When the Arctic Monkeys walked onto the stage on Friday, Sept. 15 at the Moody Center stadium, the audience erupted into ecstatic applause as the stadium went dark and the bass of the opening song, Sculptures of Anything, surged. The electrifying performance and the stunning visuals completely captivated the audience. The band quickly followed up the opener with the song, Brainstorm, keeping the same intense energy alive. 

The setlist covered each era of the Arctic Monkeys, especially from their most famous album, AM, which pushed them into fame. Decked in leather jackets, black attire, and clunky Doc Martens, the crowd completely lost their minds when the band brought out Snap out of it from AM. A yellow ambient color shined over the stage, focused on the lead singer Alex Turner. Snap out of it, a typically energetic song, was performed by Turner at a slower tempo than usual. Shortly, fans caught on to the rhythm change.

Aside from Turner’s rhythm, his enigmatic showmanship was yet to waver. Filling moments between songs with banter sent the audience into laughter and admiration of the British singer. 

 Making their way through the albums, they performed my personal favorite song, Crying Lighting, which was from their 2009 album, Humbug. An electrifying performance with flashing lights and fog on the stage, Turner completely mesmerized the audience with his captivating performance. The song opens with guitar chords creating a somber mood complementing Turner’s introspective lyrics that wonderfully explore themes of disillusionment and the complexities of a relationship. Turner gave his all in this performance, his voice perfectly emulating the emotions found in the song. 

Neither the band nor Turner felt bitter about the fan’s common preference for their old albums over the newer ones. The audience and I craved songs from AM, an album filled with high-energy songs. Recited perfectly word by word by the crowd, Turner perfectly hit each note, his quick fingers dancing perfectly across his guitar. His clean and thorough performances made him seem almost as if he was on autopilot.

As the energetic performance continued, the atmosphere in the moody center stadium was electric. A sense of tranquility was found as a giant disco ball lowered from the ceiling, which lit up the ebullient Moody Center stadium. There’d Better Be A Mirrorball, a beautiful ballad, came on. The audience, exhilarated by this old classic-like song, swayed to the song completely at peace. Turner’s ability to seamlessly transition between soft ballads and powerful rock music was one of the factors that impressed me most at the concert. 

 The stage was illuminated by red lights, highlighting specifically Turner, as the song Do I wanna know completely overtook the audience. Turner glided across the stage, giving attention to all sides of the crowd. This song was definitely a personal favorite in terms of performance from AM. As the concert was coming to what appeared as an end, the adrenaline of the audience reached  a new peak. The band was completely on fire, not missing a beat and keeping up with the energy of the audience. 

After performing what seemed like their last piece, Body paint (extended outro), the audience screamed for an encore as the band was leaving the stage. After chanting “encore” for a solid 10 minutes, the band finally returned to the stage. The stadium was filled with ear-piercing, high-pitched screams. The band returned performing the song Suck it and See, surprising the audience with a total of three encore songs. The crowd went completely wild, and screams of “I love you, Alex Turner” echoed across the stadium.

Finally, the concert came to an end with the song R U MINE?, my favorite part of the three-song encore. With its infectious hooks and catchy lines, this song quickly became a fan-favorite. After the thrilling performance sadly came to an end, Alex Turner lagged behind the band, blowing kisses to the audience and waving goodbye. Turner’s charm and undeniable stage presence continue to solidify him as one of the most captivating performers the rock world has seen. 

The Austin performance was nothing short of extraordinary from the visually stunning effects to the band’s effortless performance — every aspect of the concert was meticulously constructed to perfection. The showcasing of the old albums to the premier of their new album The Car really expressed the band’s growth over the years. The concert was definitely a night to remember for fans who were lucky enough to attend. 

Below is the set list:

1. Sculptures of anything 
2. Brainstorm 
3. Snap out of it
4. Teddy picker
5. Crying lighting 
6. Fireside 
7. Arabella 
8. Why’d you only call me when you’re high 
9. Cornerstone 
10. The view from the afternoon
11. Knee socks 
12. Pretty visitors 
13. Fluorescent Adolescent 
14. The ultracheese 
15. There’d better be a Mirrorball 
16. 505
17. Do I wanna know 
18. Body paint (extended outro)

Encore: 

1. Suck it and see
2. I bet you look good on the dance floor 
3. R U MINE?