All Time Low: Live at The Olympia, March 1st 2011
Review by Vanessa Monaghan
Photos by Abraham Tarrush
A night jammed with pop punk flavours was guaranteed when All Time Low and Yellowcard took to the stage in the Olympia.
Kicking off the night were English upstarts ‘Young Guns’. They have been around for a few years and had released some independent EPs previously but 2010 saw the release of their debut album ‘All Our Kings Are Dead’.
Young Guns showed themselves to be a competent outfit live and knew which of the audience buttons to press. The five piece included ‘Weight of the World’ and ‘Crystal Clear’ in their set much to the delight of the screaming throngs. Good band, impressed with their set and with the guitarist’s full sleeve tattoo.
A long-awaited Irish show for Yellowcard started with ‘Way Away’. The Florida band have a unique pop punk sound with the inclusion of electric violin adding an extra dimension.
Here, I come clean, I have three Yellowcard albums in my collection and I was amazed when I heard that they were opening for All Time Low. By the end of the first track though, it becomes clear that the audience aren’t familiar with their music. It made sense that this was the correct order on the bill. Lead singer, Ryan Key addresses the audience saying the band wont talk too much and they just want to play as much music as possible for the Dublin crowd.
Yellowcard play tracks from three albums as well as their upcoming album. Some of the audience knew ‘For you and Your Denial’, the bands last single and showed their appreciation. Next single ‘Hang You Up’ could well be the break through for the band here. The acoustic led track builds beautifully and should easily have a home on daytime radio. Unannounced during this track, Jack from All Time Low comes onto the stage and plays guitar much to the delight of the audience.
The band play their best known tracks, ‘Lights and Sound’ and ‘Rough Landing, Holly’ and a few things stand out. One, violinst, Sean Mackin acts as a second frontman, moving around the stage, interacting with the audience. Two, Longieu Parsons is an amazing drummer. Three, although the audience aren’t familiar with Yellowcard’s music, it doesn’t throw the band off at all and in fact they seem more determined to convert them with a fantastic performance.
YC finish with their two best known songs, starting with ‘The Only One’. It’s anthemic nature gets the hands in the air and some lighters out. The first notes of ‘Ocean Avenue’ receives decent acknowledgement from the crowd. The 2002 breakthrough hit for the band goes down a treat.
I’m impressed with them, their performance and how dealt with an audience that didn’t know them. Sometimes seeing a band live after knowing their music for so long can be a let down, definitely not the case for Yellowcard.
Funny things happen at gigs. In between acts, bursts of screams rise from the crowd. After several screams I realize who the object of the affections are. Hometown heroes, Jody Has A Hitlist and Fox Avenue have the ladies in the audience in a frenzy and they’re not even on the stage!
All Time Low bound on with a gangster movie style opening, flashing lights and sound effects. They sprint across the stage as they start ‘Keep the change you Filthy animal’. If the local boys whipped the audience into a frenzy between acts, this seems to be something of spiritual proportions for the young audience.
The stage set up is interesting with drummer, Rian Dawson’s kit sitting on a riser at the back of the stage. Either side of him are two rigs of lights, giving an industrial feel.
All Time Low seem like seasoned pros at what they do. One thing I can’t understand throughout the night though are the gags and bad comedy that guitarist Jack and lead singer Alex exchange. They ramble on about Lucky Charms and get the audience to chant ‘Fcuk Lucky Charms’.
As the band get back into position to play their next song, ‘Jasey Rae’, it seems that Jack’s microphone stand has attracted at least ten bras and is about to fall over. It’s at this point I also notice that Jack can’t stand still for more than two seconds and is off running around the stage again.
The audience is loving it though and after ‘Poppin’ Champagne’, Alex tells the audience that the hole in ‘the lovebox in my chest’ has been filled by the audience. Corny as hell but the screaming throng don’t seem to mind.
The band’s best known hit, Lost in Stereo’ almost lifts the roof off the venue. The band acknowledges the stunning theatre The Olympia is, but goes into another ramble about how we could all ‘share herpes’ tonight. Jack, thankfully cops on telling the young and probably impressionable audience to use condoms.
A couple of solo acoustic songs by Alex follow and are quite good. During ‘Therapy’, the lights are lowered and it’s just Alex being helped along by the audience. He manages a line or two of Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream before playing ‘Remembering Sunday’. Stripped down away from all the party tricks, these guys can write a bloody good song and breaking the songs down like this, it’s possible to see Alex with a career in a different genre, whenever , or if the day comes in the future.
An encore of ‘Weightless’ and ‘Dear Maria’ manage to whip the frenzy up again before the street outside is blocked with double parked parents collecting their offspring.
All Time Low put on a good performance and their audience loved it. I had waited to see Yellowcard and thought they were magical.
