Brutish black-and-red imagery flashed across the massive video walls that lined the stage as the zealous duo, Twenty One Pilots, threw a rowdy and sold-out weeknight party Thursday at South Side Ballroom that felt like a Saturday night rager.
The Columbus, Ohio pair gives off a dark, gothic vibe, but underneath all the hype, they're really just two humble musicians who write and perform catchy and relatable alternative pop.
Even the eerie ski masks they stepped out in during Thursday night's performance painted a different picture than what the two were selling. Their style is a melting pot of genres--reggae tones, playful melodies, beat-heavy tempos and rapid rap verses come together to build their refreshingly different brand that's flooding the airwaves. Front man Tyler Joseph matches the energy of their tireless tracks onstage by climbing on anything that can hold him (keyboards, drum kits, speakers) and engaging the crowd as much as possible.
The current single, "Stressed Out," came early in the set. Joseph delivered it with rapid-fire ease, leading the crowd through the track's honest lyrics. The ambitious group doesn't settle for an everyday performance, instead, Joseph and drummer Josh Dun turn it on its head by climbing atop the crowded pit or doing flips off the keyboard.
It doesn't matter if they're playing during the sweltering heat at an outdoor festival like Bonnaroo (theirs was one of the best sets of the four-day festival), or at a more intimate venue like South Side Ballroom, this pair knows how to make the stage their playground and take the crowd along for the ride.
Not letting their antics steal the show, standout tracks like "Polarize" and "Lane Boy" showed off Dun's tenacious drum work and Joseph's unfaltering flow. Engaging the active crowd came easy for Joseph, who focused more on audience involvement during songs rather than talking about himself or the band. He continuously switched between the guitar, bass, keys and a ukulele whenever he wasn't singing from the swinging overhead mic or making his way through the crowded pit.
Whether it was a hit single from the radio or a lesser-known number from their 2015 release, Blurryface, the audience sang along to almost every word, reinforcing their strong Dallas fan base. Even as the set came to a close, the band brought out a second drum kit that Dun proceeded to play off the edge of the stage, practically floating above the front rows.
Twenty One Pilots' memorable dynamic is something to experience and should be on every concertgoer's bucket list.
Photo gallery:
