Carnivores Tour f. Linkin Park, 30 Seconds to Mars, AFI
PNC Music Pavilion
Aug. 12, 2014
Thirty Seconds to Mars primarily showcased songs from their newest, self-released record Love. Lust. Faith. Dreams. "We put this record out ourselves, with no label behind us," singer Jared Leto told his fans. "So go buy it on iTunes, download it illegally if you don't have the money, I don't care, just go get it." And while Leto’s actor side does come out with a bit of dramatics at times (he was donning a crown and priestly robes and giving off a Jesus-like air), he manages to sell the hell out of those new songs with near-flawless vocals. And the dramatics definitely work in his favor on such sweeping rock anthems like staple "Do or Die." He makes the drama work in his favor and it works hard.
Still, he puts on a great show of being humble — during anthems like "Kings and Queens," for example, when he races offstage with no thought for his own safety to climb through the crowd, clutching hands with fans and posing for silly selfies while acting as conductor to the masses. Or when he pulls dozens of kids from the pit, inviting them onstage to be with him and to sing. It’s acts like these that keep it from appearing like the "Jared Leto Show." He truly expresses his gratitude for the fans being fans of the music.
Linkin Park closed the show with an hour and a half set that can only be described as explosive — and as almost in complete juxtaposition to Mars. Whereas Leto mostly preaches an uplifting message, Park's lyrics often go a complete 180. Like during anthem "Given Up" in which singer Chester Bennington screams, "Tell me what the fuck is wrong with me, God put me out of my fucking misery." But hey, Linkin Park does hail from what has become known as a more angst-ridden era.
Since Linkin Park is the epitome of arena rock, the technical effects had to, of course, match what’s evolved into a soaring and epic sound. The LED screens fanning the air above the group not only moved, but merged into cubes that lowered onto their master synthesizer and drummer — a light display reflecting off of each that acted as a spotlight highlighting each musician's chops.
Especially memorable are the synth beats that flawlessly connected a lot of the groups biggest hits, like a piano ballad heading into "Leave Out all the Rest" or a synthesizer solo, utilizing the sounds of an old fashioned record player and a beats program on a tablet, melding into one of their most famous songs, "Numb."
Frankly, the Carnivores tour offers fans a chance to catch three big rock bands on one tour, and every single moment of each performance was a sight to behold. Between A.F.I. tearing up the stage before the headliners even appeared, to the theatrics in 30 Seconds to Mars' act and the grand performance of hard-rocking Linkin Park, fans walked out with a sense that this moment was truly once in a lifetime.
Encore
Burn It Down
Lost in the Echo
New Divide
Until It's Gone
What I've Done
Bleed It Out
Thirty Seconds to Mars setlist
Up in the Air
Night of the Hunter
Search and Destroy
This Is War
Conquistador
Kings and Queens
Do or Die
City of Angels
End of All Days
Hurricane (acoustic)
From Yesterday (acoustic)
The Kill (Bury Me) (acoustic)
Encore
Closer to the Edge
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