This past weekend we were able to attend the 2017 edition of 101WKQX’s all-day concertĀ event, PIQNIQ. The lineup was stacked, as per usual, rounding up acts like Highly Suspect, Sum 41, Stabbing Westward, Jimmy Eat World, Bleachers, and headlined by The 1975. We were lucky enough to be in attendance and see what our favorite Alternative station had in store for us this year, and even better, we got to shoot photography throughout the day to encapsulateĀ some of the best moments.
The first band up forĀ us was Highly Suspect, who kicked things off perfectly at the main stage of the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. Johnny Stevens’ presence instantly got the crowd riled up; rockingĀ a Black Sabbath tee and his signature MCID cap, you instantly get how much of that frontman charm he holds. This group continues to makeĀ tremendous strides, ridingĀ critical acclaim (including GRAMMY nominations) for two records straight to build up a following that champions their arena-ready compositions. My favorite momentĀ came during “We Are Human,” which saw Johnny lead the growing crowds to hoot and holler whileĀ doing aĀ side-to-side arm wave in celebration to his shoutingĀ “it’s 2017, we should have respect and equality for everybody” into the mic. Wokeness & Rock & Roll? Yes, please.
The stormy weather helped push back set times at the SXU Stage, which allowed many fans to head over there to join the crowd there waiting to see Sum 41 perform after Highly Suspect was done spinning heads with their dope work on the sticks and strings.Ā The veteran Pop-Punk group had a very good crowd actually, helping so many of us relive the angst-filled attitudes of yesteryear. The Punk energy was as intact as ever, both onstage and off, thanks to a crowd that saw the band jumping around wildly and playing through shots from smoke cannons, and responded with mosh pitsĀ and head-banging. The shining moment for their set was a combination of their last four songs, which kicked off with a cover of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” that celebrated the band’s affinity for classic Rock and allowed them toĀ showcase how much they can shred! “Still Waiting” was a definite crowd pleasure too that saw the fans oftentimes sing louder than the front man. Then came a one-two punch of their biggest hits. “In Too Deep,” gotĀ the nostalgia train rolling and we were all indulging/reveling in the moment byĀ singing along more and more passionately. “Fat Lip” was the rallying cry for everyone, for which the crowd was seen at its rowdiest. The bridge was completely taken over by us (yup, us) in the crowd, and it ended our trip down to the early aughts in a fun way.
The classic alternative group Stabbing Westward got plenty people grooving. The crowd was less the singing kind, and more the jamming type. Air drumming was bountiful. Lead singer Christopher Hall made it a habit to cover the whole stage, frequently leaning closer and closer to the pit and those fans embraced him more and more.
Bleachers started a little later than scheduled, but that was quickly excused by fans the second Jack Antonoff and crew came on stage. The high energy music really turned this place into one big party. A Fleetwood Mac cover in “Go Your Own Way,” was dope, and the second “Rollercoaster” started playing, no butts were left on the seats. The 80s might’ve inspired some questionable fashion, but the musical legacy lives on well with Bleachers massaging those ultra catchy and danceable rhythms of the decade to take a party wherever he goes. At one point the sax’s mic was not functioning during the roll call, but after the issue was resolved,Ā Jack implored that they redo it. Asking the crowd “can you hear it now?” it served it up excellently for the player to do it again with a much more enthusiastic crowd supporting. This led to a sweet guitar vs sax duel. Jack is the peppy-est singer around and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
Bleacher’s delayed appearance, did come with some consequences, meaning Jimmy Eat World had to have a slightly shorter set. Lead singer Jim Adkins informed the crowd about that fact, adding that they’d be back when they hit the road with Incubus. However, this only meant that they would power through their very excellent catalogue, which is filled with hits upon hits. When you see Jimmy Eat World perform you’ll find a band has definitely aged gracefully, as their new song “Sure and Certain” got a great reception, proving the continuing promise of this band’s work. Once the hits came into play, that’s when everything became like one big celebration of the band. “Sweetness” got the loudest yells and hands in the air, “Praise Chorus” felt almost spiritual (no pun intended) thanks to this indescribable energy that filled the amphitheater, and “The Middle” proved to be the feel-good anthem that will never die!
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The 1975 were the undeniable favorite group for the masses in attendance. The screams. The chants. It was a pretty incredible reception from the crowd, which grew louder and louder as Matt Healy and co. finally took the stage. The light production was an integral part of the set, inciting big reactions with every new light display accompanying another performance. Photographers weren’t allowed to shoot the headlining set, bummer, sure, but seeing The 1975 hit this level was definitely worthwhile.
