The All-American Rejects took ASU students on a trip down memory lane with a memorable performance Friday at the third annual Devilpalooza.
The four-man rock band played a rousing set to a sprawling audience at the Student Recreation Center Fields on campus. The sprawling crowd garnered more and more eager fans as show time grew closer.
Wallpaper opened the evening with a high-octane performance that had the front portion of the crowd jumping and dancing along with the band. While some students expressed disdain for Wallpaper in their rush to see AAR, the synchronized drummers and dance routines combined a colorful light show with the band’s electronic sound that brought a great energy to start the show.
One of the most memorable moments in the evening came during the break between the two performances. Two disc jockeys dressed in animal masks pumped up the audience by playing hit music starting from the ‘80s and working forward to 2012. As the DJs battled to see who would get the best crowd reaction, audience members cheered when they heard old favorites from bands like Weezer and My Chemical Romance.
With the crowd all riled up and ready to go, AAR took the stage, immediately launching in to a set list packed with the band’s numerous popular songs and ones from their upcoming album.
Lead singer Tyson Ritter directed his flirty performance at the screaming crowd, who responded by catcalling and singing along. The volume increased when Ritter sang the decade-old “Swing Swing” which, at a decade old, was a shot of nostalgia for the longtime fans of the band.
This tour was the first time that the band had played material off of their upcoming album, “Kids in the Street.” When the guitars started in on their new single “Beekeeper’s Daughter,” the response was definitely positive, and the fun light show only added to the rocking performance. The vibe continued with fans dancing and singing along to “Dirty Little Secret,” “Move Along,” and the always-peppy “Gives You Hell.”
Even though this headlining tour was called Shaking Off the Rust, it was clear from their Devilpalooza performance that AAR had not missed a beat. Guitarists Nick Wheeler and Mike Kennerty each played incredible guitar solos and drummer Chris Gaylor kept the tempo upbeat for the duration of the set.
With a very positive crowd reaction, it was clear that this was a concert event to remember. Audience members were satisfied with the band’s energetic stage presence and Ritter’s vocal talent left them screaming for more. Overall, The All-American Rejects shook up the 2012 Devilpalooza, one of ASU’s biggest events of the year.
Reach the reporter at okhiel@asu.edu.
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