Midwest Warped Tour alumni Motion City Soundtrack played in Charlotte at The Fillmore just before another batch of freak winter weather hit the south. Motion City Soundtrack is known for their eccentric wordy lyrics and synth-rock sound, the Minnesota natives mixed their set with fan favorites and songs from their newest album The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World. Opening the show was Chicago indie punk band Sincere Engineer fronted by Deanna Belos. Reminiscent of the newest wave of bands like Real Friends and Knuckle Puck hailing from the Windy City, Sincere Engineer makes punk relatable with songs like “California King” and “Overbite.”
Next up was Say Anything from Los Angeles, the band disbanded in 2018 but rejoined and toured their cult classic album Is A Real Boy celebrating its 20th anniversary last year. They opened with “Spores” and had the crowd of elder emos dancing to “Wow I Can Get Sexual Too,” the song that made it on to every millennial mix cd. Ending the set with “Alive With the Glory of Love,” they left the room on a high note as the crowd waited for Motion City Soundtrack to take the stage.
“Some Wear a Dark Heart,” from their 7th studio album, was the opening song for this tour. Many of the new songs echo the classic Motion City Soundtrack sounds but lyrically have evolved to meet fans where they are now in life. Keyboardist Jesse Johnson, famous for his moogstand during “My Favorite Accident,” did not disappoint. They provided Charlotte with a show of Warped Tour day hits like “Capital H,” “Make Out Kids”, and “LG FUAD.”
Motion City Soundtrack closed the show with what felt like a kind nod to all the fans that have followed them through the years by ending with “Everything is Alright,” and “The Future Freaks Me Out.” The tour continues throughout the northeast and into the midwest, then ends in Nashville in mid-February.
GALLERY: Motion City Soundtrack with Say Anything and Sincere Engineer at The Fillmore in Charlotte, North Carolina (January 28, 2026)
