All Time Low

Live Review By Jennifer Pinckney

The weather was perfect Tuesday, May 23 in Colorado, where thousands of fans lined up and patiently waited to walk up the steep hill toward Red Rocks Arena and see the one of the biggest punk rock monuments from the early aughts, All Time Low.

Two years ago, they graced Colorado at the Mission Ballroom, and today, the same fans returned (along with some first-timers) for the band’s sold-out show at Red Rocks. Talk about making the most of the COVID era — All Time Low’s fanbase has continued to grow over the years, despite the unexpected halt in live music and its steady revival.

Mayday Parade made their Red Rocks debut before ATL took the stage, and to no one’s surprise, they did not disappoint. There’s a sense of nostalgia and camaraderie that radiates from this era of pop punk, and the bands who carry the torch still win over new fans at every show, and in every generation. Mayday sang in the sunset, which is all too fitting to anyone who knows even a handful of their lyrics. The scene was a dream to take in visually, sonically, and even emotionally.

Once Mayday took their final bow, All Time Low frontman Alex Gaskarth took the stage, standing in “awe” of the sea of people in front of him. He went to the keyboard and started playing “Tell me I’m Alive” — a slower opener than we expected, but effective, nonetheless. As the song progressed, the band flooded in and lit up the stage with fire, energy, and contagious smiles. Their performance was phenomenal, their effects and production were larger than life, and their setlist was superb. We heard fan-favorites like “Break your heart,” “Therapy,” “Sleepwalking,” and of course, “Weightless,” and “Monsters.” By the sound of the crowd, I can say there was a consensus that we hope to see these guys on this stage again soon!