AB/AP Chicago show review by our very own falloutbi
By Ally M. White
The American Beauty / American Psycho album release party in Chicago was probably the most coveted concert ticket by every Fall Out Boy fan in North America. Showcased by the mad rush to gain tickets back in early December, there were only 400 lucky fans (out of a reported 6000 plus) who managed to seal their fate and gain access to the show. I happened to be one of the lucky few. Chosen as a gift to myself for managing to survive in this world for 27 years, I was blessed to have family and friends make sure that I could attend this intimate affair in Chicago and successfully cross off “hometown show”from my Fall Out Boy bucket list.
While waiting in line for the show, there was speculation about how much of the latest album was going to be included in the set list. With American Beauty / American Psycho clocking in at just under 40 minutes, it seemed believable that even with a mixed set they could play all eleven tracks from the record. Soon after filing in, there was an eerie emptiness about the venue. Always familiar with the press of a larger crowd, Lincoln Hall felt downright roomy. There was a hum of anticipation as the band took the stage, the crowd screaming before Patrick demanded “put on your war paint!”The crowd had already obliged, with many fans’faces adorned with the monochromatic flags made popular on the album artwork and title track’s music video.
We didn’t have to wait long for a new song, Pete quickly breaking into his story about the scorpion and the frog before the band blasted into “Irresistible.” The crowd reacted favorably and I personally was unable to resist the urge to crowd surf (for the very first time!) to celebrate. There wasn’t ever more than two “older”songs before we were granted an AB/AP album track, but the only live debut was “Uma Thurman.” Before describing the motivation behind the song “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” Pete commented on the amount of people who had traveled to be in Chicago that night for the show. As one of the many out-of-state attendees, it gave me a small swell of pride to know that he could remember our faces that well. That was until being taken over again with the joy of getting to hear new music live.
And for any naysayer who like to declare with each new Fall Out Boy album that they have become “too pop”, the band gladly proved them wrong while in Chicago. Each new song was heavier, driven by bombastic guitars and strong drums announcing easily that Fall Out Boy had every right to declare that they were going to save rock and roll back in 2013. The energy from the crowd never wavered, and neither did the energy from arguably the biggest fan in the entire building, Dale Wentz. Nobody was prouder than Pete’s mom as she sang and danced along to every word like the rest of us die hards sweating it out in the pit after we had nearly frozen in the alley prior to the show.
The show closed with the standard “Saturday,” and even though it was an 18 song set, the show felt like it was over way too soon. And by the end of it, I felt even more lucky than I had from the start, and that even if us kids aren’t alright that at least for one night we were.
source