Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
24th February 2020
All Time Low definitely know how to treat their English fans; a week ago it would have been mad to even suggest that All Time Low would be playing at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club, yet here we are. Having announced a pair of intimate England shows mere days before they would be taking place, it’s fair to say that these Baltimore boys keep us on our toes. Pleasantly surprised and beyond excited, fans cram the into the small space, knowing that tonight will definitely be one to remember.
All-girl rock quintet VENUS start off the night flawlessly. The Leeds locals are making the most of their support slot, oozing confidence as they slam out songs condemning misogyny and the gender imbalance within the music scene. The performance is powerful and poignant, capturing the minds of many within the crowd.
Once VENUS are finished, it’s time to prepare for the main event. As people rush to grab a last second pint, there’s an intoxicating sense of giddiness in the air – how are All Time Low in BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB? How is this possible? But soon, all disbelief is pushed aside – Alex Gaskarth sings ‘Manage me, I’m a mess..’, Weightless is here, and it’s suddenly all real. As 400 people scream along ‘MAYBE IT’S NOT MY WEEKEND, BUT IT’S GONNA BE MY YEAR’, the night has officially begun.
This high-level of enthusiasm is maintained throughout, everyone eager to sing and dance their hearts out. Whether it’s yelling along to Heroes or crashing recklessly through the mosh pit because of how ‘LOST IN STEREO’ you are, the energy is constant. The tiny room only heightens this feral atmosphere, and it’s absolutely glorious. Backseat Serenade feels like a prime example of this feral energy, a winding circle pit forming in the tightly packed space.
New singles Sleeping In and Some Kind of Disaster are welcomed with open arms, everyone bouncing and taking the opportunity to sing along to the new tracks. Sleeping In in particular is a whirlwind, even tiring Gaskarth because of how speedy the tempo is. We’re also played a brand new song from Wake Up, Sunshine, Getaway Green, where Gaskarth tells us to “just mumble along and pretend you know the words”, and everyone complies joyously.
Barakat beckons in the final song of the set by performing a gorgeous Texan rendition of Dear Maria, Count Me In, before the true performance blows everyone away. People give it their all, from the first ‘I got your picture, I’m coming with you’ to the last.
An All Time Low show is always a pure barrel of joy, and, as fans pile out of the venue, everyone is mourning the end of the set. The next time the guys will be in Leeds will be for this year’s Reading & Leeds Festival, and many loitering fans can be heard having conversations along the lines of “so…. we’re going, right?”. These guys exude positive energy, and that’s something everybody needs in their lives. If you’ve not got yourself to an ATL show before, all we can say is – what are you waiting for?
Pre-order Wake Up, Sunshine here. Grab tickets to see ATL at Reading & Leeds 2020 here.