Calling all TOP fans! As someone who had been listening to this band since the transition year between middle school and high school at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (I know, crazy times), I cannot begin to describe how excited I was to hear they were releasing a movie/documentary. This documentary would showcase one of the most reputable comebacks in the Ohio duo’s music career, so it was only fair that they share it with their fans.
The film documented one of their most successful live shows while touring in Mexico City after the release of Clancy (2024). The Clancy album was the key continuation of the decade-long telling of a narrative through their previous albums. After the 3-year wait following the release of Scaled and Icy (2021), which was widely considered torture for many TOP fans, the release of Clancy was what revived the fanbase and even drew in new crowds. The band’s newest album, Breach (2025), was what came next. When the trailer for the film was released, many were excited. The movie was set to have limited IMAX previews on February 25th and was officially released on February 26th.
Upon the release of the tracklist, many fans were disappointed to see songs cut, songs like “Vignette,” “Backslide,” “My Blood,” “The Judge,” and “The Craving.” A lot of which are valid grievances, considering “The Judge” allowed for the transition into Tyler Joseph getting back to the stage after the Car Radio magic trick. However, many were still glad to get the chance to see the show live due to not seeing it originally during the tour. For some, it was the closest they’ve ever gotten to seeing them live. Many now had the perfect opportunity to see it on a big screen, full HD, even better than before.
I went to the 6 pm showing on the 26th of February. It opened with an astounding aerial view of the arena packed with 60,000+ fans waiting to see them live, as well as some shots of individual fans dressed in their best imitations and renditions of the characters Clancy and Torchbearer. Seeing the iconic moment of Tyler Joseph dressed as Clancy suddenly standing on top of a huge tower that was beside the arena during “Car Radio” felt surreal, and it was truly amazing to see. It was like being there live, which I never thought I’d get the chance to do. Also, seeing them bring down a little girl to sing one of their most popular songs, “Ride,” was the sweetest thing!
The behind-the-scenes footage was around 30 minutes long and showed us drummer Josh Dunn and frontman Joseph’s thought processes and preparation on the way to the venue the day of the performance. People treated this film like it was an actual concert, some even singing along and dancing in the theaters. It was an electrifying experience to say the least!
This film was a great experience, and I think many a fan would agree. It was extremely well done with its cinematography, and I highly recommend that anyone watch it! You don’t even need to be a fan to enjoy it, but it helps to like the music. Nonetheless, it’s safe to say that this movie has brought many people together through the shared experience of live music.