ALL TIME LOW | LIVE REVIEW
Motorpoint Arena Cardiff, Wed 14 Mar
Opening the second date of this UK tour, English horror punk band Creeper have a clear rapport with parts of the crowd, fans singing their hearts out front of stage while lead vocalist Will Gould’s long black hair covers his face with each bent-double vocal scream. The band are clearly loved by many here, but for those unacquainted with the lyrics, this venue’s sound system mars the set, guitars blaring louder than Gould’s vocals. Ending with Misery, the audience know what to do: phone torches are alight and Gould is joined by a chorus of vocals.
Secondary ‘support’ comes in the form of early-2000s All Time Low, masquerading as a new, straight-out-of-school pop-punk band. Their set is introduced in tannoy style as a performance that will involve “maturity and penis jokes”. “Hold onto your dicks!” the audience is advised, underwhelming set design reflecting how they started out as teens 15 years ago. ATL’s Alex Gaskarth, Jack Barakat, Rian Dawson and Zack Merrick smash out their second album So Wrong, It’s Right in a brisk 45-minute set, giving the fans what they’d long requested. After more between-song yuks, derived from Barakat’s fixation on going to the bar and performing some onstage yoga, the band end their So Wrong, It’s Right set with the upbeat Popping Champagne.
After a quick break, the 2018 iteration of All Time Low open with Last Young Renegade, taken from their seventh studio album of the same name. Lost in Stereo sees confetti launched into the audience, whose arms remain in the air, singing as one for Weightless. Gaskarth makes the most of the walkway part of the stage, while Dawson and Merrick continue to work hard in the background. With bras tied to the mic stand and Barakat regaling us with a volley of breast-themed patter, there’s something of the old-skool unreconstructed rocker element to ATL, but their more seasoned audience is at least aware that the guitarist is up to his old tricks – any mention of ‘boobs’ or ‘tits’ from the almost-30-year-old would not go amiss.
Later, there is a moment to appreciate the years that have passed, as Gaskarth labels the tour as a “beginning and end … and the current place we are now.” Fans need not worry, however, as the boys play live debuts of Dark Side Of The Room and Afterglow, highlighting their new sound. Missing You puts fans onscreen, in a short video showing how the band has changed their lives and helped them through: for some, All Time Low is much more than ‘just a band’.
A much-anticipated encore, Gaskarth gives thanks with Good Times and brings back the energy for fan favourite and first ever single, Dear Maria, Count Me In, that sees the band out on a high, not quite sure if they’ll ever come down. “Pretty fucking good for a Wednesday!” shouts Gaskarth. All Time Low are not slowing down any time soon.
words and photos AMY FARRER
