When Summerfest opened at noon on Thursday, the first patron through the turnstiles shouted, “788 days,” referring to the time elapsed since the last Big Gig (in 2019).
Part-way into Twenty One Pilots' 90-minute set Saturday night at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, lead singer Tyler Joseph said, “It’s been 632 days since we played our last show, and I can’t think of any place I’d rather than be than at Summerfest.”
With all those numbers flying around, it seemed appropriate to add a few more...
Here are eight reasons why you shouldn’t have missed the Grammy Award-winning Columbus, Ohio duo’s headlining show at Summerfest Saturday night.
1. The dynamic, high-energy show offered a preview of the band’s upcoming tour ...
... which kicks off Sept. 21 in Denver with four nights at four different, progressively larger venues. The same is the case in most of the cities on the tour, including in Chicago, Oct. 12-16, when the duo plays the Bottom Lounge, House of Blues, Aragon Ballroom and the United Center.
2. Joseph and drummer Josh Dun showed it was not only OK to wear masks, but that it can be cool.
The show started with the pair in full face masks – something of a trademark for Twenty One Pilots – playing a segment of “Good Day” and they donned them again later on.
3. The band spotlighted its new record, “Scaled and Icy,” released in May.
The group’s sixth studio album has a lighter vibe than its predecessors, which serves as a great antidote to the gloom and doom of the past year and a half. From the record, Twenty One Pilots played “Good Day,” “No Chances,” “Shy Away,” “Saturday,” “Heathens,” “The Outside,” “Mulberry Street” and “Formidable,” leaving just a couple of the album’s tracks untouched. Of course, there were also some of the older hits, too, like "Stressed Out" and "Ride."
4. It’s comforting to see old friends.
This was Twenty One Pilots’ 12th show in Milwaukee since 2012 – including the most recent in autumn 2018 when they played one of the first shows at the then-new Fiserv Forum – and it was a mutual love fest. The fans sang along on most songs and just before the last tune (“Trees”), Joseph said, “please have us back.” I have a feeling that’s not going to be a tough sell.
5. They played their hearts out because Joseph’s mom drove from Columbus to see the show.
I drove to Columbus earlier this summer and while it’s not all that far, it’s far enough. When mom makes that effort, you know the band is giving it everything, and the duo – augmented for part of the set by a backing band – left it all on the stage.
6. Hearing “Saturday” on the first Saturday of September put a nice cap on the season.
The tune – one of the breeziest on the new record, along with the ‘70s Elton John vibe of “Mulberry Street” – was one of the best radio songs of this summer.
7. We got to do a real campfire singalong with the band.
About halfway through the show, roadies carried an actual fire out onto the stage and the band sat around it with a ukelele, trumpet, accordion and a fiddle with a marshmallow stuck on the end of the bow. The singalong included a couple medleys, including “Formidable,” Doubt” and “Tear In My Heart” as well as Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” The Temptations’ “My Girl,” “House of Gold” and “We Don’t Believe What’s On TV.”
8. Opener Mob Rich was a fantastic surprise.
Tonight’s @twentyonepilots opener @mobrich is really good. Not what I expected based on the name. @Summerfest pic.twitter.com/M4zVALttMF — Bobby Tanzilo (@BobbyOnMKEcom) September 5, 2021
A trio of acoustic and electric guitar and drums, bolstered by a touch of programmed bass, Mob Rich played melodic alt.rock pop with great hooks and an anthemic vibe that felt stadium-ready. When lead vocalist Maxwell Joseph asked how many folks in the crowd had heard of the band, few hands went up. When he asked who hadn’t, there was a roar. But the group worked hard, looking like it was having a great time, and that translated into success with the audience.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
