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| Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
After the sold-out North American double-bill tour that featured
Muse and Jared Leto’s
30 Seconds to Mars swung through
Shoreline last year, I assumed that this years’ 30 Seconds to Mars show would be just as tough of a ticket to get… But even with the new
Alt105’s (or Live105 as I like to remember them by) support, the Shoreline Amphitheater was barely half full last night for what turned out to be a really fun show.
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| Jared Leto of 30 Seconds to Mars (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
30 Seconds to Mars have been on the road on their own summer headlining tour this year with what they’ve called “The Monolith Tour”. In support were bands that included
Welshly Arms,
K.Flay, and
Walk the Moon. Welshly Arms went on at 6pm to a fairly sparse amphitheater but the crowd slowly grew through the night and was at least respectable by the time Walk the Moon hit the stage just before 8pm.
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| Walk the Moon (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
The band played a solid near-hour-long set that was heaped full of 80’s synth pop influences. Lead singer, Nicholas Petricca, and guitarist, Eli Brose Maiman, worked the crowd while the other 3 backing members kept the train running. It was an impressive opening set that ended on a high-note with their summer anthem, “Shut-up and Dance”
(iTunes).
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| Walk the Moon (Photo: Kevin Keating) |
By the time the Leto brothers and backing multi-instrumentalist, Stevie Aiello, came on stage, the fog machine was cranked to high, the sun had fully set, and the crowd was sufficiently warmed-up. What probably surprised me the most, was the lengths at which the 30 Second to Mars support staff engaged with, and integrated, their fans into the show. Way before the band came on, band personnel were scouring the lower section of the bowl for fans who would be willing to wave giant flags throughout the show. And in addition to the normal tiered VIP ticket packages, there was seemingly a top-tier available that provided on-stage access off to the side for the duration of their set. I have no idea what that cost, but what an experience! And lastly, at multiple times throughout the show, Jared invited first just a half dozen of fans to the stage to dance in the background on “Rescue Me”. But for the closing number, Jared invited what could have been close to 100 fans to the stage — fans who were wearing a particular shirt were able to get past security and fill the stage. It was quite a site, and I was amazed the band were still able to finish the song.
Other highlights included Jared’s duet with Walk the Moon’s Nicholas Petricca on “Great Wide Open”, and just a few songs later when Jared’s brother took over singing duties on “Remedy” given Jared a quick breather from the stage.
Overall, the 5-hour show was a good one, and those in attendance definitely got their money’s worth. Maybe because it was on a Wednesday night… Or maybe because their most recent album has received a mixed critical response, it was a shame that venue was more full, but at least for those of us there, it turned out to be a super fun night.
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