It may no longer be a breezy summer night in 2014 – but that doesn’t mean that everyone at Blossom Music Center (08.25.2023) cannot pretend for 90 minutes. The “Emo” nostalgia was palpable among the crowd that came out to support 5 Seconds of Summer on Friday night. In the years since the Aussie rockers hit it big, the band has released several stellar albums and matured in their live sound.
The guys came out in style, being introduced by a pre-recorded safety skit. Vocal duties are shared among the four members, but lead singer Luke Hemmings swaggered his way through the lion’s share of the singing. “Bad Omens” got the room-shaking sing-a-long started and the energy only increased from that moment. Fans on the barricade screamed at their favorite members, waved signs, and did everything they could to capture the attention of the band.
The production of this tour was truly a spectacle, including the skits providing brief intermission and amazing segues. It is easy to see the guys put a lot of intentional thought behind giving the fans the best show. A favorite of many was the skit that introduced one of the band’s most popular songs, “Amnesia” – in which there was a first-person perspective with the guys in scrubs asking questions and giving the viewer the diagnosis of being a “5SOS Fan”!
From “Blender” to “She’s Kinda Hot,” the setlist really captured the spectrum of the band’s discography. Being the fun-loving guys that they are, they introduced giant inflatable dice that would help the audience pick the next song they would perform, and with six great options those in the pit in Cuyahoga Falls chose “Heartache on the Big Screen.”
Bassist Calum Hood and guitarist Michael Clifford took ample advantage of their checkerboard stage, migrating all around, high and low. Drummer Ashton Irwin hardly paused for breath as he bashed away at his kit all night.
5SOS has a lot of hits under their collective belts, packing some lead singles into the final stretch of their set. The first notes of “She Looks So Perfect” were a jolt of electricity as every single fan did their best to drown out the band on the song’s iconic chorus. After more than a decade in the game, 5SOS has only grown stronger in their sound and it’s abundantly clear that there is no stopping them anytime soon.
Meet Me @ The Altar brought their charm and punk rock attitudes to their opening slot. The all-female band got the crowd jumping and screaming about personal insecurities and womanly angst. It’s fair to say that girls took their opportunity and left a lasting impact on everyone in attendance.
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