Rock music isn't dead. To say so would insinuate that we don't care about it enough to preserve it. It would mean not attending rock concerts, whether at the arena or a local bar. It would mean that we have stopped purchasing rock and roll albums – or rather, stopped listening to them on Spotify.
In fact, bands like Fall Out Boy prove that the sound of rock is changing. When they played at the Amway Center on September 16th, the audience was plenty amped up for the concert. They counted down with the live feed of an ocean. When Fall Out Boy entered with "Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes" (a very underrated song from "Folie a Deux"), the audience was enraptured by the stage presence of the band members, lead singer/rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley.
Known for his soul-inspired vocal range, Stump really delivered. With his improvisational melody, Stump sang throughout the concert with a recognizable force that has made him indistinguishable from all other rock musicians. Stump's voice possessed the venue with a passion that made it seem like they were still the small pop-punk band from Wilmette, Illinois.
The pyrotechnics and creative videos though prove the successful rise of the band. During "Save Rock and Roll," both Stump and Wentz stroll down the stage runway as sparklers are set off – creating the illusion that the band's mission is to keep the genre alive with their ingenuity of lyrics and music.
Following the song is "The Last of the Real Ones," which comes from their recent album, "Mania." Again, the impassioned lyrics sung powerfully by Stump pumped up the crowd, along with the lively presences of Wentz and Trohman onstage with their instruments.
Because Stump played the piano for the song, he also had his own piano solo for the song, "Young and Menace," which is more EDM in the original than rock. Stump's piano version made the song softer as a result and helped focus on his vocal range, which had a mesmerizing effect on the audience.
Then Hurley performed a short drum solo while the band prepared on elevated stages for those in the higher seats of the arena to see them perform, "Dance Dance" and "Wilson (Expensive Mistakes)" – the former one of their most known songs from "From Under the Cork Tree" and the latter from their recent album. The stages rose to about fifty feet in the air, adding even more theatricality to the concert.
As they then rushed back to the main stage, the mascots from "Mania" – two llamas – made an appearance before Fall Out Boy performed the rest of their concert. As they played "Champion," a video dedicated to Princess Diane played on the screen.
There are more examples of Fall Out Boy's humility in their performance. Wentz often introduced songs with a rough dignity like a rockstar owing his fame to the fans. In an interview, he had stated that rock and roll isn't dead because the genre is about not sticking to the rules of music. Fall Out Boy prove that especially with their recent album and tour.
