Singing like it’s 2012: From ‘Youngblood’ to ‘Everyone’s a Star!’, 5SOS return in style

Utilita Arena, Birmingham, 31 March 2026

If you had told me on Tuesday morning that I would end the day at a 5 Seconds of Summer concert, I would not have believed you. Yet, by that evening, I was in Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, surrounded by more than 15,000 fans, fully caught up in the energy of a band I had never expected to see live. Even without knowing every song, it was impossible not to get swept up by the atmosphere: from the beginning, this felt less like a standard arena gig and more like a blockbuster event.

It’s the kind of comeback that could easily have relied too heavily on nostalgia, but the show proved the band have aged well.

Before 5SOS even stepped on stage, the tone had already been set. Rather than simply filling time, the supporting acts (Oxford-born rock band South Arcade, and an upcoming American star Haiden Henderson) helped build the momentum of the night, warming up the crowd perfectly for what was to come. By the time the lights dropped for the headline act, the arena already felt loud, restless and entirely ready.

5SOS are currently touring in support of their new album, Everyone’s a Star! marking a major return after time spent becoming fathers and focusing on individual projects. It’s the kind of comeback that could easily have relied too heavily on nostalgia, but the show proved the band have aged well. 5SOS no longer feel like the internet-era, pop-rock group many of us first encountered in our early teens. Instead, they have grown into a punk and polished live act while still holding onto their humour, energy, and edge that originally made them so appealing.

However, that nostalgia was still very much part of the experience – it was impossible not to feel it. At several points, I genuinely felt my 12-year-old self loosing her mind hearing ‘You Look So Perfect’ and ‘Youngblood’ live. I was definitely feeling a very specific kind of nostalgia – the guilty pleasure type of embarrassing but still very funny, and unexpectedly emotional. The band clearly know how powerful that connection remains, and they lean into it without letting it confine them.

Musically, the set was impressively balanced. Opening with explosive tracks like ‘NOT OK’, ‘No. 1 Obsession’ and ‘Teeth’, the band launched into the show with confidence, moving smoothly between older songs and newer material. There was never a sense of the energy dropping for too long, but there was enough variation to stop it all from blurring into one.

Their charm and charisma made what could have easily been an awkward, uncomfortable vision something which fans will forever remember.

What gave the performance some real personality, however, was its unique and hilarious five-act structure. Rather than simply playing through a set list, 5SOS framed the concert around a fictional rise-and-fall narrative about “the biggest boyband in the world”, brought down by a tragic crowd-surfing accident. It was ridiculous, theatrical, and completely self-aware. Each section of the show was labelled dramatically – Act 1: The Peak; Act 2: The Fall; Act 3: The Yearning; Act 4: The Breakup; and Act 5: The Rise – with a “PowerPoint break” inserted in the middle comparing the audience’ reaction of new to old songs. Their charm and charisma made what could have easily been an awkward, uncomfortable vision something which fans will forever remember.

The PowerPoint interlude ended up being one of the funniest moments of the night. Complete with graphs, photos and absurd storytelling, it was exactly the kind bit that could have easily fallen flat in a huge venue, but instead it made the show feel more personal. A slide featuring Birmingham-specific facts gave the crowd something to laugh at and recognise, adding a local touch that made the whole thing feel less generic. It captured one of the band’s biggest strengths: their ability to make fun of themselves without ever making the performance feel insincere.

The mix of humour and sincerity was what made the night so enjoyable. On one hand, 5SOS spent much of the show leaning into the melodrama and absurdity of their own fictional downfall. On the other, they knew exactly when to let the more emotional songs take over. Ballads like ‘Amnesia’ gave the set some real weight, with the arena lit by thousands of phone torches. It was one of those classic concert moments that should feel cheesy, but instead worked, the emotion in the room so genuine regardless of whether audience members had been fans for 10 days or 10 years.

Instead, they have found a way to somehow make their youthful chaos feel more refined.

The audience themselves became part of the show’s atmosphere too: the crowd’s outfits reflected the edgy energy of the 5SOS fandom. There was leather, black boots, heavy silver jewellery, band tees, dark eyeliner, and that slightly grungy pop-punk style that has followed the band for years. It made the arena feel visually cohesive. The fans were clearly not just watching the show but actively contributing to its identity.

If there was one minor distraction, it was the number of camera operators moving around the stage. At first, they felt a little too visible, especially during moments that might otherwise have felt more immersive. Still, it did not take long to tune them out and focus on the band. They looked genuinely happy to be back together on stage, and that ease with one another gave the whole show a looseness that really worked in its favour.

What the show really highlighted more than anything is that 5SOS understand exactly who they are. They are older now, more polished and more confident, but they have not lost the sense of fun that first built the “5SOSFAM”. Instead, they have found a way to somehow make their youthful chaos feel more refined. The result was a hilarious, nostalgic, energetic and genuinely entertaining show, without ever feeling stuck in the past.

By the time the encore arrived, the entire arena had been won over. What began as a fun and unexpected night out turned into something much more memorable: a sharp, self-aware, and fun performance from a band that have aged well without losing their identity.

★★★★☆