CONCERT REVIEW: 5 Seconds Of Summer Make Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome Come Alive

On October 1st, the popular pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer graced the stage at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, and boy, did they blow off the roof! It had been over a year since the Australian band last visited the Netherlands. I also attended their show at RTM Stage last year, so I was incredibly excited to once again experience a party like only 5SOS can throw.

As the opening act, the electric duo AR/CO took the stage. I had not heard of them before, but I enjoyed their performance. AR/CO had the honor of being the opening act for all UK shows and European shows. During their performance in Amsterdam, they even played a new song, All Over The World.

After AR/CO‘s set, we had to wait a bit before 5SOS hit the stage. They were expected to start at 8:45 PM, but it ended up being 15 minutes later. Thankfully, they had a great playlist playing in the venue while we waited. We went from Somebody That I Used to Know to Teenagers, and as soon as I Write Sins Not Tragedies came on, the entire crowd could be heard singing along enthusiastically.

Then came the moment we had all been waiting for: the band took the stage. In front of the stage, there hung a large curtain with “The 5 Seconds of Summer show” written on it. As the show began, the silhouettes of the guys were visible on the curtain, and it dropped down as they kicked off their performance.
The show opened with the song Bad Omens, which seamlessly transitioned into 2011, Caramel, and Blender. The band’s stage presence was once again great, and they made sure to interact with the audience throughout the show, in a unique manner that I had not seen with other bands.

In between songs, they occasionally showed short sketch videos, possibly to give the band a breather. For instance, between She’s Kinda Hot and Amnesia, there was a sketch where the guys played doctors in a POV style, with the audience as patients. In the end, we were “diagnosed” as 5SOS fans, with a humorous touch.

As I mentioned, audience interaction was a significant part of the show. At one point, a large red dice was tossed into the crowd, and the audience got to choose the next song based on what song the dice landed. The dice had to travel from the stage to the back of the venue and back within a minute. Unfortunately, the Dutch audience could not make it in time, so the band selected Voodoo Doll.

During the show, there was a battle between drummer Ashton and the audience to see who could make the most noise. Of course, Ashton won the battle. Later, when Michael addressed the audience, he made sure that we were not forgotten.

Each band member addressed the audience individually throughout the show. They seemed genuinely grateful that everyone had come to the show that night. I really liked this. It gave the show a personal touch.

Another thing I really enjoyed was the band’s version of a “kiss cam”. During the song Best Friends, the audience was filmed and shown on the big screen. They named it the “Best Friend Cam.” Of course, the band members themselves also made occasional appearances on this Best Friend Cam. I can imagine that it would be funny to see yourself on the big screen while dancing with your favorite band.

As is common at many concerts and shows, there were numerous cameras capturing the entire evening, providing beautiful visuals on the large screens in the venue. However, on this particular night, the cameras might not have been solely for the screens. Drummer Ashton jokingly mentioned how fun it would be if the entire show were recorded, but he also added, “For legal reasons, I said it would be fun.” I am curious if we ever hear what that was about.

After an amazing performance that truly rocked the house, the show ended with their hit, Youngblood.
The entire show featured a mix of the band’s well-known songs that you could sing along to and some lesser-known tracks, offering a great variety. I had a fantastic evening, although I imagine the cleanup crew may have had a bit of a challenge with the confetti cannons that went off three times during the show.

Check out the photos below!

Kelly Vermeer

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