Tag Archives: Summer Concerts

REVIEW: Fitz and The Tantrums Delivers Essential Energy at Arizona Financial Theatre (8-8-24)

PHOENIX — Arizona weather has been chaotic recently. We’ve had our sweltering days, relentless in the waves of heat emanating from every direction, making residents want to stay inside and bask in the glory of central air. Recently, with the monsoons, we’ve even been granted some of that humidity we’ve all heard so much about but rarely experience. We needed a reprieve from this heat and occasionally muggy air. Seeing Fitz and The Tantrums’ recent performance at the Arizona Financial Theatre was a spiritual amnesty — a stay of execution from excessive heat, if you will. 

Fitz and The Tantrums

“We’re Fitz and The Tantrums!
Now, get your hands in the air!” 

Fitz and The Tantrums’ arrival on stage seemed perfectly timed, as the seats had just completely filled, and the general admission around the stage had swelled to occupy every inch of space. The band’s dynamic hybrid of neo-soul and indie pop was the ideal remedy to combat the steamy temps and stifling air, a refreshing breeze that cools the body and revitalizes the soul. 

Michael Fitzpatrick - Fitz and The Tantrums
Michael Fitzpatrick (Vocalist, Guitarist), Fitz and The Tantrums
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

The band opened with “Sway” and “Heaven,” letting the audience fully feel the moment, come alive, and cosmically link with the music. The energy was immediate, like an electric current surging through the crowd, passing from one person to the next. In those two songs, there was a moment of magic as the crowd began to dance. In the pit, they moved in unison, and it continued, like the wave at a sporting event, rising through the crowd and bringing those in the seats to their feet as they began to move. 

Noelle Scaggs - Fitz and The Tantrums
Noelle Scaggs (Vocalist, Percussion), Fitz and The Tantrums
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

What makes Fitz and The Tantrums so appealing and beloved by their audience — which ranged from young children to adults who have followed them for the entirety of their 17 years of existence — is their ability to blend old and new sounds into something wholly unique. For example, I noticed a family in front of me with three kids, approximately five to early teens, all of them overjoyed and grooving to every song, never once sitting down during the set. Each song seamlessly combines elements of classic soul, funk, and jazz, evoking an auditory experience that is both timeless and undeniably fresh. — a perfect cocktail of nostalgia with a modern twist. 

Michael Fitzpatrick - Fitz and The Tantrums
Michael Fitzpatrick (Vocalist, Guitarist), Fitz and The Tantrums
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

As they powered through the next few songs — “OCD,” “Good Intentions,” and the relentless pop of “123456,” accompanied by the most enthusiastic, theatre-wide clap-along anyone has ever witnessed — they built momentum, with the band visibly feeding off of the crowd’s energy. Multi-instrumentalist James King, bassist Joseph Karnes, keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna, and drummer Blair Sinta kept the heat up so that co-lead vocalists Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs, leading the clapping, could cook. Their cover of The Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” originally released on their Live in Chicago album, was a delightful mid-set surprise. 

Noelle Scaggs - Fitz and The Tantrums
Noelle Scaggs (Vocalist, Percussion), Fitz and The Tantrums
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

With “Out of My League,” the band really hit the gas, urging the crowd to “lift a big heart into the sky.” The audience responded majestically, with both hands flying to the sky to form a field of swaying hearts, moving back and forth as if the music was the winds blowing them to and fro. Just as Fitz and the Tantrums got those symbolic hearts swaying and their literal hearts thumping, they built a giant backing-vocal ensemble from the crowd with “Moneymaker.” 

Michael Fitzpatrick - Fitz and The Tantrums
Michael Fitzpatrick (Vocalist, Guitarist), Fitz and The Tantrums
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

In a personal moment, Fitzpatrick spoke about his wife, a native of Gilbert, and the time they spend in the area, visiting her family during holidays, signifying how much Arizona means to him and is in his heart, like a second home. Phone lights illuminated the theatre for “I Just Wanna Shine,” creating a sea of light. “All the Feels,” “The Walker,” and “Moneygrabber” propelled the show into the home stretch. After a moment when Fitzpatrick and Scaggs reflected on their journey as a band across the past 17 years, they led the show to a triumphant close with “Hand Clap.” 

Noelle Scaggs - Fitz and The Tantrums
Noelle Scaggs (Vocalist, Percussion), Fitz and The Tantrums
Photography:
Katherine Amy Vega © All Rights Reserved

Right now, Arizona may be sultry on its best days and searing (mostly) on its worst, and Fitz and The Tantrums brough love and cool vibes to refresh us all.

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Photo Gallery

Photographer: Katherine Amy Vega

Photography © Katherine Amy Vega, Kataklizmic Design
All Rights Reserved.

Fall Out Boy to Take the Stage for “So Much for (Tour) Dust” Summer Tour

Fall Out Boy is set to hit the stage for their highly anticipated “So Much for (Tour) Dust” North American summer tour. The band, which has been making waves in the music industry for over a decade, plans to bring you their latest music from their 8th studio album, So Much (for) Stardust. The album was released on March 24, 2023, a staggering five years after their previous album, M A N I A. 

Fall Out Boy ‘So Much (for) Stardust

The tour will launch in the Chicago-band’s hometown and Wrigley Field. Fans across the country have been eagerly awaiting the release, and now they’re finally getting their chance to hear the new tracks live. And the best part? They won’t be doing it alone. Bring Me to the Horizon will join them on most tour dates. And, on select shows, you can catch other incredible acts like Alkaline Trio, New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, The Academy Is…, Royal & The Serpent, Games We Play, Daisy Grenade, and Carr

For the Phoenix tour date, the band will be taking the stage on June 30th at Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre. It’s just one of the many shows the outdoor venue has planned for its jam-packed summer schedule. 

If you’re a fan of the band, you won’t want to miss out on any of the action. Head over to https://bit.ly/3lDcodj more details on the “So Much for (Tour) Dust” North American summer tour. 

With their combination of punk rock, pop and emo influences, Fall Out Boy is sure to bring you an unforgettable experience that you won’t want to miss. Mark your calendars and get ready to rock out with one of the biggest bands in the world!

Fall Out Boy Summer 2023 Tour Dates:

  • June 21* – Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field
  • June 23* – Maryland Heights, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
  • June 24≠* – Bonner Springs, KS – Azura Amphitheater
  • June 27 – The Woodlands, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
  • June 28 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
  • June 30 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
  • July 1 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
  • July 2 – Los Angeles, CA – BMO Stadium
  • July 5 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
  • July 7 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
  • July 9≠ – Englewood, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
  • July 11 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP
  • July 13 – Somerset, WI – Somerset Amphitheater
  • July 15 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
  • July 16 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
  • July 18 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center
  • July 19 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
  • July 21 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
  • July 22 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
  • July 24 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
  • July 25 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
  • July 26 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheater
  • July 29 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
  • July 30 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
  • August 1 – Forest Hills, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
  • August 2 – Boston, MA – Fenway Park
  • August 4 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
  • August 5 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
  • August 6 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

 Non-Live Nation date 

*Alkaline Trio as direct support; all other dates feature Bring Me The Horizon as direct support