soul punk

Patrick Stump
Opening Act: Gavin Castleton
October 24, 2011
The Viper Room
West Hollywood, CA

By: Nevra Azerkan
Rating:

I have seen Fall Out Boy live before, but seeing Patrick Stump in his solo venture was an absolute treat for me. His voice is so unique and audibly mesmerizing that he could sing Jingle Bells all night and everyone would be enthralled by the performance. Okay, maybe not Jingle Bells per se, but you get my gist.

After his opener, Gavin Castleton finished his set (most of which I missed), it took awhile before Patrick took the stage, but once he did it was electric. He began with a cover of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” and then jumped into his songs from Soul Punk including: “Explode”, “Dance Miserable”, “Spotlight (New Regrets)”, “Everybody Wants Somebody”, “Allie”, “People Never Done A Good Thing” and “Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)”.

If you are a Patrick Stump fan then you know he started out as a drummer. So it was only natural that he took a seat behind the drum set and began showing off his skills. Then he moved into a cover of “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, giving everyone flashbacks from The Hangover. He ended the night by jumping down into the crowd singing “This City” while getting fans to sing along with him.

I’m a fan of his album, Soul Punk, but seeing him perform it live was infinitely better. His energy was so magnetic the moment he took the stage and it proved to be contagious. His style is clearly influenced by Michael Jackson, Prince and David Bowie as anyone could tell by his attire and stage presence, but he has managed to turn it all into his own. Even his backing band each had his own quirky style that fit in with the show.

It’s obvious to anyone who sees Patrick perform live that he loves what he does. He performs with such precision and passion; it really is a sight to see. I was lucky enough to experience this type of performance in such an intimate venue as The Viper Room. It felt like a private performance unlike his arena shows with Fall Out Boy. Having his tour in smaller venues makes his live show special for everyone attending especially with his commentary in between songs. He made sure to interact with the crowd and it wasn’t awkward or forced on his part, but rather it felt like being at a party with friends.