Kicking off leg 2 of the “So Much For (2our) Dust” tour at Portland’s Moda Center, Fall Out Boy played a massive set with nearly 30 of their biggest songs, deep cuts, and even a couple of covers. The production was visually stunning, incorporating massive quantities of pyrotechnics, bubble machines, fog, and confetti cannons throughout the performance.
During one portion of the show, a massive overhead lighting array was lowered, giving the stage an intimate club feel despite the huge arena wrapped around us. Once the lighting array was raised, a humongous dog head was brought out to sing along with the band. The huge head, an homage to the album cover for So Much (for) Stardust was suspended from the rafters and swung freely with the help of a stage hand to guide it’s movements. It’s presence was quirky but not out of place.
Throughout the performance, between songs, singer Patrick Stump and bass player Pete Wentz would share quips about various topics such as Patrick’s ADHD and inability to stop talking, or a piece of prose delivered from atop a piano. But one moment stood out to me and I think bears repeating. Pete, at one point, went on a tangent and spoke about being on tour and encountering fans that talk about how Fall Out Boy’s music saved their life. He goes on to emphasize that it wasn’t the music. The music might have been the fuel, but that each of those individuals were the ones that saved their lives through their own strength and courage. Attendees responded with enthusiastic applause.
Of the twenty seven songs performed in Portland, six of them were from the latest album with the remainder spread across their entire discography. Despite the relatively long set, the passion and energy in the arena never waned. Every track seemed to resonate with the crowd in a well orchestrated, perfectly assembled collection of Fall Out Boy’s extensive music catalog. Near the end of the set, songs like “Thnks fr th Mmrs” and “Centuries” reinforced the theme of creating memories; a perfect way to close out a truly memorable performance.
Fall Out Boy is on tour through early April. Tour dates below:
3/1/24 – Climate Pledge Arena – Seattle, WA
3/3/24 – Golden 1 Center – Sacramento, CA
3/4/24 – Honda Center – Anaheim, CA
3/7/24 – Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX
3/8/24 – Moody Center – Austin, TX
3/11/24 – Paycom Center – Oklahoma City, OK
3/13/24 – Legacy Arena and the BJCC – Birmingham, AL
3/15/24 – Amway Center – Orlando, FL
3/16/24 – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena – Jacksonville, FL
3/19/24 – PNC Arena – Raleigh, NC
3/20/24 – CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore, MD
3/22/24 – MVP Arena – Albany, NY
3/26/24 – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, MI
3/27/24 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA
3/29/24 – Schottenstein Center – Columbus, OH
3/30/24 – Rupp Arena – Lexington, KY
3/31/24 – Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN
4/2/24 – Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI
4/3/24 – Wells Fargo Arena – Des Moines, IA
4/5/24 – CHI Health Center Arena – Omaha, NE
4/6/24 – Target Center – Minneapolis, MN
