Allstar Weekend

Allstar Weekend
Tour Review by Taylor Pittman

With their newest album entitled “All the Way,” it is clear to see that the former Disney group Allstar Weekend was planning on revealing a more mature sound while on their tour of the same name, and that’s exactly what they did. The trio hit the road this past winter with supporting acts The After Party, Hollywood Ending, and Before You Exit. I came to the show in Atlanta at the Masquerade with high expectations and left with a night to remember.

The After Party had a lot of pressure as they were the first band to come on stage, but they did not disappoint. Lead singer Kenny Greeley’s dance moves were contagious to the whole audience as he sang not only their hits like “Time Bomb” and “Can’t Stop,” but also a cover of Britney Spears’s  “Baby, One More Time.” The highlight of their set was the LMFAO dance tribute set to “Party Rock Anthem.” Shuffling? Check. Doing it like Bernie? Check. The Cat Daddy? Check. Way to start off the show boys, and way to set the bar pretty high for the other bands.

Hollywood Ending was up next, and I’d be lying if I said I was not shocked by how young they were, but their young age didn’t keep them from throwing down on stage. As soon as they came out and started to harmonize with their opening song, the girls around me went wild. They really got the party started with their mash-up of “Summer Nights” from the classic film Grease and One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.” They even paid homage to bassist Chris Bourne’s brother who co-wrote the hit “Year 3000,” which they performed much to the excitement of the crowd who clearly had not forgotten the words from so long ago. Throughout all the cover songs, their stage presence, and their catchy ending song “You Got Me,” I definitely left the venue as a fan of Hollywood Ending.

Next up was the Orlando quartet, Before You Exit. This group was no stranger to the stage as they have shared it with pop-punk veterans All Time Low and Every Avenue in past years. Even with such influence, the group still manages to keep their own unique sound. They played many of their songs off their EP entitled Letting Go and of course shared the cover song love with Hot Chelle Rae’s “Tonight, Tonight” and a mash-up of several songs from The Script. At this point of the show, 16-year-old Riley McDonough really showed off his vocal chops while serenading the audience. They ended their set with their newest single “End of the World” that was so catchy, it was still playing in my head on the car ride home several hours later.

Finally, it was time for Allstar Weekend. As soon as the lights went down, the room filled with piercing screams. It was the moment everyone had been waiting for. The guys took the stage and started off their set with their song “All the Way.” The impact from the crowd dancing and jumping made the floor literally move up and down to the beat. As they performed songs both old and new, they took two breaks in between to spin a colored wheel that would pick the next song. Lead singer Zach Porter spun it the first time and landed on “Drops of Jupiter” by Train, a song that even the parents in the crowd could sing. The second time, Porter brought fans on stage to spin the wheel and allowed them to dance after it landed on Bowling for Soup’s “1985.” One lucky fan even had the chance to sing with Porter himself sparking envious looks from the crowd. The whole show was a nonstop dance party until their last song “Not Your Birthday,” which of course was followed by applause and screams that I’m sure could be heard for miles.

Since the Masquerade is known for letting the fans hang around after the show, all the bands stayed by their merchandise tables to sign autographs and take pictures. But they didn’t just scribble their names and smile for pictures. They told stories and listened to the fans as they talked about how much their music impacted them. It was as if all of their fans were old friends, and they were simply catching up. From the first note played to the last autograph signed, it was clear to see that all four bands were willing to do whatever it took to put on a great show and show their fans how much they appreciated them. They were willing to go all the way.