Thirty Seconds to Mars Lights Up Dallas' Dos Equis Pavilion

Summer is coming to a close, but nobody told Texas. Thirty Seconds to Mars' Tuesday night show at Dos Equis Pavilion was a scorcher, in every sense of the word. It was so hot that opener KennyHoopla made it through one song before apologizing to the crowd and leaving due to an anxiety attack from the intense heat. (According to his Instagram story, he was OK and heading to the next show.) The bands that did end up playing were as hot as the night.

Thirty Seconds to Mars was formed by actor Jared Leto and his brother Shannon in 1998. For the current Seasons tour, the band is joined by guitarist and utility man Stevie Aiello. This ongoing tour covers the globe, and the eccentric, Oscar-winning Jared Leto announced the tour in the most Jared Leto way: as the first person to climb the Empire State Building (with the blessing of New York City).

The tour supports the band's latest release, It's the End of the World, But it's a Beautiful Day, though the setlist on Tuesday offered an even mix of songs from all five of the band's releases.

AFI got onstage after the one-song opener and another act, Poppy. AFI (which stands for "A Fire Inside") formed in California in 1991 and started as a hardcore punk band but evolved to incorporate a broader rock sound. Their overall vibe was still very punk rock, with lots of leaping-off risers and raw energy. This was their first tour since 2019, and many fans on the rail screamed the lyrics along with vocalist Davey Havok.

Finally, it was time for the main attraction. The lights went dark and a countdown began over the house speakers. The crowd erupted with the initial burst of confetti and then seemed to explode into a state of ecstasy as the band took the stage.
However you feel about the polarizing Jared Leto, the man is a captivating and dynamic performer. The band took a page from old stadium shows and modernized it to match their modern indie sound. The result was a show that looked as good as it sounded — and it sounded flawless.

One thing was clear right away: Jared may be an international movie star, but unlike Corey Feldman or even Dogstar (with Keanu Reeves on bass), the crowd was here to see their favorite band, not their favorite actor. Many songs started with fans letting out uncontrollable screams of delight as Jared introduced the band members, and mass singalongs continued all night.

Another unique aspect of a Thirty Seconds to Mars show is their conscious intention to have the audience become part of the proceedings. As fans waited for the show to begin, one of the slides on the jumbo screen offered a QR code that invited fans could scan if they wanted to go onstage during the show. Leto also brought a group of fans he selected on the spot to dance with him — a few even got a hug. There was a VIP option for superfans to watch the show from the side stage and to get a chance to join the band onstage. In this day of crazies, it's rare to see any band — much less one led by a movie star — be this free and trusting with their fans. However, it was hard to tell at times who loved Jared Leto more: the fans or Leto himself.

Leto kept a running dialogue all night. He asked if anyone had seen the band at the Gypsy Tea Room in Deep Ellum when they first played Dallas. He had fans hold up their phone lights and even instructed some mild choreography with them. The singer had them in the palm of his hand all night.

For those who braved the heat, this show was one for the books. Fans of the band got everything they hoped for and far more than they probably expected. It's refreshing and increasingly rare to see an absolute spectacle of a rock show. That's exactly what Dallas got Tuesday night, starring Jared Leto in the role of a lifetime as a rock god.