Baltimore-bred group All Time Low, returned from their year long hiatus with a series of one-off shows in Boston, New York City & of course, their hometown Baltimore. Considering the fact they’d had some time away, they have a hardcore fanbase, AND that tickets were only five dollars– it was no surprise each show sold out in minutes.
I was lucky enough to attend the first show of the run in Boston. Since tickets were so cheap, the venue had a strict will-call only rule, leaving no chance for scalpers to succeed. Although this made it take a little bit longer to get into the venue, it only got fans more excited to get in & dance around for warmth.
Stuffed to the brim, with no opening acts, All Time Low eventually took the stage for their highly anticipated performance, kicking the night off with fan/Peter Pan’s favorite, “Somewhere In Neverland.” The energy of the crowd was immediately electric as every person sang every word with such enthusiasm. The energetic atmosphere continued as “Heroes” followed suit and a man with a large video camera invaded by view of the stage (there were notices throughout the venue that the show would be filmed, so because I star in it, I will forgive him for this inconvenience). Catching the audience off-guard, All Time Low played their cult classic “Weightless,” immediately creating a room full of cheerleaders where everyone was the flyer. No better way to start a new decade than with the iconic line: “Maybe it’s not my weekend / But it’s gonna be my year.” Although things slowed down a bit with “Dark Side Of Your Room” off their most recent album, Last Young Renegade, the crowd-surfing antics did not cease. Continuing the blissful recital of lyrics such as: “With nights like these, who needs the days?”
The night full of surprises had only begun as the band played “Canals,” which was (allegedly) never played in the states before despite the record’s release dating back to 2013. Needless to say, the crowd was ecstatic to finally hear it firsthand! “Lost In Stereo” & “Backseat Serenade” followed as setlist staples with the contagious vitality they always bring. All Time Low’s frontman, Alex Gaskarth, introduced the impending song as a “new one they haven’t released yet” called “Getaway Green.” Although there was the disadvantage of not knowing the words, that did not stop fans from dancing their hearts out to their new favorite song. After our exclusive teaser into the new album, the band took us back to 2015 with some Future Hearts tunes including “Cinderblock Garden” & then “Something’s Gotta Give,” where Gaskarth requested everyone to get up on someone else’s shoulders, creating a festival-like atmosphere. As friendships & upper-body strengths were tested, the band took the time to sincerely thank the fans for their support before introducing the upcoming song, “Some Kind Of Disaster,” which officially made its live debut in Boston. Guitarist, Jack Barakat, saying shortly after that they never forget the first time they play a song & he’ll certainly never forget that one. Boston surely did not take it for granted as the crowd already knew every line even after only 7 days of the track being out.
Closing out the night; what’s an All Time Low show without their hit “Dear Maria, Count Me In?” That’s exactly what they delivered. Bodies were being tossed in the air despite the low-ceiling & protruding disco ball and every young adult suddenly became pre-teens again.
This night marked the 11th time I’d have seen All Time Low live, and yet it’s something I know I’ll never get tired of. All Time Low are not only consistently solid with the music that they produce, but genuinely care about their fanbase & always make an effort to give back. That is definitely why they’ve accumulated such a dedicated group of fans over the past 12 years. I, personally, cannot wait for what is to come, and plan on following them every step of the way even when I’m married with kids.
