Fall Out Boy - Festival Hall, Melbourne 26/10/2013

Photos: Fall Out Boy, British India – Entertainment Centre, Sydney 25/10/13 / Photos by Ashley Mar

A mass of adoring fans were spoilt with an amazingly energetic, creative and fun as all hell set by Fall Out Boy in Melbourne on Saturday night. 10 years on and still going strong, Fall Out Boy have created a loyal following, not just for their music but also what they represent for their fans. Met by screams and cheers from the crowd, this was summed up by bassist Pete Wentz during the show. “Sometimes it’s important to look up and see someone who’s a freak, just like you!”, he said, obviously happy the band can be role models for some.

British India opened the night with a short but sweet set, the boys starting a little late having just flown in from Fat As Butter festival in Newcastle. Not that you could tell. They delivered such a loud, proud and energetic set, a perfect warm-up for the crowd, who chanted along to This Ain’t No Fucking Disco. British India played four or five songs in their set, thanking the crowd and declaring, tongue in cheek, “Our time together might have been short, but it was very special”.

Fall Out Boy appeared on stage to a screaming room and already heaving but unusually relaxed moshpit. There wasn’t much pushing, shoving or attitude – everyone was there in the name of music and entertainment. Decked out in black (except for topless Andy on drums) with faces covered in balaclavas, the band opened with The Phoenix from latest album Save Rock and Roll. The crowd sang (or screamed) along, punching the air with their arms while white Fall Out Boy flags were proudly waved in time with the hook: “The war is won, before its begun. Release the doves. Surrender love”.

The crowd were pumped. The boys removed their masks, thanking Melbourne to yet more screams, then launched straight into their 85-minute set with barely a break. Patrick Stump’s vocals were spot on the entire night. As usual it fell to Wentz to be the spokesperson for the night, interacting with the crowd and at times lucky individuals front of stage.

When Fall Out Boy launched into This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race, easily one of the bands biggest anthem songs and taken from their hugely successful 2007 album Infinity On High, the crowd went mental, clasping glow sticks and pumping their fists in time to Stump’s staccato delivery. It was almost like watching a rebellion uprising. The boys then launched into the more demure Alone Together from their current album, giving the crowd brief respite from the fist pumping and head-banging.

Patrick, Pete and Andy left the stage briefly while the crowd was treated to an expert guitar solo by ‘fro topped Joe Trohman, mesmerising everyone with his masterful skill. The rest of the band reappeared, with Pete asking the crowd to sing along as soon as they recognised the next song, their cover of Michael Jackson’s Beat It. Apparently everyone in Festival Hall recognised it. Patrick, Pete and Joe then disappeared, reappearing at the far end of the hall and treating the audience to a short acoustic set which included Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy and You And Me.

Fall Out Boy played a few more fan favorites including I Don’t Care and My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark, around which time a mass of black beach balls were let loose on the standing crowd, who happily smashed them about. For their encore the band gave up three more songs, including Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, which seemed an apt way to end the night.

Fall Out Boy delivered a genuinely fun and energetic show to a loyal crowd who so very obviously adore them and what they stand for; they are the voice, as Pete explained, for those who always felt they were different from everyone else. And for the last decade they have been doing a top notch job of it.