By Brittany Burke
Pop-punk foursome All Time Low took their talent and crude humor to the Webster Underground Wednesday for the third stop of the “My Small Package” tour.
Members, Alex Gaskarth, Jack Barakat, Zack Merrick and Rian Dawson have proven time and time again that they are capable of selling out the Webster’s main theater, but this tour wasn’t about large crowds. It’s about getting back to where they began by playing nothing but small venues.
Accompanied by A Rocket to the Moon, City Comma State and Before You Exit, All Time Low managed to create pure mayhem amongst the hardcore fans, proving good things do come in small packages.
ATL kicked off their set with “Damned If I Do Ya, Damned If I Don’t,” immediately followed by “Stella” and “Lost in Stereo,” off the band’s latest record, Nothing Personal all before introductions were made. The upbeat songs brought the life back into the venue and got the audience chanting for more.
The highlight of the night came about halfway through the set when the band obliged to the pleading fans and played “Circles” from their 2005 album, The Party Scene. It was apparent that the band hadn’t played or practiced the song in years, when lead singer, Gaskarth screwed up the chorus causing the rest of the members to stop half way through before regaining their composure to finish the song.
The looks on the band’s faces emitted nothing but astonishment as the kids in front of them ignored the mistake and continued to sing the lyrics of the five-year old song back at them, personifying what the “My Small Package Tour” is about.
It is a true throwback tour that commemorates how far they’ve actually come.
Despite the small stage, ATL made it a point not to downplay their over the top frat boy antics. Bras were collected on the mic stands, penis jokes were made (especially about their own small packages) and plans were set for an after show shower party including the band and sold out crowd, which is nothing out of the ordinary for an ATL concert.
What set the show apart was the intimacy offered by the Underground. The band was stripped of their elaborate sets of flashing lights and fog machines, leaving them nothing but their instruments and vocals.
The set list was a thorough mix of past and present. Shying away from Nothing Personal, the band proceeded to play older hits such as “Coffee Shop Soundtrack,” “Vegas,” and “Running from Lions,” per the request of a fan in the audience.
The grand finale was “Six Feet Under the Stars” and a song about a local stripper, “Dear Maria Count Me In.”
The performance was a proven showcase of talent, indicating that there’s still a lot more to expect out of All Time Low in the future.
The band will continue with the tour through mid-November before gearing up for the release of their latest album, Dirty Work in early 2011.
