Fall Out Boy at Wrigley Field , Chicago IL , So Much (For) Tourdust Night 1

June 21, 2023

I’ve been a (diehard) fan of Fall Out Boy for around 6 years, as a Chicagoland suburbs kid, I’ve been listening to them practically since I was born. Back in 2018 when they first played Wrigley, I wasn't able to go because I had to be at Synchronized Skating Practice at 4 am the next day. So when my mother agreed to letting me take my younger brother and we’d all go see Fall Out Boy, I was stoked. I bought the tickets during my 3rd period English class, because I was in High School. And I attended class.

My older-younger brother Dest made me a shirt that had the From Under The Cork Tree logo, specifically to wear to the show and as usual, I allotted myself an hour and a half to get ready. So when my mothers boyfriend arrived, off we went.

The car ride was fairly uneventful, I got to play a ton of Fall Out Boy and some of what I figured Royal and the Serpent and The Academy Is would play. After TWO HOURS, we finally parked and Jeremy and I practically sprinted to our seats in order to see Royal. 

Just as Royal started, we located our spots for the evening (did sit in the wrong ones for a second though, not our fault!). While she didn’t play songs I knew, nor the ones I thought she would, I thoroughly enjoyed her set. 

Starting out in a Cubs jersey and hat, she quickly dropped these items, leaving her in a cropped white tank and tiny red shorts. Jeremy could not look away. I joked about it with my mother after. I can’t lie, I was just as enthralled with her, but I was more impressed with her ability to mix Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit with her song Better (one of my favorites). Her set was over almost too quickly, and I sat anxiously awaiting Fall Out Boy.

For the third time, I received a message along the lines of “I can see you” from Robin, and when I looked down there was none other than my (third and final) brother. I forgot his hair was Gerard-ified! I texted my mother a photo of him, and she said she didn’t remember meeting him? Even though she has met him. Twice. 

After posting about seeing Robin (like a silly stalker!) I sat down to try and get my nerves to settle before the rest of the evening ensued. 

Leg bouncing, palms sweating, I watched The Academy Is’ background get set-up. As they started their first song, I stood up to get a better video for my friend Frank, as there was a pole slightly in my way. After ending my video, I put my phone down in a cup holder, to turn to my littlest of brothers (age-wise) and bother him with my singing of Phrase That Pays. This backfired on me, as when I picked up my phone to take another video, it PLUMMETED down the TINY LITTLE SLIVER OF AIR and into somebody's lap. I watched it soar all the way down, shouted “I’M GOING TO KILL MYSELF” and turned and started running. 

I have only run like this twice in my life, once to catch a bus, and once after Bright Eyes, to ensure my parking pass wouldn’t expire. I remembered, while sprinting (and singing) that I was wearing my binder and should not have been running, but nonetheless this was important. 

When I ran down to the section, I loudly and hurriedly apologized profusely for endangering the man whose lap my phone plummeted into, then asked if they were alright (hoping I wouldn’t get in trouble or something). They were fine, and so I turned and ran back up to Jeremy, texting him along the way that he was not to tell our mother, and that this was a secret that will die with us. The ladies behind me were incredibly impressed that my phone wasn’t broken, and that I had located it within 4 minutes. I run fast. 

The rest of their set went by with no other life-altering events. I became a little silly and insufferable when they played Slow Down and a solo version of Cobra Starship’s Bring It (Snakes On A Plane) since they didn’t play this in September. It made me laugh. Jeremy did not understand. Secretly Dest and I hoped that they’d play Big Mess or After The Last Midtown Show, but alas they did not. That was fine. 

Apparently my mom and her boyfriend finished their dinner in time to catch most of their set, and afterwards my mother commented on how she enjoyed their set.

After they finished, I went on a mission. I went down to the first floor to meet my fellow mouse, Jasper, and he gave me a bracelet that says Squeak on it! While on my way to find merch, I got redirected about 6 different ways about 12 different times, and on one of my treks, some guy shoulder-checked me, and his beer spilled all over my shoulder. The woman he was with started wiping it off of me, touching a little too close to my chest. Overwhelmed and anxious, I pushed her away and very angrily went to find merch and now food for my mother and brother. 

The place I went had neither the merch I wanted, nor the food I needed to get, and the couple in front of me were acting almost worse than the couple in front of me at Bright Eyes. So after retrieving a singular water I walked back up to my seat, thoroughly angry, hungry and upset. The other thing I hated was that every adult that talked to me looked at me like I was 14 years old and I have never wanted to be seen as an adult more. It was frustrating.

I missed most of Alkaline Trio’s set, but from what I did see, I didn’t enjoy it and it felt agonizingly long. My mother and her boyfriend strongly disliked their set.

Finally, it was time. As Robin would say (I guess?), the big cheese (I dunno). As Fall Out Boy took the stage, I began to cry. 

Here are some great highlights:

• When their set started, The Pink Seashell played, and I had predicted this. I started crying so hard when I realized this was real.

• I cried through Love From The Other Side and Save Rock and Roll (jer cired too). I’ve wanted to scream “oh no we won’t go, cause we don’t know when to quit” for as long as I can remember.

• I headbanged a lot and so did the guy next to me.

• I texted Dest when Disloyal started, and screamed really hard. This also solidified my need to get a Detox to Retox tattoo, which I hope to get within the next 2 months.

• Their lights moved down to mimic a small (i’m guessing 300) cap-venue and I screamed like Bella did when they played Grand Theft Autumn.

• The blow up dog was CRAZY, and every time the set changed, I was incredibly impressed and anxious.

• I got wayyyy to into Hold Me Like a Grudge, and was essentially shaking ass while this guy was trying to get past me into his seat.

• Pete had a talk about “the floor is lava”, which was sweet but I laughed at him a bit. Also he had a bit of magic? I have no clue.

• When they played Sixteen Candles I screamed so loud, and I did the same thing when they played G.I.N.A.S.F.S.

• GAY IS NOT A SYNONYM FOR SHITTY FOR THE FIRST. TIME. EVER. DURING PRIDE MONTH.

• Apparently it was one of the loudest crowds Wrigley has ever had, and some say that people in Evanston could kinda hear us (I feel this might be a lie).

When their set ended, it felt like the show had just begun, and I walked in shock out to get merch, Jeremy close behind me. The last Clandestine shirt was sold right in front of my eyes, and so I bought a size small shirt (all that was left) for myself and went to find my mother and her brother, in utter disbelief and as Dest said-> “autistic awe”.