Band Makes Triumphant Return With New Sound

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5 Seconds of Summer performs on April 8, 2018

Alyssa Blair, News Editor

Australian pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer, more commonly known as 5sos, kicked off the American leg of their tour, entitled 5sos III, on April 8 at Paradise Rock Club in Boston Massachusetts.

The foursome garners a following of 12.5 million followers on their band twitter, as well as about 13 million with their combined individual accounts. The band’s Instagram page boasts similar numbers, with 7.3 million followers, and several additional millions between their individual Instagrams. These numbers demonstrate the massive following that the band has globally, so it may surprise some that they kicked off their return tour following their two year hiatus by playing a series of smaller, lesser known venues. These smaller shows are a large contrast to the large arena shows which a band of this magnitude usually plays, and is also what the band played on their last tour in 2016. This tour is their first in nearly two years.

Their popularity was also evidenced by the rapid presales, which sold out in hours of being opened on Ticketmaster, and the long line of eager teenage fans that circled the downtown club and even went across the street as they vied for a spot as close to the stage as possible at the general admission show.

Upon entrance to the venue, the club was dark and a sound track of classic rock and R&B songs served as the opening act for the band. There was an open floor and the option of a balcony, with a bar in the corner. While everyone was crowded together, the air stayed cool. Security was top notch, marking hands of those under age 21 with a “X” to avoid minors buying alcohol. When there was a disturbance in the audience before the band’s entrance, security guards again dealt with the incident smoothly and professionally, removing the source of the disturbance.

The band made their entrance to a classic single that embraces their more pop sound “She Looks So Perfect.” Some would argue it’s even the song that skyrocketed the bank to stardom back in 2014 when it was released. The rest of the play list consisted of an equal mix of old and new, with older singles like “Amnesia” and “Waste the Night” from their former chart-topping albums 5 Seconds of Summer and “Sounds Good Feels Good.” In addition, the band also tested out some of their new material, off their new album “Young Blood” which will be released in June of 2018. Songs like “Lie To Me,” “Young Blood,” “Talk Fast,” “Valentine,” and “Moving Along” were crowd favorites, although not many knew the lyrics.

The show featured the band’s signature high-energy performance, as well as the timeless sound of a proper rock quartet who plays their own instruments, writes their own lyrics, and share the singing amongst all the musicians. While the venue was small and the crowd was tightly packed, the intimacy of the smaller club setting allowed for fans to hear and see their favorite band in a newer, deeper, and more personal light.