All Time Low Takes the Stage By Storm at Dallas Show

14-year-old me’s dreams came true last Saturday when I finally got to see All Time Low live in concert. With support from fellow pop punk bands Mayday Parade, The Cab, and The Paradox, it felt like a true and wonderful blast from the past. 

The Paradox kicked off the night with a lively performance that brought the crowd's energy up immediately. I had never heard of the band before this weekend, but their performance and hilarious banter with the audience made them a very memorable act. Their songs were short, fast-paced, and felt very similar to some of Blink-182’s earlier records, which was so fun to experience. While only having a 5-song set, the band made their impact on fans, and by the final song, everyone was cheering so loudly that you would’ve thought that The Paradox was the headlining band. With their catchy songs and personalities, I have a feeling these guys are going to have a very successful career, and I’m very excited to see them again.

Taking the spotlight next was The Cab. Returning from a years-long hiatus, the fans of the band went absolutely wild when the band members stepped out on stage. The setlist consisted of several songs off of the band’s brand new EP released this year along with a handful of classics that had all of the fans singing along with nostalgia. While The Paradox’s performance was lively and packed a punch, The Cab’s offered a more soulful and melodic sound that helped balance out the venue’s vibes. Fans seemed to be getting a little bit of everything tonight. The band concluded their set on a nostalgic note with “Angel With a Shotgun,” bringing the fans all the way back to the fall of 2012.

Next up was a band whom I have a very personal history with, "A Lesson In Romantics" being one of my favorite records of all time, and elder emo royalty, Mayday Parade. While some audience members had been introduced to the previous two bands of the night, there wasn’t a single person in that audience who didn’t know who Mayday Parade was. Before the band could even play one chord, the crowd was already cheering in anticipation. The band kicked off their set with the new song “Under My Sweater,” and followed it immediately with one of their most emotionally charged songs ever, “Jersey.” I unashamedly was fangirling in the photo pit when that one started playing and singing along to every word. Mayday Parade is just one of those bands that no matter how old you get, the second one of their songs starts playing, you immediately are taken back to the time when you were young and blasting it from your parents' stereo after school. Bringing back great memories, teenage angst, and that girl/boy from your past that you still can’t forget. Every time I see them, it’s just a wonderful trip down memory lane. The band saved two of their best songs for last, playing “Black Cat” followed by their magnum opus, “Jamie All Over,” sending the audience and myself into an eruption of cheers and applause. Fantastic ending to a fantastic set.

So, a little backstory on little Hayley. All Time Low was the band that got me into basically all of the music I listen to today. They were the first pop punk band I ever heard, and I was absolutely obsessed with them all throughout middle school and high school. However, fate is cruel, and before the weekend, I had never gotten the chance to see them live. Needless to say, I was just as giddy with anticipation for their set as the little 8-year-old girl in the crowd behind me.

When the house lights went down for the final time that night, and Alex Gaskarth himself stepped out onto the stage to play an intro interlude, I got hit with such a surreal feeling. I was finally seeing the band that had shaped so much of my life growing up. Soon Alex was joined by the rest of the band, starting off the set with the new song “Oh No!” It was everything I imagined an All Time Low show would be like. The crowd was loud and energetic, the band was playing amazingly with Jack and Zack jumping around all over the stage, and everything just felt so exciting. 

While much of the set consisted of tracks off of the band’s new album, "Everyone’s Talking," they played a handful of throwback songs for the older fans. I almost lost all professionalism and higher cognitive function when they played “Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t),” one of my personal favorites. When they played “Time-Bomb,” I literally almost cried.

But anyways, fangirling aside, the band’s performance was incredibly tight, and it was so obvious that the guys were having just as much fun onstage as the fans were on the other side of the barricade. In true All Time Low fashion, there were several moments throughout the show where Alex and Jack would have their classic and hilarious banter back and forth. One of the funnest parts of seeing ATL is that you get a concert and a comedy show in one with these guys. The stage design was also a sight to see, with everything being set up to look like an old-timey game show setting with a bunch of fun colors and lights. The experience was fantastic in all different aspects.

When the end of the show started to roll around, the band played two of their most famous songs, “Lost In Stereo” and the long-awaited, iconic pop-punk masterpiece “Dear Maria, Count Me In.” I have heard this song probably close to a thousand times over my lifetime, and nothing compares to how it felt to hear it live in person for the first time. As I was standing in that crowd, I wasn’t my 28-year-old self anymore. I felt like I was 14 again, blasting “Dear Maria” over my parents’ old stereo. Many of the people in the crowd looked to be around my age and appeared to be reminiscing in the exact same way I was, which is such a cool thing to experience.

Seeing bands that you grew up loving is truly the cure-all to most of life’s problems, I think. Everyone needs a little serotonin boost and nostalgia sprinkled into their day. As someone who grew up in the pop punk world, I have to say, nothing will brighten your day more than going to see All Time Low live on their current tour. Thankfully, at the time of writing this, the band still has a month’s worth of tour dates lined up for their North America stint. So head over to Ticketmaster, StubHub, or wherever you get your concert tickets, and get yourself your pass to some nostalgic fun. Because I promise you, you don’t want to miss out!