Two of the three songs Fall Out Boy performed in Pittsburgh were very fitting.
During their performance in Pittsburgh, Fall Out Boy played Queen's “Don’t Stop Me Now” and Blur's “Song 2,” which are unusual choices but worked well.
For their show on the So Much for (2our) Dust tour, Fall Out Boy put on a grand arena rock performance that included a professional light show, well-timed fireworks, and pyrotechnics. Bassist Pete Wentz even had flames shooting from his guitar on several songs.
The show featured a man in a bunny suit, another in a snail costume, a bubble machine, fake snow, and a giant inflatable dog head that seemed to sing along on the choruses.
The show was a spectacle in a positive way, with special effects enhancing the performance. The crowd was very engaged throughout the night, clapping along to songs and participating in light displays.
The show covered Fall Out Boy’s career, including songs from their 2003 debut “Take This to Your Grave” up to last year’s “So Much (for) Stardust.”
Unlike many arena tours, Fall Out Boy changed up their show several times from the last few performances. They even played a punky “The Music or the Misery,” which they hadn’t performed live since 2006.
Singer Patrick Stump played a cover of Punchline’s “Heart Transplant” on the piano for the first time, as a tribute to the Pittsburgh band Punchline. He also mentioned the band's history in Pittsburgh.
The hits and big choruses resonated the most with the audience, especially “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” and “Dance, Dance.”
The final four songs included pyrotechnics and more excitement, ending with “Saturday,” a nod to their past and a usual finale for them.
Fall Out Boy, now a major band of emo, had Jimmy Eat World as their direct support act, acknowledging Jimmy Eat World as one of their biggest influences in the genre.
Using attractive tactics, Jimmy Eat World delivered a satisfying performance of both new and old songs.
On the more recent side, vocalist/guitarist Jim Adkins explained their self-released track “Something Loud” from 2022 as “a song about discovering yourself in rock and roll.”
Other standout moments consisted of a heartfelt rendition of “Hear You Me,” with Adkins playing acoustic guitar, followed by the energetic “Pain.” Naturally, tracks from 2001’s “Bleed American,” like “Sweetness,” received the most enthusiastic reaction, and the closing song “The Middle” got the audience on their feet.
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Hot Mulligan, which filled up the Roxian Theatre in November, gave a powerful 30-minute performance of a more intense post-emo sound as the Michigan band’s popularity continues to grow.
With song titles like “Drink Milk and Run,” “Shouldn’t Have a Leg Hole but I Do” and “John ‘The Rock’ Cena, Can You Smell What the Undertaker,” Hot Mulligan didn’t appear to take itself too seriously, but the music was impactful as vocalist Nathan Sanville banged his head and whipped his hair.
“We create songs, and I shout, and that's essentially the whole idea,” Sanville joked. “If you're not into that, (expletive) off. If you are, stick around.”
Los Angeles-based/New Jersey-born CARR kicked off the event, delivering a considerable amount of profanity during her 20-minute set, which included the live debut of her latest single, “Hot Dads.”
