Australian pop-rockers – Michael Clifford, Luke Hemmings , Calum Hood, and Ashton Irwin – grace the stage of AO Arena in Manchester – selling out one of their three UK shows on their latest tour – The 5 Seconds of Summer Show.
Opening with ‘Bad Omens’ from their latest album – 5SOS5 – the crowd falls into a simultaneous sea of jumping and movement. The boys sing: “We go ’round again / We jump back in bed / That’s what you do when you love somebody,” and the crowd screams the words with an energetic passion.
With an extensive twenty-eight-song setlist – there was no time for a break – as the band flows seamlessly and effortlessly into each song with mesmerising guitar and drum transitions. ‘Blender’ – another track off their latest release – lends the crowd to another chant. “All the things you said / In my head / Richochetin’ off the bed,” surrounds the arena as the guitarist Clifford choreographically dances about the stage whilst interacting with the crowd. The energy exerted from the boys within the first four songs in the set – proves it to be a show for the history books.
Classic 5sos hits such as ‘She’s Kinda Hot’ and ‘Amensia’ are intertwined into the show as the band remains faithful to the 2014 Tumblr roots. ‘Amnesia’ allows the arena to become alit with phone torches and lighters as 5sos perform one of their sadder and softer hits – which tugs at many a heartstring.
‘Vapor’, ‘Waste the Night’, and ‘Don’t Stop’ transition into each other – the boys play snippets of each song, which allows them to show off their musicality and ability to transition and mix their hits into one another perfectly.
Hood recalls the band’s previous times playing in Manchester and wishes the band could: “Play in Manchester every night! The Manchester crowd is the best one so far!”
Then emerges a gigantic inflatable red dice – on each side a hidden gem in the 5sos discography – a song that has not been played live for a long time. The boys say this part of the show happens to allow OG fans to hear one of their favourite songs. Hemmings throws the dice angrily into the crowd – arms flail in the air, aiming to return the dice to the stage before the timer runs out. With that, the crowd bellows with cheers – ‘Voodoo Doll’ – from their debut record – She Looks So Perfect – is the winner.
The ‘Best Friends Cam’ is introduced as the heartwarming ‘Best Friends’ is played. Embraces are shared to get on the big screen. The crowd dances and enjoys the moment: a moment for both the band and their fans.
Irwin – hidden in the back behind his drum kit – introduces the next segment of the show – a sound battle between him and the crowd. Each section has rounds as the crowd aims to make more noise than the drummer each time. Rigged so that Irwin wins – the words YOU LOSE appear on screen as the band transitions into their song – ‘Meet You There’.
Clifford takes centre stage before performing ‘Jet Black Heart’ – a stand-out moment in the show. He recalls his time in the band and revels in the success and friendship they have created over the years. He also alludes to his future of fatherhood – the band smiles and congratulates the guitarist. Assuming the band will take a break after this run of shows to honour Clifford’s time as a father – it becomes an emotional moment as they sing: “‘Cause I’ve got a jet black heart / And there’s a hurricane underneath it.”
‘She Looks So Perfect’ – their first single and hit sends the crowd into another surge of movement – everyone lets loose. Hemmings sprints across the stage wearing an ‘I Love 5sos’ t-shirt – something a fan would love to own after the show.
As an interlude appears on the screen of the Aussie lads entering a hotel retreat – they remember that the crowd wants more – an encore. Re-emerging onto the stage wearing white bathrobes – 5sos delves into a hidden gem in their catalogue – ‘Outer-Space’. “The darkest night never felt so bright / With you by my side,” reverberates throughout the crowd – another wholesome moment of the show.
Ending with their hit song ‘Youngblood’ as the air fills with confetti- it is evident that The 5 Seconds of Summer Show embodies everything the four lads have achieved in their career – it is also a gift to their fans for sticking around. With a carefully curated setlist and impressive visuals – this performance puts 5sos at their prime and highlights how they were and are such a pillar group in the Tumblr era of music and fan culture.
