The pop-punk group is on their second trek of North America within a year
Fall Out Boy delivered a visually and sonically delicious evening of music on Wednesday night (Mar 20th) at CFG Arena in Baltimore. The foursome is promoting their March 2023 LP on a retread of North America called So Much for (2our) Dust.
The band is comprised of Patrick Stump on vocals, Pete Wentz on bass, Joe Trohman on guitar and keys, and Andy Hurley on drums. In a live environment, all four members play FOB’s classics and contemporary numbers with the tightness of a band that has remained unchanged since well before achieving superstardom.
Stump pulls double duty: at once crisply articulating their iconic lyrics, while also playing the melody of the song with his voice. It is this that the fans latched on to sing along. The other three, along with Stump on rhythm guitar, expertly layer the deceptively complex punk-rock behind him.
Knowing what fans came to hear, they only performed a few songs from the Stardust record. Instead, the band opted to offer a visual feast behind their hits. There were set changes, pyro to rival Kiss, and more than a few surprises. Instead of designing it digitally, their sets were physical. A red curtain hid these swap-outs and felt like a throwback to a different, more intimate era. It all combined to create a three-dimensional world for FOB fans to immerse themselves in.
To say much more would be to spoil the experience for those still yet to experience it. In good conscience, I can’t do that as a reviewer. My job is to give you a sense of the show, not rob you of the awe of seeing it yourself. There are plenty of internet videos for that.
“Sugar, We’re Going Down” was an early-set favorite. But really, the fans sang loudly to every song, making Stump’s job easy if he wanted. He could set them up, and the 14,000 could take it the rest of the way.
That’s the thing: I’ve heard for years that punk music has deep meaning to its listeners. For a certain number in my generation, Fall Out Boy’s music is the soundtrack to their life, a celebration, or an emotional support blanket. In my time reviewing, I know that the louder an audience sings, the more personal the music is to them. For Fall Out Boy’s fans, the music is more than stardust. It’s the whole galaxy.