After taking a hiatus in 2009, the future looked bleak for Fall Out Boy. The response to Folie à Deux was disappointing and it was clear that the band were feeling artistically unsatisfied. Going their separate ways, the foursome engaged in other musical endeavours which culminated in them all reuniting in 2013 to reignite the Fall Out Boy flame. With two albums (and an experimental punk EP) released in as many years since then, it’s clear from seeing the band perform live that their dark days are behind them. Before we go on, however, a mention must be given to Professor Green’s performance as the support act for this evening. Fall Out Boy are renowned for picking support acts that you perhaps would not expect from them, so the audiences who come to their shows are often open-minded. This is clear in Professor Green’s reception, as the pop-meets-grime vibe of ‘Remedy’ goes down a storm. In his own words, he makes the First Direct Arena ‘a bit grimey’ on this Saturday evening. As Fall Out Boy hit the stage and explode into ‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’, the set list proves to be an even mix of new and old material. They treat the crowd to rarities, such as the screamo-heavy ‘I Slept With Someone in Fall Out Boy…’. The fiery, hair-raising anthem ‘Thriller’ exhibits Patrick Stump’s incredible vocal range superbly, as does the acoustic versions (performed at the back of the crowd by the sound desk) of the toe-tappingly good ‘Immortals’ and the light and summery ‘Young Volcanoes’. Drummer Andy Hurley’s drum solo is a particular highlight; starting off with a remix of Kanye West’s ‘Mercy’, he demonstrates the range of his drumming talent which extends between genres. If there was anything that could confirm Fall Out Boy are back in the music game for the long run, it’s undoubtedly coming to their shows and seeing their hypnotically engaging onstage presence and their army of dedicated fans, who are still here singing every word back to the band at their shows after all these years.

Emily Clarkson