All-American Rejects bring excitement to the Garage in Islington

If you’ve been around a radio or television in the past few years, surely you’ve heard the All-American Rejects. Even if you don’t know you have.

As a band they have appeared at the Superbowl in 2010 and are part of the Hard Rock Café permanent playlist. They are part of the American music scene and on the soundtrack of Disney’s movie Meet the Robinsons.

Call lead singer Tyson Ritter what you will, a pop star, a rock star, or just charismatic. Whatever the case may be, he can sing and commands the spotlight like few other entertainers can.

The band kicked off the evening on the 18th March at the Relentless Garage, Islington, with One More Sad Song and their classic hit Dirty Little Secret, before showcasing their new material from the album Kids In The Street (released earlier this month). Their set ended with Gives You Hell and premiered the song Bleed Into Your Mind. All songs were purposefully loud and trying to erase their infamous Pop image.

The fact is that they have been part of the Pop/Rock scene since 1999 and are now part of the furniture whether you like them or not. The typical American band is trying to gain some credibility. They have always been light-hearted and fun, with no pretention to be better than what they are. But, being marketed as a young band, and now in their late 20s and early 30s, it is no surprise – and it should even be expected from them – that they try and get some Rock credibility. They are great performers and do pack a punch, yet they still have still reputation of being pleasant but not exactly challenging.

All-American Rejects are certainly a polished, heavily produced band, whose  songs are  always ready for radio play. There’s no shame in the All-American Rejects trying to change the direction of their music genre, when the live shows draw in hundreds of die-hard screaming fans. The show was loud, fun and everything a Rock show should be, no matter what category (Pop, Rock, Punk or Alternative) the music falls under in the iTunes database.

They are fun and energetic and you will have a good time at their gigs; but like candy-floss a lot of teenagers will grow out of them for being a touch too unchallenging, even if their albums still sold 10 million copies worldwide.

Naomi Couper

Listen to the Beekeeper’s Daughter here