Shows

THE SECOND LEG OF FALL OUT BOY'S 'SO MUCH (FOR) STARDUST' TOUR BRINGS MAJOR SURPRISES TO ANAHEIM

Last year, Fall Out Boy took 'So Much For (Tour)Dust' on the road, hitting major cities across the US and beyond in arenas and stadiums. This year, the second leg of this tour (aptly named "2our") aims to bring that same magic to audiences across the country

Kayla Moreno, Anastasia White

Mar 11, 2024 — 7 min read

The Anaheim stop hit Honda Center on March 4, 2024. It featured 3 supporting acts before the headliner: Daisy Grenade, The Maine, and Jimmy Eat World. Each act seemed to cater to the vastly wide demographic that Fall Out Boy reaches. There is no one "target audience" at any given Fall Out Boy show, and this lineup reflected this lasting phenomenon.

First to take the stage was Daisy Grenade, an act on Pete Wentz's DCD2 label roster. Their dynamic presence is absolutely incredible every single time. The two lead vocalists, Keaton Whittaker and Dani Marie, have visible performance training. Their strong vocal range and authentic chemistry captivate new and returning audiences. Many may be more familiar with seeing Daisy Grenade perform in much smaller venues, but their set at the Honda Center proved that they are eligible for major upgrades. They did a great job of rounding out their set choices, especially given their incredibly brief slot. Of course, their cover of Pierce The Veil's "King For A Day" was met with huge applause, but their original material got audience members out of their seats – which is huge for an opener at an all-seated arena gig.

Next, The Maine appeared dressed to impress. Their dedication to their aesthetic choices is admirable in itself; a blinding ray of white light took over the entire arena. The band's eclectic discography was a major hit for the majority of the room, with many fans singing along to every word. Later in the night, Wentz mentioned that they had "been wanting to tour" with The Maine, so thanks to fate, this lineup was made possible. The Maine's sound is unique for the pop-punk space. They do use several traditional techniques, like catchy hooks and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, but they also borrow from a lighter side of the genre that often goes unexplored. A focus on The Maine's sound, rather than what they were doing on stage, came to the forefront of my attention. These musicians have curated a presence in the scene that deviates away from what others are doing just the right amount. Their cult following eats up every second, making the set an intriguing one to watch. Sometimes, the participation from the community of fans makes a band's performance even better than it would be on its own, and this is one of those instances.

Jimmy Eat World's appearance right before the headliner feels like a call home for Fall Out Boy. Their body of work would probably not have been made possible without albums like Bleed American. This set was where the crowd's diversity truly took center stage. Of course, everyone knew huge hits like "The Middle" or the title track "Bleed American." However, Jimmy Eat World had a pretty long slot compared to the previous 2 acts. As a result, they were able to explore their vast discography, which spans over the course of several decades. People across all age groups, including parents who had stayed reserved until this point, lit up for deep cuts and radio hits alike. Disgruntled dads who were dragged through long merch lines suddenly were the most excited people in the whole room. However, there were young kids rocking out, too. It's amazing to see the wide range of people that an artist's work can touch, especially at something like a Fall Out Boy concert, where someone might have preconceived notions of the type of people they might see in the audience.

Finally, Fall Out Boy's cover of "We Didn't Start The Fire" introduced the headlining set, followed by the Ethan Hawke "Pink Seashell" interlude from So Much (For) Stardust. Fall Out Boy has cycled through many different set openers throughout the years, but "The Phoenix" has remained a fan-favorite since its 2013 release. The pyrotechnics and contagiously high energy get audience members amped up every time, regardless of how many times fans may have seen a Fall Out Boy show before. The first couple of slots were saved for major hits, like "Uma Thurman."

However, they deviated away from the first leg's imagery and storyline just a hair (pun intended). During "Uma Thurman", a large snail puppet and a stranger dressed in a bunny suit graced the stage for some antics. It was silly, it was zany, and it was perfectly Fall Out Boy of them to do. In the first leg of the tour, fans were guided back to childlike joy and bewilderment with bubbles to pop in the crowd during this portion of the set. This time, a few technical difficulties arose, but eventually it snowed – in Anaheim!

Fall Out Boy has been doing a fantastic job of playing what fans want to hear. A few set staples and some rotating tracks, like a dedicated Take This To Your Grave section with a few interchangeable options, keep fans interested. It's easy for legacy bands to fall into a formulaic setlist, but Fall Out Boy has been listening to feedback and is avoiding doing that. A fan-favorite portion of the set includes Patrick Stump's piano interludes, which have included major deep cuts like snippets from his solo work. Tonight, fans got "I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears, But None On My Fingers," transitioning into "What A Catch, Donnie," which was an easter egg for what was about to happen next.

The Magic 8 Ball portion of the set is the most anticipated moment of the evening. This is something fans had been dreaming of; Fall Out Boy has been pulling rabbits out of their hat for this section since last year, playing deep cuts from their discography fans would have insisted the band forgot writing. Tonight, the crowd got hit with a double 8-ball, because the Magic 8 Ball has no rules. The first one was a From Under The Cork Tree deep cut, and one of my personal favorite songs in the whole discography, "7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)."

Next, fans got a surprise of epic proportions – the return of scene legends, made famous by Pete Wentz, Cobra Starship. Wentz teased Cobra Starship's return by insinuating they would play "Snakes On A Plane (Bring It)"; but instead, Gabe Saporta and Vicky T appeared for "Good Girls Go Bad," the band's big smash hit. Cobra Starship has been teasing a big comeback for the past few years, but they skipped the part where they dipped their toes in and just dove right into it. Saporta's ability to command a stage has never escaped him; you wouldn't believe he had taken so much time away from Cobra Starship. The same could be said for Vicky T, who spent an even larger chunk of time away from the stage. Seeing these bands come back together with their mentors is nothing short of heartwarming. These absolutely incredible performers have so much left to offer with their art, and it's clear that they have the motivation to continue making it.

Overall, 'So Much For (2our) Dust' was full of amazing performances and unforgettable surprises. Each member of Fall Out Boy consistently delivers; Joe Trohman's background vocals were especially on point this evening. The band seemed so excited to be there, which shouldn't be ignored after 20 years of performing together. It appears that getting back to their roots, both by touring with bands they care about and performing fan-favorite deep cuts, has reinvigorated the band's love for what they do. Keeping up with this energy into the future ensures that every tour continues to surprise, even if you've seen the same headliners perform a hundred times.

Keep up with Daisy Grenade here, The Maine here, Jimmy Eat World here, and Fall Out Boy here.