On August 25th 2016, Tennent’s Vital kicked off a two night extravaganza with US rock band sensation, Red Hot Chili Peppers, as the main attraction and we were lucky enough to attend.
With the likes of Fall Out Boy, Labrinth, Cage the Elephant and Otherkin as support acts, it was pretty safe to say that everyone in the audience was gearing up for an incredible night of live music.
We also got the opportunity to attend the press conference in the lead up to this event which included travelling around the grounds before anyone else! Oh — and we also got to peek inside some of the dressing rooms. Cool, we know.
Upcoming Irish band, Otherkin, kicked off the festival with a punchy half hour set full of rock bangers and chants that aimed to hype up the crowd as they flocked upon the venue. Vocalist Luke Reilly provided heavy vocals and even made his way into the pit and got the audience involved with their performance. You may not be familiar with this band just yet but with their upcoming appearances at the likes of Reading & Leeds and countless festivals throughout Europe, we have no doubt that their career will continue to progress.
After a brief twenty five minute interval, the second act of the day, Cage the Elephant made their way to the stage. The American rock band were known by a large proportion of the audience who sang along with their highly energetic setlist. With songs such as ‘Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked’ and ‘Cigarette Daydreams’ the group certainly didn’t fail at getting the crowd ready for the headliners who were soon to take the stage.
Next up was Labrinth who brought a very different vibe to the festival. He was the only solo artist to perform and his style was definitely not the same as that of the other acts. Not only did he belt out new tracks such as ‘Let It Be’ and ‘Dancing On’ he also brought out the classics ‘Pass Out,’ ‘Beneath Your Beautiful’ and ‘Earthquake’ which the crowd were noticeably more familiar with.
At 7:30, the main show began and Fall Out Boy took to the stage. With lead man Patrick Stump wearing his signature fedora, the audience started to go absolutely wild and this is when we knew the fun was about to begin. Their hour long set certainly wasn’t lacking in excitement. A great mix of classics such as ‘Sugar We’re Going Down,’ ‘Thnks Fr Th Mmrs’ and ‘Dance, Dance’ were intertwined with newer tracks such as ‘Centuries’, ‘Irresistible’ and ‘My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark.’
Bassist Pete Wentz mentioned how honoured he was to support Red Hot Chili Peppers as they were a band he has looked up to since he was in high school. He also provided the most inspirational moment of the evening when he gave a shout out to the musical and artsy members of the audience, claiming that one day in the future, someone in the crowd could be opening for their band and living their dreams. During ‘Saturday,’ the last song of their set, Wentz also made his way into an excited crowd and we can’t even describe how jealous we were of the lucky ones who got to experience that moment.
When 9:15 came around, the headliners, Red Hot Chili Peppers finally made their incredible appearance and boy did they put on a bloody spectacular show. The crowd in attendance was incredibly diverse, from teenagers to older adults alike who were all there to enjoy the music by the US rock band. Opening with hit single, ‘Can’t Stop’, their flawless lights show and high energy made the wait from their last appearance in Belfast in 2011 certainly worth it.
“There’s a lot of Irish people here tonight and I just wanna say.. Hello, nice to meet you.” Said lead singer Anthony Keidis as he greeted the crowd during the show. Cheers erupted throughout the 25,000 strong crowd as they continued to completely smash the entirety of the show. If people weren’t fans of the band before the event, we’re sure that they are now.
Their 16 track setlist included some of their greatest hits such as ‘Californication’, ‘Under The Bridge’ and ‘By The Way’ as well as newer tracks from their 2016 album, ‘The Getaway.’
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Overall, all of the acts put on an incredible show which certainly didn’t disappoint anyone who was lucky enough to attend.
Tennent’s Vital 2016 continues August 26th, including headliner Avicii on his final show before his retirement with support from Jess Glynne, Duke Dumont, Zak Abel, SEEB and Galantis.
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