Photo: Justine Trickett
Fall Out Boy might be playing Wembley Arena soon, but it’s already obvious that it will in no way compare to tonight at the O2 Academy Islington, where fans are crammed in tightly to the tiny room, packed close together. From fourteen year old girls with two colours in their hair to older looking guys with full beards clutching pint glasses, there’s a surprising range of people here tonight.
There’s no support act in the hour and a half between the doors opening and the stage time for the band – who end up coming on ten minutes or so late, but the audience tonight would forgive them anything. The anticipation is so high that it’s almost palatable and, when the lights dim and the band come on stage in black balaclavas, the cheer is so loud that it could – to stick a bit of a cliché on it – raise the roof.
From the giant Fall Out Boy flag that bassist Pete Wentz is waving to the fact that drummer Andy Hurley already has his shirt off, there’s little doubt that the band are here to do anything other than make sure everyone has an amazingly good time tonight. Opening with recent hit ‘The Phoenix’ - as opposed to their usual opener ‘Thriller’, which is played instead later on in the set - it’s not long before the balaclavas come off and the show gets started. The setlist mainly consists of tracks from latest album Save Rock and Roll, but Fall Out Boy don’t neglect past hits - and include ‘Love, Sex, Death’ from Pax Am Days, dedicating it to Zane Lowe. It’s hot, sweaty and definitely time to dance.
Wentz gives his signature meaningful talk to the audience, this time referencing Misfit Island, but there’s possibly no need for his next one about fitting in and being different. It’s endearing, because it’s evident that he’s sincere, but it’s also evident that the majority of the audience tuned out about five minutes into the speech and just before the book recommendation (although I can’t say I’m opposed to the idea of a Fall Out Boy book club).
The band encore with ‘Save Rock and Roll’, complete with Patrick Stump on piano, doing a great job of sounding like Elton John on the missing parts of the duet. ‘Thnks fr th Mmrs’ is next, and the show is closed - as usual - with ‘Saturday’, complete with Pete Wentz throwing himself into the crowd.
Fall Out Boy are back, and they’re making sure you know it.
Below: more exclusive shots of Fall Out Boy live at thier intimate London gig
