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In Review: Chainsmokers, 5SOS Perform At KeyBank Center

BUFFALO — The Chainsmokers know how to create an environment that leaves one absolutely amazed and your senses on the verge of overload. To start, the stage was set up in a manner that had me thinking cyberpunk along the lines of William Gibson’s book, “Neuromancer,” or a scene from Ridley Scott’s “Blader Runner.”

The center of the stage was high, electronic instruments and keyboards adorned the front, and a walkway out through the pit area, hitting close to the center area of the floor. Giant screens dominated the back of the stage, and all sorts of effects hung from riggings.

For close to an hour and a half, the movement and the full-immersive sensory shock continued. From the first notes of “Takeaway” to the final confetti blasts of the night, KeyBank Center, was one of the largest dance clubs imaginable.

Fans of 5 Seconds of Summer were given a special encore as the band came out, after its set, and performed “Who Do You Love.” Lennon Stella, the night’s first artist, found herself back on stage to perform “Takeaway” with Drew Taggart, vocalist for The Chainsmokers.

The music was close to flawless on the night. Taggart made full use of every space that was given to him. At one point, strapped into a harness and on a staircase nearly into the rafters of the venue while he sang “Everybody HEates Me” and had pyrotechnics going off around him. Still another moment of heights had him singing from a platform high in the center of the venue.

A giant sphere of metal lattice was Taggart’s home for “Sick Boy.” For the older people in the crowd, that orb was all-too-familiar. Toward the end of the show as it lowered back to the walkway and three motorcycles came out and entered the ball. Two ladies opened the door and stood at the base.

The Australian foursome 5 Seconds of Summer, played a true double headline with enough time for 16 songs on their own set.

If 5 Seconds of Summer is still thought of as that pop-punk band for girls, the range of punk is growing again.

While the early tones had that feel on Oct. 13 felt more like a punk band that has grown up and found what it wants out of its music and knows how to energize a crowd to make it happen.

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