Fall Out Boy and Paramore Rock Mounumentour in Chicago
Confetti and streamers burst into the air, fire shot up off the stage and two of the nation's biggest pop punk bands combined forces on Friday night to give fans a bigger show than they've ever seen from either artist- one deserving of the title Monumentour.
Paramore and Fall Out Boy came from humble beginnings, playing small venues in Tennessee and Chicagoland, respectively, traveling the country in 15 passenger vans and paying their dues on the Vans Warped Tour. Now, both bands boast multiple top 40 hits and released albums that hit number one on the Billboard album sale charts in 2013. The 300 capacity rooms have turned into over the over 20,000 fans jumping and singing along at First Midwest Bank Amphitheater.
Paramore and Fall Out Boy both tore through set lists spanning their many albums and the members of the bands put on a highly entertaining show, from Paramore's Jeremy Davis doing a flip off of guitarist Taylor York's back during "Pressure" or Fall Out Boy bringing two drum kits out so drummer Andy Hurley and singer Patrick Stump could show off their skills in a drum battle.
Unfortunately the tour ignored the opportunity to see the bands interact with one another, whether by combing into a super band onstage for a cover song or even creating a video with both bands to show on the screens in the theater between sets. However, both Hayley Williams of Paramore and Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy aimed to send a united message to the crowd gathered.
Before playing their song, "Last Hope," Williams told the crowd, "If you see myself, Jeremy and Taylor up on this stage in front of you, that means there is not one single thing in the whole world that you can't get through. Please believe me."
During Fall Out Boy's set, Wentz aimed to reiterate that idea by encouraging self expression. He said, "Keep playing your instrument, keep making art, keep doing hair, spray painting, whatever stuff sets you apart from the world and no matter what, don't let anyone change you." After all, both of these bands started as kids playing guitars in basements with a dream that came true and now they're inspiring fans to follow theirs.
