Simon Rushworth
@ Newcastle Metro Radio Arena, November 18 2013
Rumours about Thirty Seconds To Mars’s shows are all true, and then some.
After earning a Guinness World Record for the ‘Longest Concert Tour by a Rock Band’ with 309 dates under their belts, the group could be excused for stifling a yawn. But the trio refused to expose one ounce of exhaustion in a set designed to enthral and inspire their North East fans.
Fronted by musician, actor, filmmaker, model, and vegan philanthropist Jared Leto, the ridiculously talented Mars maestro was the fuel to the fans’ fire from Birth to The Kill.
But despite Leto being one third of 30STM he undeniably leads the trio from his brother Shannon and Croatian born Tomo Mili?evi? with an adoring Echelon – or Mars fans – obliging every expletive-ridden request and gesture he asked of them. Needless to say, tour savvy Leto played this to his advantage and convincingly conquered the arena within minutes.
As a band, 30STM are renowned for reciprocating the worship from their fans and they did not disappoint the Newcastle crowd who were treated to two live debuts of tracks from their latest album and tour namesake, Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams.
Leto’s chillingly raw vocals for Bright Lights were echoed by a raptured Echelon before percussionist Leto and lead guitarist Mili?evi? stepped up to perform the hypnotic Convergence.
Tickets were certainly worth more than their sub-£30 price tag with brief interludes being filled by a morbid circus of gas mask-clad acrobats and Taiko drummers before the trio would confidently return onstage to heroes’ welcomes.
A Union Jack waving Leto nailed a series of tracks from LLFD before giving in to an acoustic set largely dedicated to the most loved 30STM album, A Beautiful Lie.
A select few of the most eclectic Echelon were invited to join Jared and co. onstage as the encore finally delivered the defining anthem for the true fans, Kings and Queens, rounded out by a deafening Up in the Air crescendo.
Mars’ out of this world performance should guarantee a sell-out Newcastle show on their next inevitably mammoth-sized tour and their return will certainly be worth the wait.
Charlotte Bowe