Twenty One Pilots impresses fans at the Rave

Twenty+One+Pilots+drummer%2C+Josh+Dun%2C+performs.+The+two+piece+band+had+a+sold+out+show+at+the+Rave+Saturday%2C+October+4th.

Alexis Dohm

Twenty One Pilots drummer, Josh Dun, performs. The two piece band had a sold out show at the Rave Saturday, October 4th.

Alexis Dohm, Staff Writer

The Ohio based band, Twenty One Pilots, came to the Rave on October 4th for their ‘Quiet is Violent’ tour, leaving an incredible impression on the fans. The sold out show attracted Illinois and Wisconsin fans alike, creating a line around the building by six o’clock that night. The chilly weather didn’t keep people from staying outside the venue hours prior to the actual concert, and upon entering the building, there was a number of discarded blankets and pizza boxes left by fans.

The Eagles Ballroom filled quickly with anticipated fans, a considerably larger amount compared to their last show here, which was unable to sell out and was held in the smaller concert hall. By the time the first opening act began, the room was full and the temperature in the room was much warmer than outside.

Vinyl Theater, a Milwaukee based band, began the show at around 7:30. They did just as they were supposed to do; get everyone excited. Their music was catchy, the singer had a charismatic personality, and the stage lit up in reds and oranges for the entirety of their performance.

Then came Mister Wives, who brought an unexpected flair to their performance with saxophones and trumpets over the loud electronic sound of the band. Their color theme consisted of bright purples and pinks, and the front woman’s energy was infectious and unforgettable.

At around 9:30, everyone was excited and eagerly awaiting the show they’d been waiting for. The crowd had compressed and the ballroom was filled with noise, cheering, and talking alike.

The lights went out, and the room was completely black, except for a light bulb flickering on the stage and an ominous voice speaking over everyone, though it was hard to make out what it was saying due to the screaming and cheers of fans. In a sudden flash the stage lit up bright blue, and all that could be made out were the shadows of the band. The singer, Tyler Joseph, and the drummer, Josh Dun, waved and played their opening song, and everyone sang along.

The show progressed quickly, and a few moments were taken for the singer to speak. There was a feeling of energy rushing through the room for the whole performance, and when the crowd jumped you could feel the floor shaking.

The lights were incredible, giving the concert character. There were two screens behind the band on the stage, displaying different shapes and patterns in reds, blues and whites, all pulsing in beat with the music. The stage was constantly shrouded in blue and red as well, in honor of the band’s logo, which features three overlapping lines, one white, one blue and one red. The lights added to the overall energy, and were used so frequently, that by the end of the night three on the left side had burned out.

The band made the show seem personal as well. There were two instances where Joseph allowed the crowd to hold him up as he sang, high fiving and smiling at the fans who were yelling his name. Later, a platform was sent into the audience for the crowd to hold up, and Dun moved his drum set onto it and played on top of the crowd. Halfway through the show, Joseph disappeared from the stage only to appear behind everyone, about fifteen feet in the air on a platform, now wearing his signature ski mask and chanting lyrics.

The band covered several songs as well, including Lana Del Rey’s ‘Summertime Sadness’, Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’, Beyonce’s ‘Drunk In Love’, and even a rendition of Ace Hood’s ‘Bugatti’. Of course, they played their hit songs ‘Holding on to You’ and ‘House of Gold’, and the crowd went wild with excitement. Lighters and phone screens were held in the air for their performance of ‘Addict with a Pen’, which invoked emotions of adoration and even some tears of joy throughout the room. Even in such a big room with so many people, the show felt intimate. The lyrics ‘We’re broken people’ seemed to hang in the room for the whole night.

In the end, a room of tired and sweaty people left the Rave feeling satisfied. A girl was seen beaming, repeating “this is the best night of my life,” to her friend, and smiles lingered on several kid’s faces. Twenty One Pilots are known for lively performances, and their show at the Rave was a prime example.