Concert Review: twenty | one | pilots at Bogart’s (Cincinnati, OH)

By Ryan G

Josh Dun, Tyler Joseph and their management are smart. With a rapidly exploding fan base, and an especially rabid one in their home state of Ohio, the band scheduled shows in major venues in Ohio two weekends in a row. While I missed their hometown show (regrettably so) I had the chance to see them perform in Cincinnati. Needless to say, it was a no brainer to make the two hour drive.

Cincinnati based Public (Facebook page here) was the direct support for the show. This trio has something good going. VERY good. In some ways, with their classy matching outfits, they seem like throwback to the clean cut rock bands of old but they pack a punch as well. Their drummer was perhaps my favorite to watch, with the animation to match his talent – both very high. Cuts “Red” and “I Need You” from their Red EP bookended the set and were probably my favorites. Undoubtedly Public is one of the best emerging bands on the underground scene in Ohio, and kudos to Twenty One Pilots for giving them the exposure!

A short break followed, and the lights dimmed. Dun and Joseph emerged with matching Adidas jackets and ski masks, before launching into the explosively catchy “Lovely”, a deep cut from Regional at Best. “Pantaloon,” another even deeper cut, this time from their self-titled record followed. A glimpse of new material in the form of “Migraine” lit up the crowd in a more whimsical way than normal, but the electricity really began flowing in the following “Ode to Sleep,” which had the duo spastically flailing around the stage in their now trademark skeleton outfits. Joseph was a madman on that synth, particularly in the lead-in to the second rapped-verse. Things became more organic when Tyler emerged with a ukelele, playing an Elvis cover before playing new fan favorite “House of Gold” which crescendos in a simply splendid fashion. The band then engaged the audience in a surprisingly great, engaging borderline dubstep cover of the classic “Shout.” Things were more serious when the band performed Joseph’s intensely personal cut “Addict With a Pen.” “Forest” was the perfect way to bring the onlookers back to a partying mood, and the set ended with “Holding Onto You” and “Slowtown.” The latter had Joseph sporting a keytar (something you shouldn’t play when wearing a tacky orange shirt, Joseph dryly noted) and the former had energy at an all-time high, with Dun doing his trademark backflip off the piano during the bridge. The day he can’t do that anymore will be a sad one indeed. The encore (if one could call it that – the band encouraged it in their wonderfully awkward way) consisted of “Guns For Hands” and “Trees.” Perhaps predictable for a fan who’s seen them in the past year, but none the less enjoyable. The former had an impressively choreographed breakdown and the latter had the pair supported by the audience in the final breakdown. Performance wise, the evening was near perfect – Josh Dun did break two snare drums during the show but what’s a rock show without a little mishap? Wow, again. My only complaint might be the shortage of new material from the upcoming Vessel, which would have added a bit more balance to the evening. Keep up the showmanship, work ethic, humility, and uncompromising attitude toward your music and craft and you boys will go really, really far, Twenty One Pilots!