Forty eight time Boyband of the Year winners 5 Seconds of Summer had their pink limousine drop them off in front of a sold out crowd at The Kia Forum last week for the hottest party in town. The Aussie quartet now calls Los Angeles home, so Saturday’s Everyone’s a Star Tour show was extra special for both the band and the fans.
Their satirical, documentary-style intro video welcomed the screaming fans to the show, launching the band right into “NOT OK” and “No. 1 Obsession”. The circular arena was showered in star-shaped confetti from the jump, while guitarist Michael Clifford showed off his skills, singer Luke Hemmings held down the center and drummer Ashton Irwin bashed away atop their stage limo. The quartet shared vocal duties throughout the show, trading lines and encouraging the audience to sing along to “More” and “Easier” as the show transitioned into the various acts laid out by the band.
As has also been tradition, 5SOS whipped out a customized PowerPoint for the L.A. fans, treating their chosen hometown as their tourist destination for the day (and dredging up some band lore from their first headlining turn over a decade ago). Their leveled up production included a secondary catwalk stage that brought the quartet even closer to the audience for “Boyband” and “Telephone Busy” right before Calum Hood’s snappy “Evolve” bassline had the audience jumping in perfect sync.
Between winning Boyband of the Year yet again and brief interludes to banter with each other and the audience, 5SOS put the spotlight on each member’s solo music to the absolute delight of the fans. The changeover for each song was seamless and allowed each of the guys to showcase their individual sounds all while meshing the songs into the tapestry of the overall show. Another highly anticipated moment came with the usually fan-voted surprised song of the night. For Los Angeles, the band made their choice, performing a cover of The Romantics’ “What I Like About You” for the first time in nearly 10 years and bringing the night truly full circle.
The evening had been so much fun that it was almost jarring when the band announced that the show was coming to a close. Before taking their leave, they threw it all the way back to their first albums with “Amnesia” and “She Looks So Perfect” but the highlight of the nostalgia segment was Hood’s key change for the final notes of “Jet Black Heart”. The band flexed their vocal skills throughout the show and left the room wanting just a little bit more as “She Looks So Perfect” faded out.
The chanting and screaming had the band back onstage within minutes and they closed out yet another incredible night with “Everyone’s a Star” and the heart-pounding beat of “Youngblood”. A sweaty, glittery, exhausted audience spilled outside after the final bows, already reliving an amazing night with Los Angeles’ favorite boyband.
