Donnerstag, 4. Okt 2007, 22:57

Fri 28 Sep – Fall Out Boy, Jack's Mannequin, Gyroscope

Another 6 months down the line, and another Fall Out Boy concert. Back in February at Vodafone Arena, I would have doubted anyone who said they'd be back by the end of the year, and yet, here we are, watching in mild awe as the band are back.

To tell the truth, I was about half as excited this time around, whether that be a result of my least favourite venue I've been to (Festival Hall), or perhaps my lack of ground floor tickets this time around. But as I walked through the doors into the Hall, the familiar Vodafone feeling welled up again.

As I took my seat (mainly because those 10 year olds stole all the ground floor tickets before me), I didn't have to wait long before getting the first of two supports. Jack's Mannequin took the stage, surprisingly to me, as I thought for sure that Gyroscope, the token Aussie band would be first. Several people have told me that frontman Andrew McMahon gets drunk before shows, though I can say I was oblivious to the fact as I sat, watching this man tear up the piano. That might well have been the most impressive display on a singular instrument I've seen to date. Jack's Mannequin tore through their set, playing favourites Dark Blue, MFEO and my personal favourite Bruised, as McMahon often played one handed, ran around the stage, and generally assaulted his piano sexually.

It was over a little too soon for me, and I'd love to see the band again. Onward but unfortunately not upward to Gyroscope. After a short technical delay, Gyroscope took the stage. Much like Jack's Mannequin, I knew very little about the band or its music, but I was open to anything really. Gyroscope's set was, frankly, disappointing to me, a non-fan, with none of their songs really sticking (note: this may be a result of the 'support curse', me anticipating the main act), however the band slightly redeemed itself by having its frontman Daniel Sanders stage dive several times and crawling around onstage. Sanders' final song dive and guitar solo from the top of the crowd was highly enjoyable.

By now I was pumped for the main set. To the dulcet tones of Build Me Up Buttercup, Patrick Stump, Joseph Trohman, Andrew Hurley and Peter Wentz marched onto the stage. I have rarely heard a noise so piercing in all my few years (apart from the band's final act; read on) as the band kicked into its now trademark opener Thriller. Following it up was the most known of all Take This To Your Grave songs, Grand Theft Autumn. Even so, the majority of the crowd knew few to no lyrics, but tapped along all the same. An Akon cover was inserted into the set (Don't Matter, I'm not a fan) before kicking the crowd up a notch with singalong favourite Sugar, We're Goin' Down. Of All The Gin Joints was performed wonderfully, as was Hum Hallelujah, before Chicago Is So Two Years Ago got the hardcore fan crowd excited. Chicago is one of those songs you have to be lucky to hear, as the band seldom performs it, and I almost lost my voice on that song alone. The song lacked the Justin Pierre of Motion City Soundtrack finesse towards the end though.

From here, Pete announced that everyone would know the lyrics to the next song they played (as no one did for Chicago). This was not entirely true, I am slightly ashamed to say I didn't. Green Day's Basket Case resounded across the venue, as Patrick's vocals easily bettered Billie Joe Armstrong's in my mind (I'm not a fan of Green Day at all).

My least favourite song from Infinity on High followed, with I'm Like A Lawyer making most jump and sing. Sixteen Candles was amazing, and one of my favourite Fall Out Boy songs of all time. This time, Pete urged people to scream when they recognised the riff to the next song, but not to yell it out. The seat next to me wrongly identified it as Thriller, but most could hear Michael Jackson's Beat It. The cover was a real highlight of the set, even if Patrick's voice, by this point in the set, failed to adequately match Jackson's.

Following Carpal Tunnel (another highlight) was a short interlude by the band, who played an excerpt of Panic! At The Disco's I Write Sins Not Tragedies to illustrate Australian radio's open willingness to play "Goddamn". Pete would later proclaim "fuck them" to his signees, as well as several other Fueled By Ramen labelmates. Following his point about "Goddamn"ing, the band quickly followed up by easily the most recognisable song in the set, Arms Race. There were 6 year olds singing this song, all the way up to their 40 year old parents. It was really the only song in the set to properly bridge such a gap. Thnks Fr Th Mmrs followed, either before or after their mostly obese roadie urged us to scream "Fall. Out. Boy." across the venue (as the guy I sat next to duely noted, "FUCK OFF! You're a Dirty wannabe!").

As the band took the stage again, for what I consider an encore, though obviously as planned as ever, The Take Over graced our ears. Following was a great cover type thing (as Patrick did vocals) of Timbaland's One & Only, which few knew the words to. It was definitely a highlight for me, as I went hoping they'd play the song. Dance, Dance was the follow up, and sent most girls swooning, and the occasional guy, before the band played a quick cover of The Power of Love. It was poorly executed in my opinion. The final song in the set was long time fan favourite Saturday which all but destroyed any vocal chords I had left.

Before they left the stage, the band thanked the audience, and Pete attempted a cultural reference with "The snake in the long grass" or something, which made no sense to me (did anyone else get this?). As I mentioned before, one 'incident' would be louder than the crowd's din as they entered, and this followed, as Wentz removed his shirt, and every girl in the venue screamed in a way that has rarely been observed since Beatlemania hit 40 years ago. I realised then that a lot of the audience paid $10 to hear the band play their set, and $60 to see Wentz remove his shirt and strut around stage. It's a sad fact that was the only negative I can find with the band's show (apart from a lack of Grenade Jumper and other TTTYG favourites, which I hear they are playing, albeit sparingly)

All in all, it was a fantastic show, despite my dislike of the venue, and having wire ledge guards blocking the band from my view a lot of the night. The set was better composed than the Vodafone show in February, however lacking in Take This To Your Grave songs it was. Patrick's voice began as incredibly as ever, but, as it is widely known, decreased in quality as the night when on, though I doubt many would notice or care. If they didn't have their eyes on Wentz, they had their ears on the music, and were enjoying the night enough either way to be distracted.

Thanks for getting to the end of this. I doubt you read the whole thing, but if you did, congratulations. You managed to sit through my bullshit :)

If there's any errors, or you disagree with me on anything, feel free to post a comment below.

====================
Fall Out Boy Setlist
====================
- Thriller
- Grand Theft Autumn
- Don't Matter (Akon cover)
- Sugar
- Our Lawyer
- Of All The Gin Joints
- Hum Hallelujah
- I slept With Someone
- Chicago
- Basket Case (Green Day cover)
- I'm Like a Lawyer
- Sixteen Candles
- Beat It (Michael Jackson cover)
- Carpal Tunnel
- I Write Sins (P!ATD cover)
- Arms Race
- Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
==Encore type thing==
- The Take Over
- One & Only (Timbaland cover)
- Dance Dance
- Power of Love (cover)
- Saturday