Winging it on stage has gone the way of smashing up hotel rooms and the wild, wild west that was rock and roll concerts during the 70s and 80s. With apologies to the likes of Keith Moon, Robert Plant and Joe Walsh, concerts today are more well-polished Broadway shows with perfectly timed lighting, sound effects and choreography that would make Martha Graham (Google her) and Michael Jackson proud.
And don’t forget cannons filled with graffiti.
5 Seconds of Summer brought the summer heat – and a packed young crowd – to Pine Knob on Wednesday night and rolled out an amazing 28 songs to a very excited and vocal crowd. Except for one song, the setlist was identical to the one played the night before in Toronto.
5 SECONDS OF SUMMER PHOTO GALLERY
There are many things to unpack from this, the first being how the band found so much energy and enthusiasm to put on this amazing show on consecutive nights.
It’s pretty simple, though, when you think about it. These mega pop stars are still very young – still in their 20s – and are in great shape and have been doing this a long time. And the setlist is locked in, from the guitar chords to the drums to the lights to techs shooting video in front of the stage.
Another thing to take from the identical setlist is that the band has found an order that works and it was certainly packed with monster hits along with some fun surprises.
5 Seconds of Summer, or 5SOS, are an Australian pop rock band that formed in late 2011. The one time YouTubers rose to superstardom while opening for One Direction on their Take Me Home Tour. Since 2014, 5SOS have sold more than 10 million albums, sold over 2 million concert tickets worldwide (add another 15,000 from Wednesday night), and have racked up more than 7 billion streams of their songs, making them one of the most successful Australian musical acts in history.
5 SECONDS OF SUMMER PHOTO GALLERY
And, I don’t know if it’s me, but if you listen carefully you can hear a little Bee Gees and especially INXS in the grooves. Influence is a great thing, especially when you use it to turn it into your own thing.
The Pine Knob show was probably 90 percent on the female side of the aisle and there were more than a few screams coming from the seats and the hill. They got to hear all the monster hits – including Youngblood, Who Do You Love, Amnesia, She Looks So Perfect and Want You Back.
And while their solo projects may have fans worried about the future of the band, the members have assured fans that they have no plans to break up. With this new tour and the talk of new music, it appears that 5SOS is here to stay. And that is something to scream about.
Meet Me At The Altar
Opening the show at Pine Knob was Meet Me At the Altar – a band “from the east coast” that originally began making music together remotely while the three members lived in different states. Being an opening act is no easy proposition, but this band won over the crowd from the first drum hit and clearly made some new fans.
They are described as an “energetic WOC pop punk band,” but they clearly have their own sound. The songs are well-crafted and make for some powerful stage material that they delivered on Wednesday night. Lead singer Edith Johnson has the perfect one-two punch – an incredible voice with great range and a captivating stage presence.
Guitarist Téa Campbell and drummer Ada Juarez are amazing musicians who bring these songs to life on stage. They are really worth checking out HERE.
MEET ME AT THE ALTAR PHOTO GALLERY
5 Seconds of Summer Pink Knob SETLIST
Bad Omens
2011
Caramel
BLENDER
Easier
Babylon
If Walls Could Talk
She’s Kinda Hot
Amnesia
CAROUSEL
Who Do You Love
Vapor
Waste the Night
Don’t Stop
Wrapped Around Your Finger
(Dice song)
Ghost of You
Want You Back
Disconnected
You Don’t Go To Parties
Me Myself & I
Why Won’t You Love Me
Best Friends
Meet You There
(Ashton drum solo)
Teeth
Jet Black Heart
She Looks So Perfect
Outer Space
Youngblood
WLAA-D CONCERT REVIEW: Nickelback brings the hits and the energy to Pine Knob (see photo gallery)
