (26/10/2013)
It’s 2007. You’re sitting at your window studying for the upcoming year 12 exams that will likely set the benchmark for your future career. Infinity On High is on repeat and seems to be the only thing that resonates with your aching teenage soul. Everything is all so impossible. At least Fall Out Boy understand.
Festival Hall was buzzing with overly excited teenagers and adults tonight, sporting striped punk attire and every denim jacket you could imagine. Despite being only seven months since the punk-rock quartet graced our soils, hundreds flocked to the floor for more. We were treated to a bunch of older classics and new beats from their 2013 comeback album Save Rock And Roll.
The anticipation could be felt as Melbourne band British India graced the stage and sent the crowd cheering. Watching them open for such an enormous international band was a real pleasure and a definite marker of their success so far.
Since breaking into the scene in 2007, British India have been busy securing tenth spot in Triple J’s ARIA Album Chart in both 2010 and 2013. After seeing them live it is no wonder why they have come so far and scored such a large following. Popular tunes I Can Make You Love Me and Vanilla had most of us singing along with the occasional fist clench and sway to the side. Their emotion tore up the room and would have made any Aussie proud.
As the clock struck 9.05pm, fans on the floor took it upon themselves to scream Fall Out Boy over and over, while others guzzled their beers at the bar and scurried over to join in. Ten more minutes passed and the room went black. The stage turned bright red and the curtain fell with a bang. Four masked men emerged and smashed out The Phoenix, track one on the band’s latest album Save Rock and Roll.
Sporting balaclavas from the accompanying film clip was a great choice, adding that extra dash of drama that introduced the band perfectly. Bassist Pete Wentz and lead guitarist Joe Trohman took to sides of the stage to wave two massive white flags that brought the song’s lyrics to life.
Third song of the night was A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me” from 2009 album Believers Never Die. A definite highlight had to be listening to fans singing at the top of their lungs, sometimes even over-powering Patrick Stump’s vocals. I’ve never witnessed such a passionate crowd in all my days of gigging. It was phenomenal.
Before I get too carried away in pop-rock compliments however, I need to comment on the choice of venue. A band such as Fall Out Boy deliver loud guitar riffs and bridges that make you want to jump like those teenagers in the Dance, Dance film clip. Yet a venue with 272 seats was chosen. Similar to Bloc Party’s gig at Festival Hall in March this year, I can’t imagine who would want to sit down for such energetic bands. Wentz made a shout out to those who were seated, just to make sure their bums weren’t feeling too numb. Most stood up and joined in as much as they could. A venue with more room to flop around in would have been preferable.
Throughout the night, Fall Out Boy showcased some of their most popular songs, including Thriller, Sugar We’re Going Down and I Don’t Care. There was a real rebellious vibe coming from the band– something I think people really love to identify with. If ever you feel like flipping off society, Fall Out Boy would be more than happy to help you do so. Wentz also took the opportunity to comment on a tabloid magazine that labelled his fashion sense as ‘distasteful’.
“If dressing that way makes me look like a freak then I never want to be a fucking normal person,” he said.
The crowd cheered and the night progressed, with giant blow up balls suddenly falling from nowhere and bouncing across the crowd. Save Rock And Roll filled our ears and it was a beautiful moment. As unexpected as it was, featuring Elton John in the track worked really well. If ever you want to add some sentimentality, he is the man to call.
Before we could completely enjoy this state of nirvana however, our corneas were slammed with loud, sharp beats from 2013 tune Love, Sex, Death. This felt disjointed and unsettling; we weren’t really ready to be slapped with screaming and erratic guitars. Perhaps a re-arranged set list would be a good idea for next time.
Towards the end of the night, Stump, Wentz and Trohman disappeared off-stage, eventually re-appearing on a secret floating stage at the back of the building. Here the boys performed an acoustic rendition of I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You). Not only did this add depth to the song, it allowed for our ears to cool and appreciate a brilliant song in hybrid form. I cannot praise acoustic moments enough. Great choice boys.
Overall tonight was your quintessential Fall Out Boy show. Stump wore his signature bowler hat, Wentz posed for the ladies while Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley rocked out the only way they knew how. It was as if you were watching your angst-y teenage years come to life, when you first realised it was okay to question society and its superiors. Boy, those were the days. Where would we be without bands like Fall Out Boy, reminding us that being a misfit ain’t all that bad.
