Twenty One Pilots will play at Dickies Arena on November 8.
Photo courtesy of Twenty One Pilots
Alternative duo Twenty One Pilots' new U.S. leg of their worldwide “Banditø Tour” will include a stop at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on November 8.
The Fort Worth show will allow the band to cross the final major Texas city off their list after visiting Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio earlier on the tour, which has been going on since October 2018. The concert is also now the first scheduled event at Dickies Arena, which has been steadily moving up its opening date ever since announcing George Strait's visit.
The tour is in support of Twenty One Pilots' 2018 album, Trench, which hit No. 2 on the Billboard 200 upon release. The album has yielded several hits on the alternative charts, including “Jumpsuit,” "My Blood,” and "Chlorine." The album follows the massive success of their 2015 No. 1 album, Blurryface, which had songs like "Stressed Out," "Ride," and "Heathens" make the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
To ensure tickets get into the hands of fans and not scalpers or bots, the tour has partnered with Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan platform. Fans can register to be a Verified Fan now through July 14 at 10 pm PT. Registered fans who receive a code will have access to purchase tickets before the general public starting on July 16 at 10 am local time through July 18 at 10 pm local time.
All remaining tickets for the new U.S. dates will be released to the public at 10 am local time on Friday, July 19.
Neil Diamond — a member of both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame with 10 No. 1 songs and over 56 million albums sold — is such a music legend that it would be easy to do a straight-up biopic of him. Instead, the new Song Sung Blue — named after Diamond’s 1972 hit song — serves as a shadow Diamond biopic, with his songs showcased through a real-life husband-and-wife tribute act known as Lightning & Thunder.
Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, the film focuses on Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who comes up with the idea for a Diamond-centric act when he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). The duo soon grows in popularity locally in Milwaukee, headlining not just restaurants and bars but also some larger venues. As their legend spreads, they even start to get the attention of the media and bigger names outside of Wisconsin.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a good biopic without a little turbulence, and — without spoiling things — Mike and Claire learn that good times never seemed so good when they face more than their fair share of troubles. The couple endures their ups and downs with the help of their combined family, including children Rachel (Ella Anderson) Angelina (King Princess), and Dana (Hudson Henley), as well as a community of fellow tribute acts.
Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name), the film’s appeal lies mainly in the irrepressible enthusiasm of Mike, a man born to entertain if ever there was one. Neither his long-dormant alcoholism nor health problems nor location in the Upper Midwest can stop Mike from demonstrating his showmanship skills. Of course, it helps that he’s portrayed by Jackman, who - despite getting a little long in the tooth - gives every performance his all.
What the story can never quite answer, though, is why this particular couple is worth an entire feature film. Sure, they have a somewhat interesting arc, especially when it coincides with a certain early ‘90s grunge band, but otherwise there’s little that separates them from other tribute acts toiling around the country. Brewer struggles to define them outside of their singing lives, and when things get really bad for them, the emotional connection is at a minimum.
Then there’s the aspect of incorporating Diamond’s music, some of which has endured across the decades more than others. Naturally, “Sweet Caroline” gets a notable showcase, but whither “America” or “Heartlight?” The title song is featured the most often, as Mike uses it to celebrate his yearly “sober birthday,” but it’s not a barnburner. Mike also has an obsession with the relatively obscure "Soolaimón," an odd choice both for him and for the movie to include so much.
Jackman and Hudson have good chemistry together, and when the film puts them together in singing scenes, their bond becomes infectious. Each of them has naturally melodic voices as well, lending an extra boost to that part of the film. Supporting actors like Anderson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, and Fisher Stevens complement them well, but Jim Belushi, playing their promoter, gives a hammy performance that seems to be in a completely different movie.
While it’s unclear who the audience for Song Sung Blue might be other than hardcore Diamond fans, it has just enough crowd-pleasing moments to make for a solid watch. The entertainment factor of the film comes and goes, but Jackman using every ounce of his abilities mostly makes up for any deficiencies.
