Fall Out Boy at Basketball City

Patrick Stump

Several musicians in Chicago's hardcore punk rock scene sought a pop punk side project and formed Fall Out Boy in 2001 in suburban Wilmette, Illinois. They took the name Fall Out Boy from the fictional character in The Simpsons and Bongo Comics. Success came rather quickly, with the band finding itself at the forefront of the "emo pop" movement in the mid-2000s. After selling millions of records, Fall Out Boy took a hiatus from 2009 to 2013, during which the members pursued individual projects. Fall Out Boy presently consists of vocalist/keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, bassist Pete Wentz and drummer Andy Hurley. Fall Out Boy's sixth studio album, American Beauty/American Psycho, was released on January 20, 2015. Fall Out Boy also released a remix version of that album, Make America Psycho Again, featuring several rappers, on October 30, 2015.

Headlining the Pandora Holiday Live concert tonight on a makeshift stage at Basketball City, Fall Out Boy performed a high energy pop rock set whose unfettered intensity was the only element that hearkened to the band's punk roots. Otherwise, the songs were rich with agreeable melodies and infectious hook lines. The audience responded heartily to the string of hits, with Stump engaging the fans to sing the chorus of "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" and other songs. As Fall Out Boy performed "Immortals," scenes from Big Hero 6, the animated film that featured the song, were projected behind the band. Along with the originals, Fall Out Boy covered Michael Jackson's "Beat It," and "Uma Thurman" included the melody line from the theme to The Munsters. The dizzying pace of the stage lighting matched the frenetic all-out rocking performance for much of the show. Fall Out Boy excelled as a pop emo band and kept its young fans happy.

Visit Fall Out Boy at www.falloutboy.com.