On Sat. Oct. 30, Machine Gun Kelly arrived in Pittsburgh at Petersen Events Center in Oakland for the second to last show on his Tickets to My Downfall tour.

     People were more than ecstatic to see the rapper-turned-punk artist’s downfall, as tickets were sold out by midday on Oct. 30. Tickets, which were initially selling anywhere between $300-500 when they first went on sale, were marked down to $40 in the days leading up to the concert. MGK’s show ranged from new pop punk tracks off of his most recent album, as well as many of his older rap songs.

     “I loved everything about it,” Norwin High School senior attendee Jenna Gulibon said. “I wish I had a closer seat since he was walking around at one point, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the concert from higher up. I even enjoyed the songs I didn’t know as well.”

     MGK’s performance included enormous props (such as pill bottles), skits featuring Pete Davidson, and plenty of audience interaction.

     “I thought it was a great first concert to go to!” Norwin senior attendee Shawna Sinchak said. “I loved how the crowd and the singers were so into the performance. The atmosphere was so cool and energetic, and the lights and background videos complimented the music well. The way he involved the crowd at some points of the concert and carried himself on stage made the overall performance even better. I am not an avid fan, but I went because some of my friends were going. I’m glad I went, although I had some reservations about it at the beginning. I surprisingly heard most of the songs before.”

     MGK’s opening acts included carolesdaughter and jxdn (pronounced “Jaden”).

     “I personally loved the opening acts,” Gulibon said. “I heard some of the girl’s music before, but it was my first time hearing some of the guy’s. I enjoyed it so much that I started listening to him on Spotify.”

Concerts are back

     “Both of the artists in the opening acts are talented in their own rights,” Sinchak said. “They were very passionate about their songs and made it fun.”

     While many are anxious to jump back into the concert scene in a COVID-19 world, Petersen Events Center is taking the proper steps to ensure the health and safety of all its attendants.

     “Dealing with COVID-19 protocols, everyone in the lobby was wearing their masks and it was spaced out while walking,” Sinchak said. “In the stadium, the section my friends and I sat in was spaced out decently.”

     While Pittsburgh continues to reopen its doors for concerts and sporting events, Machine Gun Kelly provided locals with a rocking opportunity to jump back into the concert scene.