After their wildly successful “Boys of Zummer” tour in 2015 with co-headliner Wiz Khalifa, Fall Out Boy hit the road again in February of 2016 with their “Wintour”—this time showcasing the talents of AWOLNATION for a 20 show run. Friday marked the pinnacle of the tour at New York City’s Madison Square Garden and highlighted the incredible allure of both bands (who, hand over fist, continue to sell out legs of their tour–the “world’s most famous arena” being no exception).

Both bands hail from the school of rock, although they stand out uniquely in their sub-genres (AWOLNATION more on the indie scene and Fall Out Boy more on the pop scene). Their trajectory in the industry also sets them apart. While Fall Out Boy first saw international success in the early 2000s, lead singer of AWOLNATION Aaron Bruno was still experimenting with projects like Under the Influence of Giants and Home Town Hero. In 2009, when Fall Out Boy took a hiatus for solo projects, AWOLNATION was preparing for the release of their first EP, “Back from Earth” (Red Bull Records). In 2016, both bands are in full swing and indisputably at top of their respective game; enjoying measurable success with recents hits like “Uma Thurman” from Fall Out Boy’s album “American Beauty/American Psycho” (Island Records, 2015) and “I Am” from AWOLNATION’s sophomore album “Run” (Red Bull Records, 2015).

What can be said of their live show, and one underlying and undeniable commonality between the two bands, is that both know how to put on a phenomenal show. There is something entirely too palpable about the audience at a concert like this; it’s an energy that can only be described as love (raw and real). While it’s mostly young girls crying out for these bands, it’s hard to not get caught in the emotion (no matter who you are). In an arena packed with thousands upon thousands of people, it’s sometimes impossible to not feel like each band is performing just for you (making light of a situation that can, for many other performers, seem like the least intimate of spaces).

Be sure to check out AWOLNATION at awolnationmusic.com and on iTunes, as well as Fallout Boy at falloutboy.com.