This One is for the Lovers
Written By Tina Brice
One of the best things about music festivals is the range of performers. Anywhere from five to 50 artists can play a show regardless of genre. Especially when there are multiple stages over a large area such as the Las Vegas Festival grounds. Some events, however, are limited in space. Such is the case with the IHeartRadio Music Festival. This year, the festival boasted a fantastic lineup including Kelly Clarkson, The Foo Fighters, Travis Scott, Fall Out Boy and more across two days. I was excited to see if the show was worth the hype.
The IHeartRadio Music Festival took place September 23 and 24, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show was also broadcast live on television and streaming services. I attended the festival the second night, excited to see Fall Out Boy for the first time since mask mandates were lifted. But we’ll get there a little later.
When I arrived at T-Mobile Arena, there were bars, backdrops set up outside where fans could take their pictures in front of artist inspired booths, and television screens playing the show for anyone who wasn’t inside. The booths were vibrant, colorful, and enticing. I was already running late though, so I would have to check these out after the show.
Once inside, I raced to my seat. I could hear the Foo Fighters playing their song Hero and the crowd singing along. Dave Grohl sounded just like he does on the album. It was surreal. Even for Grohl. When performing the song Everlong, Grohl took a step back to admire the audience’s participation. The crowd sang, “and I wonder,”. Grohl was away from the microphone but there is no mistaking what his lips said.
“What the fuck?” He was awestruck, as was I. Even though I liked some of the songs by the band, I was unaware of just how many of their songs I knew. It was a beautiful surprise to be able to sing every word with the band. At the end of their set, they thanked the audience and went off. I took this time to really take in my surroundings.
My seat was in the top section, but in the very front row. The barricade came to just above my knee. It felt precarious every time I stood up, like one wrong move and I’d be dead on the crowd below. It made paying attention to the show that much harder. But from the safety of my seat, I could watch the stage. In between sets, the festival had short videos playing on the screen, giving glimpses into backstage events and antics. On stage, the backdrop had lifted and a new stage was set up. The stage rotated, taking the instruments from the Foo Fighters to the back, replacing them with a singular drum set.
AJ Mclean, of Backstreet Boys fame, announced the next act. 30 Seconds to Mars was up. This was my first time seeing them perform and I was excited. Unfortunately, that excitement quickly dwindled.
Jared Leto came out onto the stage wearing a black fishnet top under football shoulder pads and a gold shawl, which he called his Elvis cape. Ok, he is a bit eccentric, so this isn’t too out of the norm for him. He seemed to be dancing with himself, in a strange way. He was trying too hard to be bizarre.
It was hard to enjoy the show because the camera men kept darting across the stage trying to get the up-close shot. Leto played into this, performing for the camera and not the audience. When his face would pop up on the big screen, his mouth would be making weird movements. If you’ve ever seen what someone looks like when they’re on molly or cocaine, it was like that. It seemed like he was trying to crack his jaw. His words were so mumbled that if you didn’t know the lyrics, you couldn’t enjoy the show despite them having a backing track playing the whole time.
Leto would stop and whisper into a mic near the back of the stage, but it wasn’t connected to anything inside the venue. Maybe it was something for the fans watching from the comfort of their homes. Whatever the case, it was strange.
During their most recent single, Stuck, they brought out an Elvis impersonator and what looked like a couple that had just been married. They just kind of bopped along to the music, but they looked very uncomfortable.
After they left the stage, Leto ran out into the crowd. Something about this didn’t seem authentic, like he was just doing it because he thought he was supposed to. Now not only could you not understand what he was saying, but you had to play where’s waldo to find him in the crowd.
For their final song, Closer to the Edge, they brought fans onto the stage to sing with them, but Leto disappeared into the crowd yet again. I wondered, “What is the point of being on stage with your favorite artists if they leave for most of the song?” The end finally came, and I was left disappointed and even a little annoyed.
Another set of shorts followed by the rotation of the stage. Next up Ryan Seacrest and Lance Bass introduced Kelly Clarkson. I have seen her before, and she always puts on a great show. This was no exception. Her runs were on point, giving me goosebumps.
She performed my teenage anthem, Miss Independent, and the crowd went wild. She did a mix of old and new songs keeping the audience on their toes.
She played a new song, a sad song, and apologized for it.
“It’s really depressing. I hate to do this, but sometimes it’s gotta happen.”
She launched into Lighthouse. I had never heard this song before, but I was brought to tears. It was beautiful. There is something about her that is so pure and honest.
Favorite quote of the night: “I guess that makes me hashtag old.” She is THE relatable queen.
When her performance ended, it became apparent that she’s only getting better with age.
Kelly Clarkson at the IHeartRadio Music Festival 2023
My anticipation started to grow. Fall Out Boy, who I really came to see, takes the stage next. My hands started to shake with excitement, and time between sets seemed to be longer than before. At last, the boys graced the stage. They launched into their single, Love From The Other Side, off their most recent album.
They played the most popular song off of five more of their eight albums: Sugar We’re Going Down, Centuries, Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light ’Em Up), and This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arm’s Race. They left the stage, only to reemerge wearing metal hats with a flame coming out of the top. Earlier this year, they released their updated version of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire. Pete Wentz, bass, gave a warning.
“This is our first time playing this song live so be kind.”
And just like that, their set is over. Even though I was still in my seat, it felt like a fever dream. That’s one of the main downfalls of these festivals: set times are much shorter.
The final performer of the night was Travis Scott. I am not a fan of his, and I opted to leave. I began to regret my seat choice as I ascended the stairs. My thighs were already burning from dancing along, and by the time I got to the top I thought they would give out. I was grateful they didn’t.
Once I exited my section, I realized I wasn’t alone. About half of the arena left at the same time. I’m not sure if the event staff was expecting the mass exodus or not since they were still setting up outside. They were giving away bandanas with the IHeartRadio Music Festival logo. I grabbed one for sentimentality, knowing full well it would spend the rest of its days at the bottom of my closet only to be touched when I moved.
Outside, I realized just how exhausted I was. I had worked all morning and went straight to the concert. I also had to work the following morning. There were now lines of fans wanting to take photos in front of the booths and I was too tired to check them out. I headed back to my car, processing the night on the 10-minute walk.
While I was impressed by most of the performances, I don’t think it was worth the $275 I paid for nosebleed seats. Would I go again? I doubt it, but never say never.