By Pocholo Concepcion
Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--On the first of its two-night concert at the Araneta Coliseum, Fall Out Boy (from left: Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman, Pete Wentz and Andy Hurley) played a short but sensational set -- sending some 10,000 fans swooning and singing along from start to finish.
This was an audience that would have looked out of place in a rock concert. There were college and high school kids all right, but we weren’t prepared to see grade school children, too.
Surely they didn’t recognize the band’s opening gimmick -- a canned recording of The Foundations’ “Build Me Up, Buttercup” blaring on the house speakers -- which, we assumed, was FOB’s way of saying, “We’ve got loads of surprises coming your way!”
The first two numbers zipped by, catchy melodies so familiar, but whose titles we failed to remember.
One of the surprises came on: a note-for-note cover of Akon’s “Don’t Matter,” which the crowd loved but was deliberately cut short.
Then the band went back to playing its originals, punk-driven but with pop appeal, because they talked about teenage rage, isolation, frustration and search for love in a pleasant tone.
“This one’s about having a light in the dark,” vocalist Patrick Stump said, before leading the band into “Hum Hallelujah.” It was said to have been inspired by a Leonard Cohen song. And though it sounded spiritual, the lyrics went like this: “I sing the blues/And swallow them too…”
Bassist Pete Wentz, a fireball of energy who often twirled and brandished his guitar like a mad paratrooper, sounded offensive when he asked the audience: “Do you understand a word of what we’re talking about?”
Failed to research
Either he failed to do his research -- he would be playing in front of kids who could’ve been brown Americans -- or he simply didn’t want to be misunderstood. From the way he punctuated his spiels with “muthafu__ers,” it was obvious his adrenaline was on high mode.
The other members were a pure delight. Lead guitarist Joe Trohman, the band’s founder, had this habit of sprinting across the stage, all the way up the drummer’s platform, and then jumping off like he was skydiving.
Drummer Andy Hurley, a vegan and reportedly inspired by Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, banged away like someone possessed by the spirits of great heavy metal percussionists.
On center stage, a geek-looking Stump kept close to the mike and poured his emotion like a guy trying to make up with his girlfriend after a nasty fight.
Another surprise: a faithful cover of the first few parts of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” replete with Eddie Van Halen guitar parts.
Surprising indeed, for FOB to try and turn on the crowd with sample covers that were hits before most of them were born (Stump and Trohman are 23; Hurley 27; and Wentz 28).
But that’s the mark of great musicians, even if it’s too early to say whether FOB would reach the rock and roll hall of fame.
Meanwhile, to hear its own widely appreciated hits, such as the quirkily-titled “I’m Like A Lawyer with the Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)” and “Thnks for th Mmrs,” not to mention “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race,” are a confirmation of the band’s undeniable talent. (Interestingly, the first two aforementioned songs were produced on record by R&B superstar Babyface, due to perform also at the Big Dome on Oct. 13.)
Ironic, potent
These songs are full of irony -- a songwriting approach proven effective in portraying life’s tragicomic side, as well as capturing its audience’s short-attention span.
But looking at how the Pinoy youth worshipped FOB like heroes, especially a couple of straight-looking kids who danced the pogo like crazed punks circa late 1970s, it would probably take a long while before the potency of this kind of music wears off.
Photo courtesy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines--On the first of its two-night concert at the Araneta Coliseum, Fall Out Boy (from left: Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman, Pete Wentz and Andy Hurley) played a short but sensational set -- sending some 10,000 fans swooning and singing along from start to finish.
This was an audience that would have looked out of place in a rock concert. There were college and high school kids all right, but we weren’t prepared to see grade school children, too.
Surely they didn’t recognize the band’s opening gimmick -- a canned recording of The Foundations’ “Build Me Up, Buttercup” blaring on the house speakers -- which, we assumed, was FOB’s way of saying, “We’ve got loads of surprises coming your way!”
The first two numbers zipped by, catchy melodies so familiar, but whose titles we failed to remember.
One of the surprises came on: a note-for-note cover of Akon’s “Don’t Matter,” which the crowd loved but was deliberately cut short.
Then the band went back to playing its originals, punk-driven but with pop appeal, because they talked about teenage rage, isolation, frustration and search for love in a pleasant tone.
“This one’s about having a light in the dark,” vocalist Patrick Stump said, before leading the band into “Hum Hallelujah.” It was said to have been inspired by a Leonard Cohen song. And though it sounded spiritual, the lyrics went like this: “I sing the blues/And swallow them too…”
Bassist Pete Wentz, a fireball of energy who often twirled and brandished his guitar like a mad paratrooper, sounded offensive when he asked the audience: “Do you understand a word of what we’re talking about?”
Failed to research
Either he failed to do his research -- he would be playing in front of kids who could’ve been brown Americans -- or he simply didn’t want to be misunderstood. From the way he punctuated his spiels with “muthafu__ers,” it was obvious his adrenaline was on high mode.
The other members were a pure delight. Lead guitarist Joe Trohman, the band’s founder, had this habit of sprinting across the stage, all the way up the drummer’s platform, and then jumping off like he was skydiving.
Drummer Andy Hurley, a vegan and reportedly inspired by Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, banged away like someone possessed by the spirits of great heavy metal percussionists.
On center stage, a geek-looking Stump kept close to the mike and poured his emotion like a guy trying to make up with his girlfriend after a nasty fight.
Another surprise: a faithful cover of the first few parts of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” replete with Eddie Van Halen guitar parts.
Surprising indeed, for FOB to try and turn on the crowd with sample covers that were hits before most of them were born (Stump and Trohman are 23; Hurley 27; and Wentz 28).
But that’s the mark of great musicians, even if it’s too early to say whether FOB would reach the rock and roll hall of fame.
Meanwhile, to hear its own widely appreciated hits, such as the quirkily-titled “I’m Like A Lawyer with the Way I’m Always Trying To Get You Off (Me & You)” and “Thnks for th Mmrs,” not to mention “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race,” are a confirmation of the band’s undeniable talent. (Interestingly, the first two aforementioned songs were produced on record by R&B superstar Babyface, due to perform also at the Big Dome on Oct. 13.)
Ironic, potent
These songs are full of irony -- a songwriting approach proven effective in portraying life’s tragicomic side, as well as capturing its audience’s short-attention span.
But looking at how the Pinoy youth worshipped FOB like heroes, especially a couple of straight-looking kids who danced the pogo like crazed punks circa late 1970s, it would probably take a long while before the potency of this kind of music wears off.
Photo courtesy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
