Twenty One Pilots at All Points East

Marking a chaotic close to summer on the final day of All Points East, Twenty One Pilots turn a festival headline into an immersive, fan-focused theatrical experience, with Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun constantly breaking the barrier between stage and audience.

Looming grey clouds only enhance the dark aesthetic of the night as alternative fans wear yellow and red tape around their limbs with blackened necks and hands. Fans’ participation in this visual symbolism of anxiety, self-doubt and Blurryface demonstrates their deep engagement with the band’s decade-long sonic storyline.

Shortly after a distorted recorded voice asks, “What’s your ETA?” and the crowd shouts back “Two minutes”, Dun kicks off the set with an explosive opening drum solo, followed by Joseph jumping over a stage platform for his first appearance. The audience is ecstatic as Overcompensate is the opening track performed by a masked Joseph. His glowing microphone is swung in the air like a lasso as he stands on audience-held platforms, taking crowd interaction to a literal extreme. By relying purely on the Skeleton clique to become the physical foundation of the stage, Joseph creates a powerful visual metaphor for how the band is supported and held up by the fans.

His physical performance is pushed further during Center Mass as he drops to his knees, shaking and banging the floor as he screams the lyrics, with the camera cutting between himself and Dun attacking the drums. Joseph has moved between guitar, piano, ukulele and tambourine throughout the set, while vibrant lighting floods the stage. His talent lies in knowing exactly how to get a crowd going, instructing the fans to recite “watch it” back to him to anticipate Heathens’ beat drop. The audience’s incredible volume amplifies the band’s energy as Joseph races around the stage amid glitched visuals, smoke and sparks.

Crowd connection lives at the heart of the duo’s performance, as they rely on creativity, production and theatricality to give their fans the most authentic, exciting experience they can. From the sky-high spectacle of Dun climbing the drum tower, rivalling the scale of the big screens during Drum Show, to a venture into the crowd mid-set to perform Message Man and Pet Cheetah, the pair constantly immerse themselves in the action. On top of a car that eventually burst into flames, Joseph covers himself in black paint while both members touch fans as they move through the barricades, deliberately making attendees part of the show. Their fan connection is further demonstrated during the previously unperformed Robot Voices, when Joseph brings out Emi Grace to play guitar, turning the unexpected debut into another shared moment with the crowd. Despite being a duo, the band creates a huge-scale sound and visual presence that reflects the messages behind the music.

After the upbeat chanting and fiery spectacle of fan-favourite Heavydirtysoul, the stage darkens, and the crowd hushes as visuals of Joseph sitting at the piano turn black and white for a poignant performance of Drag Path. Flashlights rise after Joseph summons them and rain begins to fall fittingly during the dramatic final chorus as he delivers an emotionally raw final note. The vocal range is impressively strong, from effortless rapping and a distinct twang to powerful, sustained notes.

As the rain continues, Joseph sings Doubt hauntingly in a skull mask, bending down to his audience and dancing around the stage. “Not afraid to get a little wet, are we?” he asks as the crowd complete the lyrics to every line of the iconic Ride, as he returns to the barricade pit to sing amongst the fans. After a brief pause and a few jokes, the pair then bring a security member onstage to sing the final chorus, further highlighting the spontaneous, communal atmosphere. There’s another huge reaction for their cover of Seven Nation Army as well as the appearance of the iconic orange beanie for the penultimate song, Stressed Out, with cracking onscreen visuals nodding to the story of insecurity as Josh sings the opening chorus.

Before closing with a singalong to Trees, Joseph reveals that he had his eyes on his audience all day, walking around incognito amongst “the most beautiful people I’ve ever seen”, and vows to return to the country where they have played the most shows outside the US. The energy doesn’t simply peak musically; it becomes a collective experience, eroding the distance between band and fan. As Joseph and Dun unite at centre stage, their final words, “We are Twenty One Pilots and so are you,” perfectly encapsulate a night hand-crafted around its fans.

Jennifer Hensey
Photos: Matthew Pull

For further information and future events, visit Twenty One Pilots’s website here.

Watch the video for Stressed Out here: