Twenty One Pilots bring eclectic, inspired set to TD Garden

Content warning: This article discusses mental health.

The musical style of Twenty One Pilots is impossible to place into a single category. Their music is eclectic, combining elements of alternative rock, emo rap, reggae and even, as some describe it, 'ukulele screamo.' The duo, consisting of frontman Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun, put on a inspired show at TD Garden on Oct. 26 as part of their "Bandito Tour," featuring the best of their trademark sound.

However, it is much more than just their sound that has brought Twenty One Pilots into the spotlight. For many years, they were relatively unknown. Even after the release of their third album, “Vessel” (2013), the majority of the public still had no idea who they were. However, upon releasing their next album, “Blurryface” (2015), that all changed. Twenty One Pilots practically became a household name. One of the album's singles, "Stressed Out," won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and charted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at No. 2. The single also received a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year. Due to the massive success of “Blurryface,” the duo went on a headlining concert tour (the “Emotional Roadshow World Tour”) that lasted well over a year (May 2016 – June 2017). Unfortunately for the Skeleton Clique, however, Twenty One Pilots soon seemed to have disappeared off the face of the Earth, and no one knew when, or even if, they would return.

However, in early October, more than three years after the release of “Blurryface,” they finally released a new album, ominously titled "Trench." The album is not merely an album; it tells a story -- a story that we now realize actually began with “Blurryface.” Blurryface, whose real name is Nicolas (or Nico) Bourbaki, is apparently one of the nine leaders, or Bishops, of Dema, a dystopian city. Clancy, a citizen of Dema, realizes the true nature of the evil surrounding him, and plans his escape to Trench, the place between Dema and the rebel encampment. The story is one that is very personal to the band. According to Joseph, Nico and Clancy are the two halves of himself, and Dema represents a state of anxiety and depression. Thus, the battle between Nico and Clancy symbolizes Joseph’s struggle with mental health. Fortunately, the story ends on a positive note. Clancy’s escape proves successful, and he joins the rebels, who are known as Banditos -- and are meant to represent the Skeleton Clique. In other words, unlike many other artists, Twenty One Pilots is sincerely grateful for and appreciative of the tremendous encouragement and love they receive from fans. Although Joseph and Dun are not entirely comfortable with the worldwide fame they suddenly find themselves experiencing -- a line from “Jumpsuit,” the opening song of “Trench,” reads, “I can’t believe how much I hate/ Pressures of a new place roll my way”, their perfectionist desire to please their fans comes through clearly in every song in the album.

Despite the immense popularity of their two most recent albums, the duo truly shine live. In “Lane Boy,” one of the songs from “Blurryface,”Joseph sings, “My creativity’s only free when I’m playing shows.” Now that Twenty One Pilots is on the international “Bandito Tour,” Joseph and Dun are free to be as creative as they please, and their degree of creativity on the Boston stage was impossible to prepare for. Of course, the lights, lasers, smoke machines, cross-stadium bridge and elevated drum stand -- not to mention numerous wardrobe changes and liberal use of confetti -- are jaw-dropping and heart-stopping in their own right. But it is the duo’s constant, intense energy that makes their concerts so mesmerizing and awe-inspiring. Even after 20 back-to-back songs, Josephstill runs back and forth across the stage, almost frantically, while Dun executes yet another backflip off Joseph’s piano, no less.

The duo’s dedication to their fans is unquestionable. For their final performances of the night, “Trees” (a song that promotes a sense of unity and shared purpose), two drums were passed to audience members near the stage, and Joseph and Dun stepped off onto raised hands, trusting concertgoers to keep them balanced while they played. Other artists might be apprehensive of their fans, or even condescending, and wouldn't be easily inclined to attempt such a stunt. But Twenty One Pilots readily acknowledges that they would not be where they are today without their fans, and takes any opportunity to demonstrate their eternal gratitude. They understand that their fans are fighting the same battles they they are, and want fans to realize that we are not alone. As Joseph says at the end of every concert, “We are Twenty One Pilots, and so are you!”