Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz on playing Wrigley: 'It'll be insane'

For a kid from the suburbs who grew up going to Cubs games, playing a show at Wrigley Field is a big deal.

“I grew up going to games with my dad at Wrigley,” says Pete Wentz, a Wilmette native. “This stadium contains so much magic from being a kid.”

Wentz and his punk-influenced rock band Fall Out Boy - featuring Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley - join the roster of musicians performing this summer at the Chicago stadium with a show Saturday, Sept. 8. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 26 at mlb.com; American Express Card members can access presale tickets now through 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25.

“I think it'll be insane,” said Wentz, the bassist and lyricist for the band. “I'm having a hard time picturing it because it's so far from anything we've done before. It'll definitely be our biggest show ever.”

In 2015, Fall Out Boy played a set at Wrigley as part of the MLB opening ceremonies. And in 2017 they sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch. Wentz got to throw out the first pitch at that game. But this is the first time the locally brewed musicians get to headline the hometown stadium.

“We really have to focus hard on getting the setlist right on that one,” said Wentz. “There's a spectrum of people that'll be at the show, from people who got into us just now to fans who have been there for 10 or 12 years, and we really have to make a setlist that flows but makes sense to all those people.”

Cleveland, Ohio, rapper Machine Gun Kelly will join Fall Out Boy on the tour, with the Chicago stop also featuring a set from Northwest suburban-born Rise Against.

“We played festivals together before, and we grew up together,” Wentz said of Rise Against. “Tim (McIlrath) and I have done bands before together. ... I love those guys. They're one of my favorite bands. We literally played Knights of Columbus halls together with other bands ... so it's cool to be able to go from that to playing a stadium with them.”

The show comes as part of a global summer tour in support of “M A N I A,” the band's newest album, which dropped last Friday.

“One of the interesting things about making music now for Fall Out Boy compared to five years ago, 10 years ago, is that I think a lot of people listen to music in a genre-less way now. People listen to songs now,” said Wentz.

“M A N I A,” which plays tag with various genres, still presents a collection that is cohesively Fall Out Boy.

“It's kind of freeing for us because we've had our influences all over the place, but we've always kind of had to rein them in,” said Wentz.

“And so this album, we let it go a little bit, but at the same time knowing we had to create a tangible album for somebody who's going to consume an entire album.”

The foursome may no longer be local - three band members live in L.A. and one resides in Portland, Oregon - but Wentz said he tries to get back to see family and “get a dose of Chicago” every few months. And this hometown show presents a great opportunity to soak up some of the city.

“I think we're going to create a weekend of it,” said Wentz. “We're trying to figure out something to celebrate Chicago because Chicago was a big part of our story.”

Fall Out Boy's “M A N I A Tour” with Machine Gun Kelly, Rise Against

<b>When:</b> 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8

<b>Where:</b> Wrigley Field, 1060 W. Addison St., Chicago

<b>Tickets:</b> Tickets start at $46; tickets go on sale Friday, Jan. 26, at mlb.com.