The usually-quiet town of Mansfield, MA, was rocked to the core on Sunday night with Thirty Seconds To Mars’s performance at the Xfinity Center. However, the crowd started rocking long before Jared and Shannon Leto took the stage, thanks to the three incredible openers.
First up were Rochester-based indie band Joywave, and frontman Daniel Armbruster wasted no time trying to warm up the crowd. He dedicated the set to a “new friend” whom he claimed to have made earlier that morning who had just turned six (if you’re familiar with Armbruster’s antics, you’ll know that the validity of the story was questioned) and said he was thrilled to be playing the “Massachusetts State Fair.” Despite these jokes falling flat with some of the audience, the crowd enjoyed Joywave favorites like “Now” and “It’s a Trip!”. The set was short and sweet with only six songs, but it gave those unfamiliar with the band a taste of the band’s talent.
Joywave
Misterwives’ set got the audience dancing, even though not everybody was familiar with the indie-pop group. Seeing Misterwives perform is always a treat. Mandy Lee, the band’s front-woman, has boundless energy that matches the band’s upbeat music. Their setlist was slightly longer than Joywave’s and consisted of hits such as “Machine”, “Coloring Outside the Lines”, and “Drummer Boy.” Their performance was fun, colorful, and left the crowd wanting more.
Misterwives
The crowd was already warmed up after dancing for 45 minutes to Misterwives, and their energy grew when the beloved Walk The Moon took the stage. They kicked off their set with their popular single “One Foot”, which had everyone, including photographers and security guards, smiling and singing along. Nick Petricca, in his black mesh shirt and face paint, knows how to get a crowd going. There was no lack of energy from him and the rest of the band. These Ohio rockers played a variety of songs, ranging from “Headphones” off of their recent record to the occasionally overplayed, but impossible to hate, “Shut Up and Dance.” Their set had the crowd grinning, jumping, and singing their hearts out, and everyone can agree that Walk the Moon is not a band to skip out on.
Walk the Moon
As Thirty Seconds to Mars was preparing to take the stage, the crowd was buzzing with excitement. Fans were waving flags, decked out in as much merch possible, and talking about their love for Jared Leto. To say that the crowd went wild as soon as the lights turned off is an understatement. The intro to the set was lengthy and bordered the fine line between anticipation waiting to burst and impatience. But the wait was worth it when Jared came strutting out in sunglasses, rhinestone gloves, an elaborate robe, and joggers. It’s a look that only Jared could pull off.
Fans initially had some doubts about the performance, especially with the recent departure of guitarist Tomo Milicevic, but the Leto brothers crushed these worries in every way possible. Their 15 song set had no shortage of energy from either member, and featured incredible lighting, fans on stage, and Jared on a floating platform for “The Kill”.
Thirty Seconds to Mars did not disappoint their loyal fanbase. Between Shannon’s incomparable drumming talent and Jared’s natural stage presence and voice, the performance was near-flawless. Whether it was a fan’s first or tenth 30STM show, everybody can agree that this show was more than a stop on a comeback tour: it was an unparalleled experience.
Thirty Seconds to Mars
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