On Oct. 23, Twenty One Pilots brought “The Clancy Tour: Breach” to the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista. San Diego was the penultimate stop on their tour, only being followed by two final performances in Los Angeles.
Frontman Tyler Joseph first formed the band in 2009 with his college friends Nick Thomas and Chris Salih. Thomas and Salih departed in 2011, and the vacancy was filled by drummer Josh Dun, who has been by Joseph’s side ever since.
The duo has released seven studio albums together, the latest two being the tour’s namesakes: Clancy and Breach. The original Clancy tour began in August 2024 – two years and 51 cities later, it’s officially coming to a close.
The night was opened by Sloan Struble, known professionally as Dayglow.
The camaraderie between Dayglow and his band was palpable. The band played through hits like “Hot Rod” and “Can I Call You Tonight?” with the energy of a garage band jamming out together. There was pure joy in every note played, and every note sang.
Anticipation filled the air for the arrival of Twenty One Pilots. Set pieces on the stage, such as the band’s logo and piano, were slowly revealed and met with cheers from the audience every time.
As the venue went dark, the stage became engulfed in red lights and clips of the band played on the screens. Suddenly, Dun appeared and got straight to business, drumming with power and passion to the opening song, “Overcompensate.”
He wasn’t alone for long, as Joseph soon entered by launching himself off the piano while fireworks shot off in the background.
During “RAWFEAR,” Joseph picked up a camera and performed while staring into the lens, adding another layer of intensity to the number, as well as some fun when he turned the camera to show the audience up on the big screen.
Joseph made it clear to the audience that they were putting on the show just as much as the band was.
One example was “Tear in my Heart,” where Joseph split the crowd into “his side” and “Josh’s side” to each sing half of the bridge, both sides trying to be louder than the other.
Joseph took some opportunities to talk to the audience, such as when he admitted he wasn’t sure of the difference between Chula Vista and San Diego.
“I don’t have a master’s in geography,” Joseph said. “I do have a bachelor’s in good-looking people, and I found Josh Dun.”
Even though it was only Joseph and Dun on stage, it always felt full with their energy.
The duo played through a few more songs, including Suicide Squad hit “Heathens,” before moving to their B-stage. Dun and Joseph walked through the venue up to the top of the amphitheater, which had a small platform with a car on it.
Joseph rapped through “Message Man” and “Pet Cheetah” with so much intensity that every word felt like a knife slicing the air. The car behind him burst into flames, giving the set up the same intensity as his performance.
Many song performances utilized smoke, fireworks or just plain fire, which kept everyone on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what would come next.
Joseph sang “Chlorine” on his way back to the mainstage and was greeted by a group of people all dressed as Ned, a horned-creature in several of the duo’s music videos. The Neds were all ages, from small toddlers to adults.
There were many families in attendance, including Kiran Vallaphca and her mother. Vallaphca said she has listened to the band since she was in second grade, and that she and her mother love listening to their music together.
After more angsty numbers like “Jumpsuit” and “Heavydirtysoul,” the tone shifted for “The Line.” The stage was lit up with lights resembling stars, and the crowd turned on their flashlights to complete the picture of a night sky.
A genuine moment followed during “Garbage,” when Joseph shared that he had a zit on his nose, highlighting that even performers on national tours are human and imperfect. Despite this flaw, Joseph still carried on with confidence, and encouraged audience members to always do the same.
Joseph went on to share that both he and Dun taught themselves how to play their instruments, and Joseph encouraged young musicians not to give up on their dreams.
The set continued with the demo versions of “Doubt” and “Tally,” which featured a killer light show and an impressive high note. Joseph then walked to a platform in the middle of the amphitheater and performed “Ride” while the crowd sang along.
The song ended with a special sing-a-long. Joseph picked up a young fan, Noel, on his way back to the stage. Noel was given headphones and a microphone, and gave the performance of his life as fans chanted his name.
During “Drum Show,” Dun had a solo moment to sing for the first time that night. Dun made his way to the top left of the venue, where he played on a drumkit that was being held up by the crowd.
This was followed by “City Walls,” which featured the song’s story-driven music video playing in the background.
All of Twenty One Pilots’ albums have stories attached to them, many of which inspired costumes seen in the audience. San Diego State University alum Ad Soto and her friend Alicia Casillas explained that knowing all the lore isn’t a necessity.
“If [the songs] show up in my shuffle I’m like ‘This is a great song, I love this.’,” Soto said.
The attendees expressed that knowing the band’s lore is an extra step, but anyone can enjoy the music regardless.
Both girls said they love the band’s older music, so they no doubt enjoyed the duo playing through “Guns for Hands” and “Stressed Out.”
The band closed with “Trees.” The first verses were slow-paced, but by the end, the energy exploded into a party atmosphere.
Joseph and Dun each stood on planks being held up by fans, poured water onto drums and then played them as hard as they could. Smoke filled the air, confetti fell from the sky and everyone in attendance clapped along to the beat.
“We’re Twenty One Pilots and so are you,” Joseph said as he and Dun stood on stage for the last time. “Peace.”
