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Somewhere someone on this planet thought putting a rapper and a pop-punk band on the same tour was a brilliant idea.
We should probably not let that person make big decisions anymore.
The only thing Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa have in common is black skinny jeans. Nevertheless, the pair co-headlined their Boys of Zummer tour at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Thursday.
*See a photo gallery of Khalifa and Fall Out Boy performing
*See photos of fans tailgating before the Darien Lake show
Fall Out Boy’s style is heavy on Patrick Stump’s roaring vocals, captivating music and a genuine people-loving attitude. Wiz Khalifa’s lyrics are heavy on marijuana, partying and objectifying women. I don’t see much wrong with the former, but when you open your set with a video of two topless women in a bed for your pleasure alone, that doesn’t really sit well with me.‘’Click &Close Ads’’
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Khalifa opened with “Roll Up” and continued with his hits “Black and Yellow” and “We Dem Boyz.” The crowd seemed to love him, despite the fact that he barely did anything. He rapped the bits of his songs that required him to, but mainly he stood on stage smoking – something – and letting his fans enjoy the track playing in the background with his voice recorded on it. You could have the same experience closing your eyes in a room filled with stoners and blasting a Wiz Khalifa album.The best part of his set was his final song, “See You Again,” which was featured in “Furious 7” as a tribute to the late Paul Walker. The crowd singing along with the song was moving, especially given the context.
After a terrible interlude by DJ Drama, who didn’t know how to transition one song to another, Fall Out Boy came out swinging with their throwback hit “Sugar We’re Goin' Down.” (In case you didn’t get the joke, the next word in the title would be “swinging.”)
This was definitely the show for old school Fall Out Boy fans. Since the band came back from hiatus in 2013 with their “Save Rock and Roll” album, their sound has evolved quite a bit. They aren’t quite punk; they aren’t quite pop; but they don’t fit with the other bands generally characterized as pop-punk either. Out of a 15-song set with a two-song encore, only four songs came from their newest album, “American Beauty/American Psycho,” and eight songs were from albums released before the hiatus.‘’Click &Close Ads’’
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The band did an acoustic set on a small platform in the center of the crowd where they played “Immortals,” their hit song featured in Disney’s “Big Hero 6,” and “Young Volcanoes,” the perfect windows down, driving on the highway, wind in your hair summer song. The acoustic set was balanced by Andy Hurley’s drum solo that immediately followed, which then led into yet another throwback hit “Dance, Dance.”Patrick Stump’s vocals are among the few that can sound just as good live if not better. With his extremely dynamic range and tact for belting out long, perfect notes, he could carry the band, but he definitely doesn’t have to. In addition to solid bass playing and onstage antics, Pete Wentz offers his relatable personality – Fall Out Boy is unique in the way that the lead singer is not necessarily the front man, Wentz is.
Joe Trohman, lead guitarist, doesn’t blow your mind shredding on his signature Telecaster, but he’s still fantastic. Drummer Andy Hurley offers dynamic beats and really adds something to whatever is going on in a song.In between a few songs, audio clips of Alan Watts’ lectures were played with grainy video. It gave an esoteric, poetic vibe.‘’Click &Close Ads’’
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The band ended the encore with the same song they have for the past three shows they’ve played in Western New York, “Saturday,” a hit from “Take This to Your Grave,” which was released back in 2003.
By the end of Fall Out Boy’s set, I nearly forgot Wiz Khalifa played. Bottom line: Fall Out Boy was memorable. Wiz Khalifa, not so much.‘’Click &Close Ads’’
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