Fall Out Boy Tour Remembrance
Hailie's article revisits the songs, sets, and stops of Fall Out Boy's North American So Much For (Tour) Dust tour, remembering the highlights of the epic multi-state performance.
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So Much for (Tour) Dust:
So Much for (Tour) Dust:
A RemeMbrance
A RemeMbrance
By Hailie Zintzun
By Hailie Zintzun
Fall Out Boy’s original tour of their newest album, fondly called So Much For (Tour) Dust was met with an excess of demand from their widespread base of fans. It was a gift to all when a second run, which was slyly retitled So Much For (2our) Dust, was announced to the world. There were 23 new dates included on the tour, which started in Feb. 2024 and ended just recently, on Apr. 6, 2024. After nearly a full year of touring, with the original starting in June of 2023, the famous emo pop-punk group deserves some recognition for their dedication to each performance that was included on the tour and the effort put into each and every of their performances.
Tickets for the second part of the Fall Out Boy tour went on sale starting on Sept. 15, 2023. The stops of the tour would go on to include the cities of Seattle, Austin, Orlando, Baltimore, and New York before finishing in Minneapolis. Joining them on select shows would be openers The Maine, Hot Mulligan, Daisy Grenade, Games We Play, CARR, and their main opener that appeared with them at every performance, Jimmy Eat World. Ticket prices ranged from about fifty dollars to a few hundred, depending on where the seats were located and the kind of ticket purchased. One of the most fascinating aspects of a second run of their tour was the returning phenomenon that was the Magic 8 Ball. Live Nation Entertainment claims, “Each show also included the use of a Magic 8 Ball to surprise fans with a performance of a Fall Out Boy song that had never played live before, which became one of the most buzzed about topics of the summer, igniting fans across social media – and spawning a trend on TikTok, with hundreds of thousands of views – to determine what songs might be coming next.” Undoubtedly, the news that there would be more possibilities of songs being performed live for the first time shook fans to the core with anticipation. As shows began to be filled with sold-out tickets, it became clear that their tour continuation would be another well-written page in the legend of their musical career.
Photo Credit: HITS Daily Double
The song choices of the well-known band for the tour were a plentiful variety. From some of their oldest hits to the newest songs from their 2023 album, So Much (For) Stardust, there was an expansive array of talented vocals being showcased. Kicking off their second tour of the later album, their first stop was none other than Oregon’s own city of Portland. The Moda Center was fortunate enough to host them on Feb. 28, when they were opened by Jimmy Eat World. The main opener of the show did a reportedly impressive job of getting the crowd excited and pumped up for the main group, and treated the audience with a rendition of their classic song, “The Middle". Once Fall Out Boy took the stage, there was no question that the crowd would be on their feet for most of the night from that point on. From “My Songs Know What You Did in The Dark” to “Thnks fr th Mmrs” to “Centuries”, the performance was an interactive display that combined lighting, stage effects, and of course, heart-pounding music that was sure to win over anyone who went into the performance thinking that they may be let down. Throughout the tour, the band also took on some cover songs that were certain crowd-pleasers. Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” and Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” for instance, were featured fan favorites.
A good amount of songs from their newer album, which is, after all, the namesake of the tour, were performed. As according to Loudwire, “Of course, the set list leaned most heavily on 2023's So Much (for) Stardust, which Fall Out Boy are still supporting. The disco-rock thump of ‘Hold Me Like a Grudge’ and the melodramatic power ballad ‘Heaven, Iowa’ fit perfectly alongside established hits, and fans lit up the venue with pink and white cellphone lights during the new-wavey ‘Fake Out.’ ” However, Fall Out Boy did not fail to consider the fans who had stuck with them since their early beginnings. From their 2003 debut album, “Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy”, “Dead On Arrival”, and “Calm Before the Storm” were thoughtfully performed by the band. The Columbus Dispatch points out this purposeful celebration of songs from different ages: “Fall Out Boy, who have been touring for more than 20 years, played a show that catered to all. Fans ranged in age from young children wearing headphones at their first concert to those who appeared old enough to be grandparents.” No matter how well-acquainted one is with the group, if their music is something that pleases the individual to hear in any capacity, then this tour was one not to miss.
Photo Credit: For The Punks
Fall Out Boy has had great success during their run and, considering the consistent demand for their music, it is clear that their fame will not flame out anytime soon. That isn’t to say that they haven’t had their fair share of experience with fire. During the heat of their performance, one of the most memorable moments was when they made use of pyrotechnics. From indoor fireworks to Pete Wentz’s flame-spitting bass, the use of such eye-catching effects elevated their performance to another level of epic. The sets used during the show truly were a stand-out element admired by many performancegoers. As the Portland Tribune emphasizes, “While the lights, smoke and top-tier Patrick Stump vocals — who still sounds stellar after all these years — reverberated through the stadium, a note on the sets is certainly needed.” The stage was flooded with colorful whimsy that included a large cacti, an anthropomorphic tree, and perhaps, most notably, a sizable 20-foot doberman puppet whose jaw seemed to move along to “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race.” The Doberman itself is an allusion to the one pictured on the album cover of So Much (For) Stardust, naturally. Besides these set pieces, the constantly changing backgrounds set an exciting and unpredictable tone for the entirety of the event. Other hints towards certain albums and songs were referenced throughout the performance and, from snails to bunny costumes, there were plenty of instances that stuck out to both newer fans and long-time lovers of the band. If there is one thing to be certain of, it is that Fall Out Boy wasn’t holding back any stops with their set design during the tour.
Fall Out Boy knows how to deliver a performance that energizes and scratches the musical itch of their fans at every turn in inexplicable and unexpected ways. Their impact on the pop-punk rock scene will be lasting and long-remembered in terms of admiration, as proven by their still-at-large fanbase and devoted audience. So Much for (Tour) Dust and, possibly even more so, So Much for (2our) Dust was an example of the magnetic pull their music has on the world. The tour itself was an artistic, eccentric exploration of music that did them, their music, and their fans justice in every sense of the word. Farewell for now, Fall Out Boy. We look forward to what you have in store for us next.
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