The crowd is larger than life at The Enterprise Center on this magical October day. The line formed starting at 8am for a chance to be up close and personal with this tour. Tik Tok has revealed some of the magic that happens during this tour, and fans didn’t wanna miss out on this opportunity to be front and center.
The opening act: Balu Brigada, New Zealand’s dynamic alt pop duo, fueled by the innovative spirit of brothers Henry and Pierre Beasley, versatile musician-writer-producers. With a sound heavily influenced by 80/90’s new wave rock, the duo played eight songs. While their set was short, they were determined to make the most of it by keeping the audience fully engaged throughout their dynamic performance. As charismatic and inviting as their music was, the crowd was clearly here and ready for Twenty One Pilots.
The stage show, along with a 28 song setlist, featured many of Twenty One Pilots’ greatest hits- they could’ve played for hours longer to be honest. Once the curtain dropped, the fans were on ten the duration of the concert.
Some of the magic happened during the first few songs. Dun stepped out from behind the drums to do a backflip off Joseph’s piano (which always gets the crowd jazzed). Joseph later ran at that same upright, leaping in the air and springing off the top of it without missing a beat in the song. I can only highlight a few magical moments or else I could easily write a novel about this production.
During the performance of “Car Radio,” Joseph appeared to be playing his piano while donning his signature ski mask. House lights drop,and a spotlight suddenly shifted focus to a figure in the upper level, who removed his ski mask to reveal his true identity as Joseph. The illusion that only gets more memorizing each time I see it in person.
Dun’s ‘Mulberry Street’ sorcery was equally as mesmerizing. One second, he’s drumming incognito, the next he’s across the arena, mask-free and holding a torch. I’ve witnessed this wizardry at a previous show, and it still blows my mind.
The boys definitely know how to work the room(THE ENTIRE ROOM). There’s never a bad seat in the house for their shows, and the crowd interactions are intimate despite the size of the venue.
During “Ride,” a Twenty One Pilots anthem, Joseph said, “Let’s bring up the next generation of fans to sing !” And with that, Landry, a sweet girl with her stuffed pony in hand, joined him on the chorus hook, creating an unforgettable moment. The crowd chanted her name as she left the stage. It was such a heartwarming moment.
The encore: Joseph instructed fans to clear out a large circle in the middle of the pit, making room for two mini stages, one holding Joseph’s piano and mic, the other holding Dun’s drums. St.Louis took a minute to follow instructions, but finally did it. Once situated, they allowed the fans to crowd around them as they brought the concert to a close – fully immersed in the crowd. Their transcendent rendition of “Trees” ended in audience members holding floor toms in the air for them to pound on. They then poured water onto toms to create a visual moment with every hit, all of this happening as confetti rained down on the crowd.
Twenty One Pilots stand out as a phenomenal live act that will inspire, energize, and exceed your highest expectations. Every time I have attended a show, I leave boasting how great that show was. Every time I attend a show, it’s ALWAYS BETTER than the previous production. I couldn’t imagine this tour being better than the last, and it was mind blowing. Some of my most favorite moments at shows is seeing reactions from first time attendees. This production was no exception because it felt like I was seeing them for the first time all over again (and this was my fifth time seeing them)! It’s amazing when a musical group can recreate that first time experience. I can’t put it all in words, so you’re gonna have to find out for yourself, so DO NOT HESITATE to buy those tickets in a city near you.
Melissa O’Rourke aka WickedWitchofSTL is a jack of all trades. By day she’s an established tattooist and piercer, by night a mother to her amazing son (who is a hell of a guitarist). Melissa has a musical background and can often be found at a local karaoke joint, or a concert when she’s not driving across the country for an adventure. This social butterfly always welcomes conversation so come say hi! See y’all at the next gig!
