PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When it comes to concerts, I like to think that I’m a veteran. From my first show experience at around the age of 8 (my dad took me to see Shania Twain!) to holding my own against 300-lb men in Motionless in White pits, I’ve seen and done it all. But for the first time, ahead of Bad Omens’ Philadelphia performance at Franklin Music Hall (which locals still refer to as the Electric Factory), I was a little nervous about how the sold-out show would go down.
The evening prior, when the band — comprised of Noah Sebastian, Nicholas Ruffilo, Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson and Nick Folio — played at New York’s Terminal 5, Noah had to stop what he was doing to essentially reprimand the crowd.
I don’t know what the fuck’s going on in this area right here, but this shit is not about just one of you, OK? Tonight is about everyone that paid hard earned fucking money to be here to have a good time. Whatever kind of fucking tough guy ego shit you got going on in the mosh pit area or the front row, or trying to get your fucking TikTok view close-up shit, we are here at a fucking rock show, metal show, to have a good ass time. And if you cannot take the intensity, please find a place that you are comfortable to stand…
@zoeyokai I honestly had secondhand embarrassment last night 😭 the amount of videos I have of the crowd being unruly is more than I have from ANY metal/rock show I’ve gone to…and I’m well seasoned. Damn. From seeing Bad Omens 2017 Warped Tour Full Sail Stage and many more after, yeah…I can say their crowds have changed. #badomens #terminal5nyc #terminal5 #noahsebastian
In response to a video of this incident, one fan elaborated on what happened: “When the pit opened up even just a little, people rushed in to take videos and got mad they got hit.”
For anyone who’s not aware, Bad Omens and its track “Just Pretend” blew up in recent months on TikTok, with non-metalcore fans latching onto the song and, even more so, Noah. This social media popularity, in turn, has led to an influx of show-goers who are unfamiliar with — and unprepared for — the world of mosh pits, walls of death and crowd surfers. In fact, Noah has been vocal in interviews about the band’s “split” fan base, and how he wishes those uncomfortable with metal show etiquette (and the 99.9 percent chance they’ll get at least bumped if standing front and center) would move to the sides or back.
So, going into the Philly show on Sept. 13, I desperately hoped that there wouldn’t be issues similar to the night before. As a first-time Bad Omens concert-goer, I wanted to see the band in its element — not having to stop for crowd shenanigans. Thankfully, the Concrete Forever tour went off without a hitch in the City of Brotherly Love.
After grabbing my giant Miller Lite and snagging a spot in the first row of the bar area (my 30-year-old back and knees were so grateful to have a rail to lean on), I settled in for the show. I See Stars (anyone else remember their whole controversy with Ronnie Radke?) and ERRA were first, both of whom got the crowd energized.
Then, it was time for Bad Omens. It must be said that not every band sounds as great live as they do on the record, but that’s not the case for these guys. Noah was in top voice as he navigated the wide-ranging setlist, which included mellow, vibey songs like “bad decisions,” dancey ones like IDWT$, and metal bangers like “Nowhere to Go” (my favorite) and “Dethrone.”
Check out the full setlist below:
ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE
Like a Villain
The Grey
Never Know
Glass Houses
What do you want from me?
bad decisions
Nowhere to Go
IDWT$
Broken Youth
Miracle
Limits
Take Me First
THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND
Just Pretend
CONCRETE JUNGLE (encore)
Dethrone (encore)
Yes, every cell phone in the place went up during “Just Pretend,” but Noah didn’t have to stop and break up the tension between moshers and TikTokers. At one point, he told the crowd, “That was better than yesterday, good job.” This crowd hung onto Bad Omens’ every word and command. For example, when he growled “concrete,” there wasn’t a moment’s hesitation before the whole place yelled “JUNGLE.”
According to Noah, Concrete Forever is Bad Omens’ fourth consecutive sold-out tour. As a self-admitted homebody, he questioned why anyone — let alone thousands of people — would leave the comfort of their couches to see him. Still, he’s extremely grateful that they do.
What worked
So much worked about Concrete Forever, from the stage visuals to the merch selections. While the setlist was naturally The Death of Peace of Mind-heavy (the tour is promoting that album, after all), the band sprinkled in old favorites like “Limits” and “Glass Houses,” the latter of which was a standout moment of the show. Who doesn’t get hype while scream-singing the lyrics, “I see through you, I know what you are, I’ve seen the Devil more than I’ve seen God?” Noah is also an excellent showman, working the crowd and even tossing in a costume change (by costume change, we mean going from jacket to tank top).
What didn’t work
My one complaint is that, given Bad Omens’ popularity, they need to start playing bigger venues. Franklin Music Hall is a decent size, but it fills up quickly. In my opinion, The Fillmore — which seemed massive compared to the former when I attended the following Sunday for All Time Low — would’ve been a much better fit. Maybe next year?
