5 Seconds of Summer Rocks San Diego

Kaitlin Nunez

5 Seconds of Summer

Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheatre

October 2nd, 2018

As the lights dimmed in the amphitheatre, cheers and applause sounded from the audience. Echoes of the intro to “Babylon” began to play and within moments, 5 Seconds of Summer took the stage and started playing the song that began an unforgettable night. Their Meet You There tour began in August to promote their new album, Youngblood, which was released in June.

Following “Babylon”, 5 Seconds of Summer, also known as 5SOS, began to play “Talk Fast”, this fast-tempoed 80s inspired song was performed with such energy by the band that it seemed to inspired the audience to dance non-stop and sing as loudly as possible. The lighting design for this song especially, and for the majority of the show, resembled the colors of 5SOS’s album cover for Youngblood. Purples, blues, and reds illuminated the stage as the concert progressed.

Another memorable part of the concert was the “Meet You There” interlude. This song is intense and filled with fast drumming and guitar. The band played this interlude and lead singer, Luke Hemmings, rather than sing the full lyrics, played guitar and sang certain parts. The stage lights were flashing in multiple colors and the audience went wild. Unexpectedly, the song faded into a calmer fan favorite, “Jet Black Heart”, which begins with the vocals of guitarist, Michael Clifford. The lyrics to this song are relatable for most and are usually very special for many of the fans, so many in the audience singing the song as loud as they could with great emotion.

5SOS kept their high energy throughout the entire show and interacted with the audience numerous times to be sure everyone was having a great time. Countless times, the band expressed their thanks to the fans for being there and supporting them during their years as a band. The encore of the show began with their 2014 hit “She Looks So Perfect”, which hit longtime fans with a wave of nostalgia. The crowd roared as the opening chords sounded. Following the song, 5SOS played an extended version of their hit song “Youngblood”, which reached #1 on the radio last week. It was the perfect ending for the concert as it left fans buzzing with excitement as they left the venue.

Having seen 5 Seconds of Summer in 2016, I can easily say that that concert is one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to and the same can be said about this show, as well. The high-energy and passion they have on stage seems to have only amplified with their new music since it is music they are genuinely proud of. In 2016, they were promoting their album, Sounds Good, Feels Good, which is within the pop-punk genre. Their new album, Youngblood, has an 80s pop rock-influenced sound. Though they have strayed from the genre they started out, you can see how much they love their new music and they’ve expressed how proud they are of this album in countless interviews. Youngblood is an album that begs to be played live and seeing 5 Seconds of Summer perform these new songs was such a magical experience as a fan.

Tickets for the “Meet You There Tour” are $55+