Face masks, skeleton outfits, crazy lights, a ukulele, a drum set and a piano: that and much more is what was found at the 21 Pilots’ show Oct. 3 at the Aragon Ballroom.
The show was opened with “Nigel,” a voice accompanied by a light flashing whenever “he” spoke that announced the duo would be taking the stage. They played most of “Vessel,” but also threw in some fun covers.
After talking with “Nigel” about how the show was going they performed “All I do is Win,” “Bugatti,” “Drunk in Love,” and “I Can’t Help Falling in Love.” During “I Can’t Help Falling in Love,” Tyler Joseph stepped back to let the crowd sing and a chorus of voices at a show has never sounded as amazing as it did in that moment and any other time when Joseph let the crowd sing.
Joseph and Josh Dun, both came on stage in their usual face masks, not taking them off until later. They also dressed as skeletons and upon looking around two skeletons were up in the balcony as well, showing the support of the fans to be wearing masks when it was so hot and packed in the Aragon Ballroom. The support didn’t stop in the wearing of face masks, but in the crowd raising their one hand in a peace sign while crossing over it with the index finger of their other hand; a symbol of the duo.
At one point, Joseph also played the ukulele, including during “I Can’t Help Falling in Love” and “All I Do is Win.” They played a few songs not on “Vessel”, such as kitchen sink “Kitchen Sink.” Fellow concert attendee Rachel Hamilton even said she thought it was a song you would find in a movie soundtrack, and I completely agree. The entire show was powerful, but that song certainly was a stand-out.
Normally it’s important to be able to see whoever is on stage, but this show was different because the energy made it so there was no reason to be upset or angry about anything. It was a show where it was easy to forget about anything outside that room for the duration of the show. The lights and screens they had on stage added to the music and energy of the duo. Two guys on stage with a drum set and piano doesn’t seem like it would be that entertaining, but Joseph and Dun are one of a kind performers.
When they announced it would be their last few songs, they managed to slip in another cover, this time it being “Summertime Sadness.” Of course, everyone knew they would be back, but it was the matter of getting them back out there. “Nigel” informed the crowd that they would have to make them come back and so the cheering started. People were yelling, clapping, chanting and doing anything to get them out there. It even felt like the entire place was shaking with how many people were stomping their feet.
There was a collectivity to the crowd that can’t be found at all shows. Sometimes the people are annoyingly tall or maybe someone keeps shoving, but everyone here seemed like they were there for the same reason: the music and to enjoy their Friday night. That collectivity brought them back out. Joseph was in the crowd earlier in the show, but no one expected him to disappear from the stage to end up on a small platform in the middle of the crowd back by the sound area during “Car Radio.” When the song was over, he was back on stage before anyone had really known where he went. The show ended with a shower of confetti, and Joseph said, “You wanted one more, don’t waste one second of this. Jump with me.”
“You’ve never been far from where you want to be,” he said during the middle of their set. “So use this show to get back.”