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"The Feeling of Falling Upwards": 5 Seconds of Summer release orchestral live album

5 Seconds of Summer

The Feeling of Falling Upwards (Live from The Royal Albert Hall)

Release: April 14, 2023

Review by Grace Earley


Everyone's favorite Australian pop-rock quartet 5 Seconds of Summer surprised fans by releasing a live album for their one-night orchestral event, which occurred on September 22nd, 2022. The group performed a sold-out, one-night-only concert at the Royal Albert Hall, a venue located in London, England. The concert, titled The Feeling of Falling Upwards, which sold 5,300 tickets in just over 24 hours, showcased the band’s most loved tracks, accompanied by the concert hall’s orchestra instrumentalists and gospel vocalists.


PHOTO BY ANDY DELUCA


5 Seconds of Summer, known to fans and many more as 5SOS, released their first EP, Somewhere New, in 2011. The Feeling of Falling Upwards (Live from The Royal Albert Hall) is not only the band's sixth album but their third live album, with a release date that was only a week after the announcement. The Feeling of Falling Upwards is so much more than a regular live album, outshining all others recorded before. The group's hard-hitting lyrics, passionate instrumentals, and overall energetic stage presence backed by the beautiful, astounding, mind-blowing talent of the house orchestra are otherworldly. After following the group for the past decade, I can say this blows anything they’ve done in the past out of the water.


Bassist Calum Hood spoke about the live album, stating that the group started as a live band, and their live performances are the best representation of their music. The Feeling of Falling Upwards is only further proof of that. All of the members, especially guitarist Michael Clifford, said that the event was one of the best shows that they've played in their entire lives. Through the performance, they were able to immortalize their most recent studio album, 5SOS5. Lead singer Luke Hemmings jokingly said that the title could've very well have been 5SOS5 Immortalized: The Live Show.


Beginning with the sounds of screams from super fans, who have followed the band for so long they feel as if they've grown up with them, the overture is a bone-chilling track. The music then slowly begins to fade into a soft bass line, leading the band to begin the night with the lead single from their new album, COMPLETE MESS. They followed this up with the performance of another new track, CAROUSEL, which premiered later in the night with the release of 5SOS5. Though nobody in the audience was able to sing along to the new song, the energy in the room spoke for itself.


PHOTO BY RYAN FLEMING


"It feels so good to be celebrating 5 Seconds of Summer!" Lead vocalist Luke Hemmings announced the members of the quartet: drummer Ashton Irwin, bassist Calum Hood, and guitarist Michael Clifford. He then said that the next song was an old one, done in a new way, and continued to begin strumming the chords to the group's first studio single, She Looks So Perfect. The performance of this already nostalgic track from 2014 feels as if it has grown with all of us that this song holds special meaning. It was only appropriate that before transitioning into the well-loved classic, Amnesia, Calum stated he felt as if he was in a dream.


The band continued the set with Lie To Me, the third track on Youngblood, the band's studio album. The crowd was then surprised by yet another new track from the upcoming album, CARAMEL. The backing of gospel vocals on this song was absolutely incredible. Though, nothing from the entire night gave everyone in the room chills the same as the seventh song.


Only seconds into the performance, the crowd recognized the instrumentals and followed them with near-deafening screams of pure excitement. Outer Space / Carry On, a track from 5SOS' second studio album, is without a doubt what the members of the crowd that night were the most thankful for. Luke Hemmings spoke on the addition of this song to the setlist. "We've played this live before, but not like this. We probably won't ever again because we won't be able to play it as well as we did at this show."


"I've got one foot in the golden life, one foot in the gutter So close to the other side, so far from the wonder I've got one foot in the golden life, one foot in the gutter So sick of the tug-o-war that keeps pulling me under" Outer Space / Carry On by 5 Seconds of Summer

Michael Clifford proceeded to tell the crowd that he feels as if a part of him lives within the band, but a part of him also lives within all of the fans. Some favorite tracks of the fanbase, including Youngblood, Red Desert, and Jet Black Heart followed, leading me to believe everyone in the room was having the best night of their entire lives. The group was then joined on stage by singer and songwriter Sierra Deaton, previous member of pop duo Alex & Sierra, and current fiancée of Luke Hemmings. During the performance of the fifth and final single of 5SOS5, Sierra and Luke's vocals paired beautifully together with the calming sounds of the orchestra accompaniment.



The last few songs of the evening included Take My Hand, Teeth, and Ghost of You, all of which sound as if they were written to be performed in this very environment. The night was closed out by the mind-blowing performance of another new track, Bad Omens, which has now seemingly become the fan favorite off of 5SOS5. Before taking their final bow, the guys allowed the crowd to cheer for each individual section of the orchestra, thanking them for making the night so memorable.


Listening to The Feeling of Falling Upwards is an experience from start to finish, unlike anything I have ever heard before. I can without a doubt say that I cried, and felt millions of different things during this listening session. 5 Seconds of Summer have done it yet again, and have never ceased to amaze me with their talent and dedication to their art. They brought back their well-loved tunes from the past 12 years and reinvented them in the best way they possibly could. I highly recommend listening to this album with headphones on for the best experience, but there is no bad place or time to play it.


Alongside this album, the group announced their 2023 international summer tour, The 5 Seconds of Summer Show, to which tickets are on sale now at 5sos.com/live.


View our photo gallery from 5 Seconds of Summer's show in Seattle, WA on their Take My Hand Tour summer 2022.



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