Hella Mega Tour announced: ‘90s alternative rock gets a modern makeover next summer

Grab your concert T-shirt and get ready to rock. The Hella Mega Tour featuring Fall Out Boy, Green Day and Weezer is going to be the best summer tour of 2020.

While summer might be fading, music fans are preparing for next year’s Hella Mega Tour. The just-announced summer tour featuring Fall Out Boy, Green Day, and Weezer kicks off in 2020. While the tour is far away, music fans got a sample of the ferocious beats they’ll hear next summer when all three bands released new songs alongside the tour announcement.

In a recent NME article, Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day commented about the inspiration for this huge stadium tour. Back in the day, stadium tours like the Monsters of Rock gave music fans that sense of intrigue, counter culture, and loud, in-your-face, music. This tour blends that throwback aspect with some commentary on today’s uncertain climate.

According to Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, he hopes that this tour represents some “counter programming.” In his opinion, he wants to offer the counter point to the world’s current climate. And whether you agree or disagree with his statement, this tour looks to be an event where the young, the old, and everyone in between can spend a day thrashing, singing, and enjoying three of the best rock bands in history.

Looking at the Hella Mega Tour, these three uber popular rock bands have similar yet different styles. While each band has an alt rock edge, their music has varied throughout the years.

From Green Day adapting its iconic American Idiot album for the Broadway stage, to Weezer now linked to the cover of “Africa,” to Fall Out Boy topping the charts, these three bands have come a long way from their first albums. With this gigantic summer tour, it will be interesting to see how each band’s journey will play out onstage.

Even looking at the three new songs released as part of the Hella Mega Tour Announcement, the bands seem to channeling the stadium rock vibe. With a nod to their classic sound, each song seems to have a moment when an entire audience can join in.

For example, “Father of All” by Green Day is in-your-face, raw riffs with an underlying beat. It is unapologetic and encourages you to react. While the song itself is quite short, it definitely leaves a mark.

Where Green Day’s new song is fierce, the new Fall Out Boy song, “Dear Future Self (Hands Up)” has their blend of infectious beat and party vibe. Everyone will be clapping along or jumping to this song. There is a clear feel-good party vibe, similar to other classic Fall Out Boy anthems.

Weezer relies on some intricate guitar to intro their new song “The End of the Game.” There is almost an ‘80s hair band vibe to this song. It is guitar forward yet extremely melodic and inviting. Listening to it, you can almost see a stadium crowd clapping along at the end of a concert.

While fans will have to wait until the summer of 2020 to see these three bands take the stage on the Hella Mega Tour, it will be curious to see if this announcement encourages other big summer tours. While individual artists have had successful individual tours, these multi-band tours aren’t as common.

While the Vans Tour brought together numerous artists in a slightly counter-culture vibe, that touring show has ended. Lollapoolza has transformed over the years and doesn’t have the same vibe as its initial touring incarnation.

If this tour is as successful as it should be, the possibilities of other “mega tours” could be likely. For example, Sirius XM has an Alt Nation Advanced Placement Tour. Maybe more large-scale collaborations could be on the horizon.

The Hella Mega Tour kicks off in Europe and heads to the United States on July 17 in Seattle, Washington. There are 20 stops in the U.S. from July 17 through August 29. Tickets are going on sale soon.

This summer is ready to rock. Are you ready to join the Hella Mega Tour?