5 Seconds of Summer’s final show on their North American tour was at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on October 12. The Australian pop-rock four piece—commonly referred to as 5SOS—is my favorite band. It was a Friday night; it was my 16th birthday; and it was 5SOS. What could possibly go wrong?
The Greek Theatre is a quaint outdoor music venue located in the hills of Griffith Park. It only seats 5,870 people and, without a doubt, most of us there to see 5SOS that night were female.
As we stood in line to go through security, I could feel the excitement all around me. We could see even longer lines inside the gates with fans waiting their turn to buy merchandise. It was like Black Friday: Concert Edition.
I felt lightheaded. I was taking in every sight and every sound and could barely breathe. As I looked around, it was like watching life in slow motion. And then I felt it.
Drop.
What was that?
Drop. Drop.
No, it can’t be.
It started to sprinkle. Then, two minutes later, it started to pour. And, I don’t mean a light pour; I mean a “is that a fire hose pointed at me” kind of pour. We were all immediately drenched.
Once we entered the venue, there was no escaping the rain. We found our seats and we—along with so many others—just stood there getting soaked. But no one left.
It rained harder. There was lightning. There was thunder. But no one moved. We looked around the venue, and every single one of us shared a common thought: at any moment, 5SOS would take the stage. So we waited. And waited. It seemed like an eternity. And the rain never let up.
Abruptly, the lights went black. The stage lights flashed on. The screams throughout the crowd were deafening. It was finally here: the show was going to start!
First, Ashton came out. The mighty blast of his drumbeat reverberated throughout the amphitheater. Michael followed and strummed his black guitar skillfully while grinning wildly. Luke joined them on stage, grabbing the microphone while surveying the adoring (albeit waterlogged) crowd. And then, we heard the pluck of the bass, which could only mean one thing: Calum was next to take the stage. I knew at that moment it was going to be the best night of my life. There was something magical about the energy in the air that night. Maybe it was the anticipation. Maybe it was the rain. Maybe it was the devotion of the fans. Or, maybe it was all of it. Put simply, it was a concert to remember.
5SOS opened with “Babylon,” an ode to an overwhelming love that would eventually crumble like the ancient city itself. Following “Ghost of You,” a testament to the pain of losing a loved one, Luke yelled out to the crowd: “I know it’s raining, but how emotional was that?” The fans—who knew every word of every song—were in tears.
5SOS navigated their way through iconic hits such as “She Looks So Perfect” and “Jet Black Heart” balanced with newer jams like “Valentine” and “Youngblood.” The acoustic versions of “San Francisco” and “Amnesia” had fans choking up, but their moods quickly shifted during “More” and “If Walls Could Talk,” both packed with energetic choruses. From beginning to end, 5SOS completely rocked the show.
Over the past seven years, Ashton, Michael, Luke, and Calum have developed from a bratty pop-punk genre to a more sophisticated sound. They have captured the attention and praise of musicians like Ed Sheeran and Charlie Puth. That night, they did not disappoint.
At some point during the concert, the rain stopped, but no one even noticed.
Photo Credit: Grace Funk