Kim Tedge
@Kimmers90
Festival Hall was buzzing with overly excited teenagers and adults tonight, sporting striped punk attire and every denim jacket you could imagine. Despite being only seven months since the punk-rock quartet graced our soils, hundreds flocked to the floor for more. We were treated to a bunch of older classics and new beats from their 2013 comeback album Save Rock And Roll.
The anticipation could be felt as Melbourne band British India graced the stage and sent the crowd cheering. Watching them open for such an enormous international band was a real pleasure and a definite marker of their success so far.
Since breaking into the scene in 2007, British India have been busy securing tenth spot in Triple J’s ARIA Album Chart in both 2010 and 2013. After seeing them live it is no wonder why they have come so far and scored such a large following. Popular tunes I Can Make You Love Me and Vanilla had most of us singing along with the occasional fist clench and sway to the side. Their emotion tore up the room and would have made any Aussie proud.
As the clock struck 9.05pm, fans on the floor took it upon themselves to scream Fall Out Boy over and over, while others guzzled their beers at the bar and scurried over to join in. Ten more minutes passed and the room went black. The stage turned bright red and the curtain fell with a bang. Four masked men emerged and smashed out The Phoenix, track one on the band’s latest album Save Rock and Roll.
Sporting balaclavas from the accompanying film clip was a great choice, adding that extra dash of drama that introduced the band perfectly. Bassist Pete Wentz and lead guitarist Joe Trohman took to sides of the stage to wave two massive white flags that brought the song’s lyrics to life.
Third song of the night was A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More “Touch Me” from 2009 album Believers Never Die. A definite highlight had to be listening to fans singing at the top of their lungs, sometimes even over-powering Patrick Stump’s vocals. I’ve never witnessed such a passionate crowd in all my days of gigging. It was phenomenal.
Before I get too carried away in pop-rock compliments however, I need to comment on the choice of venue. A band such as Fall Out Boy deliver loud guitar riffs and bridges that make you want to jump like those teenagers in the Dance, Dance film clip. Yet a venue with 272 seats was chosen. Similar to Bloc Party’s gig at Festival Hall in March this year, I can’t imagine who would want to sit down for such energetic bands. Wentz made a shout out to those who were seated, just to make sure their bums weren’t feeling too numb. Most stood up and joined in as much as they could. A venue with more room to flop around in would have been preferable.
Throughout the night, Fall Out Boy showcased some of their most popular songs, including Thriller, Sugar We’re Going Down and I Don’t Care. There was a real rebellious vibe coming from the band– something I think people really love to identify with. If ever you feel like flipping off society, Fall Out Boy would be more than happy to help you do so. Wentz also took the opportunity to comment on a tabloid magazine that labelled his fashion sense as ‘distasteful’.
“If dressing that way makes me look like a freak then I never want to be a fucking normal person,” he said.
The crowd cheered and the night progressed, with giant blow up balls suddenly falling from nowhere and bouncing across the crowd. Save Rock And Roll filled our ears and it was a beautiful moment. As unexpected as it was, featuring Elton John in the track worked really well. If ever you want to add some sentimentality, he is the man to call.
Before we could completely enjoy this state of nirvana however, our corneas were slammed with loud, sharp beats from 2013 tune Love, Sex, Death. This felt disjointed and unsettling; we weren’t really ready to be slapped with screaming and erratic guitars. Perhaps a re-arranged set list would be a good idea for next time.
Towards the end of the night, Stump, Wentz and Trohman disappeared off-stage, eventually re-appearing on a secret floating stage at the back of the building. Here the boys performed an acoustic rendition of I’m Like A Lawyer With The Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You). Not only did this add depth to the song, it allowed for our ears to cool and appreciate a brilliant song in hybrid form. I cannot praise acoustic moments enough. Great choice boys.
Overall tonight was your quintessential Fall Out Boy show. Stump wore his signature bowler hat, Wentz posed for the ladies while Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley rocked out the only way they knew how. It was as if you were watching your angst-y teenage years come to life, when you first realised it was okay to question society and its superiors. Boy, those were the days. Where would we be without bands like Fall Out Boy, reminding us that being a misfit ain’t all that bad.
Kim Tedge
@Kimmers90