In support of their latest album, Blurryface, alternative indie rock/rap group, Twenty One Pilots, rocked the walls of the Tabernacle Tuesday night to a sold out crowd of over 2,500+ fans. Epic, captivating, and energetic only begin to personify the atmosphere inside the Tabernacle, as the two Midwest boys took over the venue with their heart pumping beats, quirky attitudes, and unforgettable stage presence.
The night began with NorCal natives, Finish Ticket, who warmed up the crowd with their soulful vocals, strong melodies, and catchy beats. Having been compared to the sounds of Young the Giant and the Arctic Monkeys, two of my favorite bands, I was excited to see their performance and I was not disappointed. Each track is composed of thoughtful lyrics and layers upon layers of both soothing and buoyant instrumentals that together weave a melodic masterpiece that leaves you wanting more.
Echosmith kept the energy flowing, performing songs off their debut album, Talking Dreams. A modern day Partridge Family, lead vocalist, Sydney Sierota and her three brothers, Jamie Sierto (Guitar), Noah Sierota (Bass), and Graham SIerota (Drums) make up the members of this family quartet. Their performance seemed a bit conservative, but their sound was clean, polished, and charming. They make it easy to fall in love with their laid back, melancholy vibes and feel good tunes.
As Echosmith finished their set, the room quickly filled with excitement and anticipation as we all waited for dynamic duo, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, to grace us with their presence. The moment Josh’s drum stick hit the top of his drum set, the crowd erupted into a wild and energetic frenzy as everyone sang along, in perfect unison, to Joseph’s quick-fire lyrics. The power and stamina that goes behind Twenty One Pilots’ performance is uncanny. For over a hour, we watched as Dun barraged his drum set with as much force as a sledgehammer slamming against a wall. Joseph captivated his audience as he enthusiastically jumped around the stage, never letting the spirit in the room fall. There were vibrant lights, bizarre costumes, ukuleles, smoke machines, even a crowd surfing-drum set platform (you had to be there to see it); a dull moment was never in site.
The two played songs off of 2013’s album Vessels and their most recent album Blurryface. I was a fan before attending the show, but after seeing their live performance, I too have TOP fever. This group has the ability to captivate their audience in a way I have never seen. Twenty One Pilots’ fan base is strong, because there is an immense amount of passion behind their music and their listeners recognize and relate to that. It is more than lyrics and a beat. Their music provides solace to our hidden insecurities and offers a comforting hand that we are all in this together. Two thumbs up, A+, one of the best shows I have seen in a long time.
