All Time Low at Wembley Arena

It is not a simple feat to sell out Wembley Arena, but pop punk legends All Time Low have done just that. Finishing off a European club tour with a live-streamed stop at the iconic venue, the American quartet may not have the chart numbers but they’ve got a legion of dedicated fans and a stadium-worthy live show.

Transforming the room into a sweaty and emotionally charged dance party, the American rockers don’t hold anything back. It is a masterclass in excellence as they speed through their repertoire of old and new. 2021 single PMA opens the show, drenching the crowd in confetti as they scream along to every word. It is a recurring theme throughout the evening; newer album tracks getting the same excitable reaction as decade-old singles. Hands go up quickly and stay there for the majority of the show, waving along and clapping on command.

As the Baltimore natives present some of their most loved tracks, every song is made to feel like an encore; full of energy and accompanied by meticulously thought-out production. Each song has its own moment to shine, whether the flame-heavy Monsters or the stripped-back Basement Noise. Mid-set sees frontman Alex Gaskarth take to the stage alone for ballad Therapy. Saturated in a warm-tone spotlight and supported by a backdrop of scattered phone lights, it is a beautifully intimate moment between artist and fan. All Time Low are a pop-punk-rock band, and they’re remarkably good at it, yet there is magic in the way they are able to command a crowd in the quiet moments. Gaskarth’s vocals are notably on point. Two days earlier he’d lost his voice on stage in Glasgow and yet any sign of strain tonight is unnoticeable.

At times it is easy to forget that this is a band in their prime playing a sold-out arena, and not just a bunch of friends performing some songs they wrote. One can’t be quite sure who’s having the most fun: ATL or their fans. There is a confidence and skill expected from their 20-year career – as a band who have risen up from playing bars to arenas – yet a freshness of a group just getting started. Posters from past tours and albums adorn the set, a nod to the band’s journey. With their new album Tell Me I’m Alive released just hours earlier, tonight feels like a celebration of where All Time Low have been and an introduction to where they’re going next. “We’re here to prove love exists,” Gaskarth jokes during an exchange with bandmate Jack Barakat, inspired by an audience member’s proposal. Indeed, they already have. The passion in the room is palpable and undeniable; this is a band deeply adored by those who’ve made it out tonight.

Closing out the programme with perhaps their most known track, thanks to a recent TikTok viral trend, 2007’s Dear Maria Count Me In provides one last chance to lose inhibition. As confetti once again covers the stage, it begs the question of what’s next for All Time Low. If tonight is anything to go by, 20 years in and they’re just getting started.

Katherine Parry
Photos: Virginie Viche

For further information and future events visit All Time Low’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Modern Love here: