photo by Haley Nakonechny
For New Jersey All Time Low fans, November 22 was definitely a special night.
Despite the dreadful weather, by 5 o’clock the line of fans eagerly awaiting entry already started to wrap around the parking lot; and by the time the doors opened two hours later, that line almost made a full circle around the venue.
The show was a last minute add-on, selling out quickly in the 3 weeks following the initial announcement. Their stellar performance was hosted at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, a small venue that has hosted over 1.5 million guests in the last ten years. The small venue makes for a typically crowded concert, but the close proximity to your favorite band feels unreal.
Fans who purchased VIP packages were unfortunately upset over the last minute meet-and-greet cancellation. The reasoning was very much valid, however: a close friend of the band had lost a long battle with cancer the night before.
Although they were performing heartbroken, the boys of the band– Zach Merrick, Jack Barakat, Alex Gaskarth, and Rian Dawson– did an excellent job at remaining upbeat while singing and interacting with the crowd. They cracked jokes, questioned a fan on where his shirt went, and even held up a shoe lost during crowd surfing to find its rightful owner. “They, especially Alex [Gaskarth] and Jack [Barakat], were very funny,” said junior Katherine McGowan. “I really enjoyed how they talked to the crowd.”
Besides the jokes, the band sang a killer setlist. They finished the night after a total of 19 songs, almost double what bands normally play. Since there were no opening acts, All Time Low spent two and half hours straight singing popular new songs, as well as old favorites they had not sung in years. “I really liked the songs and how much they played, especially since they sang their older song ‘Dear Maria’ which is my favorite,” said McGowan.
Overall, besides the jam-packed ballroom and the freezing cold line, not much to complain about. All Time Low played their hearts out in a truly special show.
Check out starlandballroom.com to find upcoming events they are hosting!
