Twenty One Pilots / Mutemath / Chef’s Special @ Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO

Words and photos by Duane Clawson

With five songs cracking the Billboard Magazine Hot 100 chart in the first eight months of 2016, I’m gonna say photographing Twenty Pilots was a must for MTC MAG! A line of fans wrapped around the Scottrade Center, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tyler and Josh by the tour busses. Some fans had been in line since 10am.

Performing just a few short months ago to a smaller audience at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Twenty One Pilots had no trouble selling out a much larger Scottrade Center. The current Emotional Roadshow Tour is riding the wave of success from their Blurryface Tour, which just ended in October of last year. My time in front of all three bands was limited to photographs only, but I will tell you what I saw was pretty darn impressive.

Show openers, Chef’s Special from the Netherlands, were a smooth entrance with their blend of indie pop, ska, and hip hop. Frontman, Joshua Nolet, kept the gathering crowd entertained with his high-energy stage presence.

Our second band of the night, Mutemath from New Orleans, provided another high-energy frontman in the form of Paul Meany. An added attraction to Mutemath’s set was drummer Darren King. His behind-the-drum-kit animated movements mirrored those of another famous drummer, the late, great Keith Moon of The Who!

The opening notes of “Heavydirtysoul” brought the tweenager-heavy audience to its feet, seconds before Twenty One Pilots hit the stage. Donning black ski masks and red sport coats, Tyler and Josh kept everyone on their feet with the hip hop-heavy, “Migraine”. Winding up my limited time in front of the stage, the Pilots third song, “Hometown”, was a mellow, piano-heavy sing-a-long that showcased the band’s diversity, with lead singer, Tyler Joseph, taking to the keys of an upright piano. As the song wound down, Joseph was covered with a blanket while sitting at his piano. Shortly thereafter, screams and shrieks erupted from the upper deck of the arena as Joseph reappeared in an entrance tunnel, pulling off his ski mask at the ending notes of “Hometown”! All accounts of the show from here on out indicate Twenty One Pilots put on a show nothing less than brilliant. Below is a setlist of the full show. Thanks to Twenty One Pilots, Live Nation, and Scottrade Center for accommodating MTC MAG.

Twenty One Pilots Setlist:

Heavydirtysoul
Migraine
Hometown
Polarize
Heathen
We Don't Believe What's on TV
Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley Cover)
The Judge
Lane Boy
Ode to Sleep
The Pantaloon / Johnny Boy / Forest / Addict with a Pen / March to the Sea / Kitchen Sink
Holding on to You
Twist and Shout (The Top Notes cover)
My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion cover)
Love Yourself (Justin Beiber cover)
Jump Around (House of Pain cover)
Ride
Stressed Out
Guns for Hands
Tear in My Heart
Car Radio

Encore:
Goner
Trees

Photos of the show are below:

Chef's Special