Photos: Fall Out Boy lit up the Kia Center during their 'So Much for (2our) Dust' Orlando show

Fall Out Boy has a presence that can only be described as “electrifying” — something they embody both literally with pyrotechnics and emotionally through their connection on stage. The band performed in front of an arena full of fans spanning generations at Kia Center in downtown Orlando Friday.

The show’s first two openers, Games We Play and The Maine, set the tone for the night, both delivering energetic performances that had the audience cheering whether they knew the songs or not. The bands seemed genuinely happy to be there and had meaningful interactions with the crowd, like bringing audience members on stage to sing and dance along.

When Jimmy Eat World (whom Orlando Weekly chatted with ahead of the show) took the stage, the iconic pop-punk band garnered a clear sense of excitement from the audience and performed a handful of songs, ending with hit record “The Middle.”

The lights went down, then the arena lit back up again with bursts of fireworks as Fall Out Boy opened with “Love From the Other Side” from their 2023 record, So Much (for) Stardust. There was certainly no shortage of pyrotechnics as they moved into their next song, “The Phoenix,” which was appropriately accompanied by lots of fire. Bassist Pete Wentz’s guitar lit up in flames a few times, which was truly lit.

Fall Out Boy has gained a reputation for energetic and theatrical live performances, so it was no surprise when someone came running out in a bunny costume throwing carrots into the audience during “Uma Thurman” or that the curtains opened later in the song to reveal a large snail nodding his head to the beat. There was no shortage of production value … the lighting, visuals, props and stage design were top-notch.

The band performed both new and old hits, and the audience screamed the lyrics along to every one. It became clear Wentz knows how to work a stage and fascinate an audience. When a giant inflatable Rottweiler puppet took the stage, reminiscent of the dog on the cover of So Much (for) Stardust, the bassist pretended to be eaten by the dog without missing a beat.

Fall Out Boy's and the audience's energy fed into each other, inspiring both Wentz and Stump to make heartfelt speeches throughout the show. A lot of the audience even participated in the fan-made “So Much for Stardust Project,” which involved holding a pink piece of paper shaped like a shell over their phone flashlights during “Fake Out,” illuminating the audience in pink.

At the midpoint of the show, Stump took to the piano to perform “Golden,” “What a Catch, Donnie” and a cover of “Don’t Stop Me Now.” The same piano became a platform for Wentz to do a magic trick: As he stood on the piano, he covered himself with a sheet and disappeared. Seconds later, Wentz appeared across the arena by the sound booth on a podium, slowly lifted into the air. We still can’t fully wrap our heads around it.

The concert ended with the same energy it started with, thanks to performances of “Thnks fr th Mmrs,” “Centuries” and “Saturday.” FOB's performance showed why they are powerhouses in the pop-punk and emo scenes.