Fall Out Boy: The Full Monty

Watch the weirdness: Check out our interview with FOB
Broadband high (200k)
Broadband low (100k)

Introducing the fans:

Hendri
He is a Capetonian with a love for film. Being stuck in Joburg, without a car, money, or his gang of friends, he still made it to the concert.

On high rotation on his Ipod... The Used, Arcade Fire, Taking Back Sunday, Bloc Party, Fall Out Boy

Leezl
She is a passionate lover of live music and fashionable trainers (after breaking her leg tumbling down some stairs at Mercury Live)

On her Ipod… Citizen Cope, Kings of Leon, Maximo Park, Japan and I, Arctic Monkeys

What they had to say: What was the crowd like and how did they react?

Hendri: I’ve never seen so many skinny jeans and variations of black-dyed emo-hairstyles in my life. The crowd was very energetic and seemed to love everything FOB dished up.

Leezl: The crowd was quite receptive for the most part, but still very sober (see bar issues). I got the sense that most people only knew the popular songs. The band tried to get a Circle Pit going, they even recruited one of their mates to get into the crowd and start things off, but it seems South Africans are more comfortable with moshing - headbanger style.

How was the sound quality?

Hendri: From point blank range the quality was flawless, but from further back it might have been a different story…

Leezl: In the beginning it wasn't great - and I was standing in the middle of the golden circle. But it got better towards the end.

Did they play mostly commercial songs or some of their older, more underground stuff?

Hendri: There was variety… they played a lot of the new commercial hits but also some songs showing their roots, enough to satisfy their original fans.

Leezl: They got the balance right, they played songs off all their albums. They also did a great cover of Michael Jackson's 'Beat It'.

What did you think of the band’s image?

Hendri: I don’t think they try to portray any sort of image; I don't think they take themselves serious enough to plan a whole look just for stage.

Leezl: They have an ok look, seems they don't really care too much, except for Pete Wentz, who looks like he might have a stylist. Funny thing, he threw his red T-shirt into the crowd and at the end when I was leaving there were still eight guys holding onto the shirt, not one was prepared to let go.

What was your favourite song?

Hendri: ‘I slept with someone in FO…’ or something I think it’s called.

Leezl: ’The Carpal Tunnel Of Love’

Your favourite live act so far this year?

Hendri: Um, I think this was it.

Leezl: You have to allow me three because they are all different in their own right... Lark, Japan and I and Taxi Violence

What did you think of the opening acts?

Hendri: I didn’t really get a chance to see enough of them to have an opinion.

Leezl: I only saw a bit of Love Jones and they sure looked like they were having fun and giving it their best shot.

How was the venue? Was there enough beer / toilets / food?

Hendri: We were lucky enough to have VIP tickets, so we didn't do much standing in queues.

Leezl: No way, it was totally under-catered for. It seems like Big Concerts never learn. The bar queue was about 20 people deep when we arrived. We heard there were only two bars for something like 15 000 people – insane! I was lucky, I found a secret way to wiggle in from the side. Nice flat beer for the rest of the concert – yummy.

What did you do after the gig?

Hendri: We went to Catwalk in Fourways, we were actually invited by the band to hang out. We met them before the concert and first thought they were joking, but yeah, they were actually there and so were we.

Leezl: We heard that some venue had arranged an official after party but couldn't get any info, so we ended up going to Manhattan in Rivonia, which was a totally different vibe, but we still bumped into lots of people from the concert.

Are Fall Out Boy better live or on CD? Why?

Hendri: They give off a lot of energy in their live show, something which you obviously can’t experience on the CD.

Leezl: Way better live, they did some interesting takes on their songs. I love live music. Any band is better live.

* Check out the gallery: Leezl took pics as fans queued for autographs before the boys' big gig.

- Annel Malan