ALTer Ego Live at the Forum, Los Angeles Featuring Weezer, The Killers and Muse

In an industry currently dominated by rap and hip hop, iHeartRadio devoted the night of January 19 to celebrate rock and alternative music. For its second year, ALTer Ego featured twenty one pilots, The Revivalists, Rise Against, Bishop Briggs, Weezer, The Killers and Muse, an appropriate hodge-podge display of the genre in considering the past, present and future.

Below the twinkling dome, twenty one pilots began the night. The Ohio-bred duo began with a single, “Jumpsuit,” from their latest release, Trench. The 8-song set featured a flaming vehicle and several costume changes–not quite that of pop stars, but enough of a gear switch to indicate the album era from which each song came. There were ski masks, The Red Blurryface Beanie, skeleton hoodies and no shirts at all. About halfway through, after “Ride,” frontman Tyler Joseph took a moment to thank iHeartRadio. He went on to say they thought it would be cool for them to open the show, but upon seeing the stacked bill had a realization: “Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense.” Nevertheless, Joseph remained confident and said, “We’re going to establish the new phrase, ‘save the best for first.’”

Twenty one pilots continued their rocking hip hop-flared emo act with “My Blood,” teaching the crowd the bridge, and “Stressed Out,” the song you couldn’t escape in 2016. Joseph was pinging away at the piano and the stage was relatively still when it came time for their final song. When the audience realized it was “Car Radio,” they rejoiced. When approaching the bridge, Joseph jumped off the stage and made his way to a platform toward the back of the Forum floor. He perched atop and screeched over and over, “and now I just sit and silence,” a sentiment both ironic and powerful in a sold-out arena of over 17,000 people. When it was all over, he held out his ski mask like a trophy, one hand over his chest, to encouraging cheers. “We’re twenty one pilots and so are you. Thank you.”

The revolving stage turned to reveal The Revivalists, arguably the most different act on the bill from twenty one pilots. The eight members packed the stage for a jovial alternative rock party, starting with “Oh No.” They mostly sped through a five-song set, with vocalist David Shaw, like a string bean clad in black, leading the way. After “Change,” Shaw made a move to entice the crowd. “Los Angeles. Are you out there?… We want to try something.” He asked for the audience to take this moment to release whatever has been weighing you down. “We’re gonna do a little bit of healing right now… I want y’all dancing. I want that crazy shit OK.” Shaw extended his efforts by joining fans on the floor toward the end of the song “You and I.” It was a tried and true warm up for their final and most popular song, “Wish I Knew You,” an easy display of funked out alt-rock. Shaw then bid farewell: “Peace!”

The night took the heavy and fast up and notch by following with Rise Against. Over seven songs, they performed a straight rock show, with the peppering of some sentimentality. They dedicated “Prayer of a Refugee” to those searching for a better life. It was the first instance in their set when you could undoubtedly hear the crowd sing along. It was a lovely moment characterized by seizing lights, a fast tempo and the occasional quick peep of Tim McIlrath’s tongue. The Chicago natives also paid their respects to Los Angeles by acknowledging the LAUSD teachers’ strikes. “I want to send this one to all the public school teachers…. [and anyone] who gave a shit about you when you were young,” McIlrath said, then blasted into “Re-education (Through Labor).” Later, the crowd was treated to Tom Morello as a surprise guest for “How Long,” from Morello’s The Atlas Underground. McIlrath explained they “wrote the song together about that fire. That fire that burns inside you.” The Aoki-collaboration song dug into its hard rock soul, McIlrath paving the way for a new motto: “With lights and sound we drown them out.” Rise Against closed with “The Violence” and bid adieu with something far more pacifist. “You guys are beautiful. Have a good night. Take care of each other. Peace,” McIlrath said.

Bishop Briggs was in the very middle of the lineup, a hard task to take on as arguably the freshest act in the scene. However, she was hard not to notice. The sweet, mild voice during conversation turned into a powerhouse for song. She was a young woman with a shaved head and wearing a bubblegum pink race car driver-like set. It was a series of lovely contradictions, the fan performing for an entire sea of them. “Such a dream come true,” she said. She began with “The Way I Do” and then “Hallowed Ground,” following with “Wild Horses.” She put every ounce of strength into each note, all the while jumping and running around the stage. After, Briggs wanted to call attention to something important. She said, “I’m the woman on this lineup.” With that regard, she was the only female-fronted act since the show began last year. She said it with a smile, acknowledging she was proud, not bitter. Briggs was clearly out of breath from her cardio-intense performance. She continued, “I’m gonna try not to cry. There was a woman’s march today.” Before getting too emotional, Briggs moved on to the next song. There was a minor production flux, so she stalled by explaining the origins of the song. “The story is loving someone despite their imperfections… OK that’s the end. And it’s working now!” Relieved, she sang “Baby.” She closed with “River,” abounding about the stage like a child boxer. She applauded the band and exited as her two-member band finished out.

