By Mallorie Munoz
Managing Editor
@munoz_mallorie
DALLAS- “You are not alone” lead singer Sydney Sierota of Echosmith said.
From the opening act to the final curtain close, a positive, encouraging energy circulated the small ballroom on Thursday night. The sibling-composed band Echosmith opened the show, performing tracks from their debut album “Talking Dreams.”
By the time Twenty One Pilots took the stage, over 14 people had been pulled out of the crowd due to overheating and fainting. The number of extracted audience members grew as the night progressed. The die-hard energy of fans was clearly seen and heard by the band.
“On the count of three, everybody take two big steps back” lead singer Tyler Joseph said.
Reluctantly, the crowd shifted back.
There is a lot to be said about a fan base as intense as this one. Fans camped outside of South Side Ballroom overnight, anticipating the concert that would not take place for another 24 hours. Many fans arrived at 1 p.m. on the day of the concert to find a lengthy line. The doors opened at 6 p.m. and the concert began at 7 p.m.
The concert was sold out. By the time the concert began there were approximately 2000 people filling the floor.
Beginning with “Heavy Dirty Soul” the band took to their quirky stage presence, and fans loved it.
Twenty One Pilots has a performance and sound unlike anything else. Musically, they are typically categorized as schizophrenic pop, due to their quickly spouted lyrics and content. Common themes found in tracks address mental health and provide hope for those listening.
Performance wise, fans can expect the unexpected. The duo backflips off of elevated platforms, wildly dances, wears ski masks, and at one point, Joseph pulled his shirt over his head and performed “The Judge” beneath it.
Although on tour for their latest release” Blurryface”, the band performed tracks from all three of their albums. A medley played centerstage by the duo beginning with “Pantaloon” and ending with “Run and Go”, captivated the crowd and gave new fans a chance to hear songs from older albums.
When performing “Doubt”, Joseph split the crowd into two sides and assigned each side a part in the song, but the interactive experience did not end there.
Part of Twenty One Pilots show is to stand on top of the crowd, similar to crowd surfing, and allow the audience to hold them up as they each play a drum. Fans in the front rows reach up and steadily hold a large platform, and with the help of security guards, Joseph and drummer Joshua Dun climb onto the boards, causing the crowd to go wild.
Another signature piece of their show is challenging an audience member to follow along with a secret handshake the band has. Gracie Baker, Thursday’s fan, knew the entire routine, and left the stage after hugging Dun.
“I’ve always imagined him[Dun] three inches tall because I’ve only seen them on my phone,” Baker said. “It was crazy to see them, because it was like ‘they’re a real height, and real people.”
For Baker, and many others, seeing Twenty One Pilots was an unforgettable experience.
When singing “Car Radio”, the band put on their signature ski masks. Joseph finished the performance on an elevated platform in the middle of the room, looking down on the crowd, and finished the song holding his ski mask out for one lucky fan to catch.
The encore song, “Trees” was performed, as yet another Twenty One Pilots ritual. The song starts soft and slow, but escalates and eventually, confetti is projected into the air, signaling the end of the night.
The duo has promised to return to Dallas if fans will allow it. Judging by the cheers and screams following the proposition, Dallas can expect to hear from Twenty One Pilots again.
