Both literally and figuratively, Twenty One Pilots lit up BMO Stadium with dazzling pyrotechnics and an exhilarating performance. The two-man band took the stage on Saturday evening for the second-to-last show of The Clancy Tour: Breach, wowing a crowd mainly made up of true devotees, not just casual fans.

The night began with Dayglow, who opened the show with positive, upbeat energy. Fronted by Sloan Struble and joined by bassist Peyton Harrington, drummer Brady Knippa, keyboardist Norrie Swofford and guitarist Colin Crawford, the indie pop artists’ setlist featured crowd favorites like “Can I Call You Tonight?,” “Hot Rod” and “Close to You.” Their indie-pop sound perfectly set the tone for what would be an electrifying night.

After a brief break between sets, the stage darkened and cheers erupted as lead vocalist Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun emerged, starting the show with “Overcompensate.” The song opened with a suspenseful fusion of strings and distant choirs, building anticipation until Dun struck the drums for the first time. The layered electronic percussion burst to life and served as a warm-up for what was to follow.

Throughout the night, Joseph and Dun continuously moved across multiple platforms scattered around the arena. Fans craned their necks and spun around in an attempt to locate the duo as if part of an interactive game between the performers and audience. This unique and unpredictable movement gave each of the two artists individual spotlights and ample room for appreciation as they interacted with all sections of the stadium.

Joseph frequently wove humor and intimacy into the performance. At one point, after high-fiving fans while running through the empty aisles, he joked, “Please wash your hands after this,” prompting laughter from the crowd.

The recurring presence of flame special effects throughout the show peaked during the ballad “Routines in the Night,” when the band dramatically set a car on fire mid-stage. The fiery display, accompanied by bursts of pyrotechnics, refreshingly lit up the night and left the crowd awestruck. The symbolic rebirth with the destruction of the car as well as rising ashes in the air hinted at a potential new chapter for the band.

Veering away from the fire motif, “Chlorine” evoked forgotten nostalgia. As soon as the opening notes hit, the audience erupted. The song served as a reminder of just how deeply ingrained the band’s hits are in fans’ memories, even for those who don’t regularly listen to their music.

Later, the song “Garbage” from their newest album “Breach,” elicited a surprisingly shared emotional experience among the audience. During the song, fans gradually rose to stand on their feet as they repeatedly chanted the lines, “I feel like garbage.” This was a strangely unifying and uplifting moment that captured Twenty One Pilots’ distinctive talent for turning vulnerability into relatable connections.

Of course, the night wouldn’t have been complete without the band’s most beloved two songs, “Ride” and “Stressed Out” from the 2015 album “Blurryface.” The crowd sang every word and was collectively transported back to 2016 — a flashback to the Instagram Mayfair-filter era, full of car rides with the windows down and the radio blasting.

When Joseph performed “Stressed Out,” the timeless lyrics, “Wish we could turn back time to the good old days / When our mama sang us to sleep, but now we’re stressed out,” seemed to hit the audience especially hard, as the words brought a bittersweet awareness of growing up.

During “Ride,” Joseph brought out a young fan named Luna on stage to sing the final chorus. She was given a pair of headphones to help her hear the music over the crowd noise. The crowd was touched by the band inviting young fans on stage during “Ride” as they had earlier in the tour.

Luna’s joy radiated through the entire stadium with the crowd roaring in support. The moment demonstrated the band’s dedication to prioritizing genuine fan-to-performer connection.

To close, Twenty One Pilots performed “Trees,” a slower song, but a fitting finale to say the least. The song acted as a culmination of the entire concert and offered a final chance to soak it all in. As confetti rained, smoke filled the stadium and fireworks illuminated the sky behind the stage, fans sang with all the energy they had left. The lyrics, “I want to know you / I want to see / I want to say,” left the audience with a lasting personal sense of being seen.

Ironically, the final lines of “Trees” being “ Hello, hello! / Hello, hello!” served as a hopeful goodbye. The reminder was fitting, as the audience was reluctant to see the night close, sluggishly climbing the stadium’s steps.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the entire show wasn’t just the production or theatrics, but the fandom itself. Every lyric, every beat and every transition was met with full-hearted enthusiasm. It was impossible not to be engulfed in the passion. Twenty One Pilots proved that they’re not relics of a past era, occasionally played on SiriusXM, but a band that is still relevant, relatable and deserving of greater recognition.