Weezer knocked out a handful of their hits to a very pleased crowd, including “The Sweater Song,” “Island in the Sun,” “Beverly Hills,” “Hash Pipe” and “Buddy Holly.” It was a sing-along fest for the only Los Angeles-based band on the lineup. They even released red and blue streamers only halfway through their set, right before the end of “Buddy Holly.” Frontman Rivers Cuomo paused the performance for some reflection and promotion. “Thanks kids, this is super fun,” he said. “We have a mother fucking album coming out on March 1st. It’s called The Black Album. I painted my guitar black because I’m creative.” They played the album’s single, “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” before getting back to the fan favorites. During “Pork and Beans,” Cuomo took a moment to poke fun at twenty one pilots. “Save the best for the middle,” Cuomo joked. “Love you, twenty one pilots. Love all the bands.” The end felt like it had come with “Say It Ain’t So.” Confetti rang down during the final chorus. Cuomo said, “All right, you guys have a great night!” But Weezer had one more. “Where are we taking this? All the way to Africa!” A sea of phones went up for their cover of Toto’s “Africa.” Their exuberant participation in the chorus boomed throughout the arena. The song was of supreme communal enjoyment, and the quartet bowed in a row, front and center, before parting ways.

The Killers brought a condensed version of their Wonderful Wonderful World Tour to the Forum. “What’s up LA? We’re the Killers and we’re brought to you by the fabulous Las Vegas,” frontman Brandon Flowers greeted the audience. They began with “The Man,” off their most recent album, before continuing with a remaining set of favorites. Flower’s showmanship vibrated across the arena to the hordes of people standing, far above, just below and all the way around. He bounded across the stage in an especially shiny blazer. The Killer’s eased their way in with “Somebody Told Me,” “Human” and “Read My Mind.” It was preparation for what came next: “Mr. Brightside.” “What have you got, LA,” Flowers taunted. The eternal hit played on, seemingly a hair faster than normal. Flowers then cautioned the crowd that they were just getting warmed up. For the introduction to “All These Things That I’ve Done,” only Flowers was lit by a spotlight. By the time they got to the bridge, Flowers let the music play, but the audience sang on: “I’ve got soul, but I’m not a soldier.” He made his way to each end of the stage, egging the audience on. Eventually, he made his way back to the microphone to actually sing the bridge, with testifying hands raising up and down. Even when the song finished, they brought the bridge back for one more go around. The Killers saved “When You Were Young” for their closer, with an extended, drum-heavy finish.

A still full Forum happily welcomed the final performance, Muse. The English trio opened with “Pressure” and followed with “Psycho.” For the latter, the drill sergeant that appears in the song’s video played on the background screen. Some fans even knew the sergeant’s monologue, saying the words the way one would sing along to a song. Muse’s set floated between artsy electronic alt and heavy rock, a sort of variety emblematic of the evening’s display of the alternative genre. Prior to “Uprising,” frontman Matt Bellamy had a moment of appreciation for the other bands and Tom Morello, denoting the event a great night with good friends. “Madness” was particularly perceptive. Bellamy’s lush vocals over the soft, looping clap and juicy synth filled the Forum, sonically exemplifying an ascent into insanity. A pause for clarity came during Bellamy’s guitar solo, the song’s single display of funk.

Next came “Thought Contagion,” “Super Massive Black Hole” and “Time is Running Out.” Muse ultimately sealed ALTer Ego with “Starlight.” Bellamy called on the crowd: “Put those hands in the air.” The crowd did their best with the sometimes difficult double-single clap. And for the chorus, Bellamy reached out again and said, “Sing it California!” The audience prospered in singing the chorus sans-Bellamy, as they did the bridge. The end was fleetingly bitter. “We’ve had our time, unfortunately,” Bellamy started. Nevertheless, Muse will be back at the Forum in March. “Come see us again,” Bellamy said. “We love you!” It was only after the lights turned on while Panic! At the Disco’s “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” rang throughout the speakers did the audience believe it was time to leave.

Setlists

twenty one pilots

1. Jumpsuit
2. Levitate
3. Heathens
4. Holding on to You
5. Ride
6. My Blood
7. Stressed Out
8. Car Radio

The Revivalists

1. Oh No
2. All My Friends
3. Change
4. You and I
5. Wish I Knew You

Rise Against

1. Satellite
2. House on Fire
3. Prayer of the Refugee
4. Re-education (Through Labor)
5. Savior
6. How Long (with Tom Morello)
7. The Violence

Bishop Briggs

1. The Way I Do
2. Hallowed Ground
3. Wild Horses
4. Baby
5. River

Weezer

1. Undone- The Sweater Song
2. Island in the Sun
3. Beverly Hills
4. Hash Pipe
5. Buddy Holly
6. Can’t Knock the Hustle
7. Pork and Beans
8. Say It Ain’t So
9. Africa (Toto Cover)

The Killers

1. The Man
2. Somebody Told Me
3. Human
4. Read My mind
5. Mr. Brightside
6. All These Things That I’ve Done
7. When You Were Young

Muse

1. Pressure
2. Psycho
3. Uprising
4. Madness
5. Thought Contagion
6. Supermassive Black Hole
7. Time is Running Out (with Led Zeppelin’s “Heartbreaker” intro)
8. Starlight

Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz