All Time Low• Mayday Parade• Games We Play• May 24, 2023• The Union
Reviewed and Photographed by Maralee Nielson
A rainy and cloudy night didn’t stop anyone from coming out to see All Time Low with Mayday Parade, and Games We Play. Last time I saw All Time Low was years back on the Last Young Renegade tour. Before the show as I was walking in Jack and Alex of All Time Low were walking behind the venue. They stopped for some photos with a few fans.
As doors opened, the merch line filled while others went for drinks and to take their spot as close to the barricade as possible. You could hear everyone talking amongst themselves regarding the show and the incredible lineup that was prepared for tonight. It was a sold-out show, so it was expected to be fully packed.
Games We Play
Right around 7 pm, Games We Play took the stage. A band of 3 members, did not fail to bring the crowd to their feet. They asked the crowd, who had seen them before. There was a roar of cheering, while some in the front of the barricade I could hear singing along, and saying “I know this song!”. The energy was incredible from Games We Play. Lead vocalist Emmyn ran side to side, jumping up and down and kicking. It had a casual vibe as well. When they played a cover of Mr. Brightside by the Killers they had the whole crowd singing along with them.
They played a song called “Kristina”. Which is actually written about a married woman that was hitting on their friends. They said if all 3,000 of us at the venue gave them a follow that a video of this might reach her. Wherever she may be. Their set was not a disappointment. At the end of their set they had a long line waiting to buy some merch, or just get a kiss from Emmyn’s brother who was 18. It was his first time on tour and he told the crowd that “tonight is the night’ that he gets a kiss from someone. Which was very funny.
Mayday Parade
Up next was Mayday Parade, who was not new to coming to Salt Lake City. They stop here quite often and call it a ‘strange town’. They took the stage with the low yellow lighting. The fans cheered and hollered for them as they all came on stage. As I wandered around before their set there were many fans around wearing Mayday Parade shirts. They were ecstatic to see them again or for the first time. Mayday Parade just released a new song called, More Like a Crash back in early May and played that three songs in, and the crowd sang along despite it being a newer song.
They continued on through the night, lead vocalist Derek Sanders jumped up and down and all around. He would stop in between songs and just smile a huge one at the crowd. They played some fan favorite songs such as Miserable at Best, Jersey, and Jamie All Over.
They finished after a half hour set, and the stage crew took at the stage to prepare it for the headliner, All Time Low.
All Time Low
By the time All Time Low was going to go on, it was packed shoulder to shoulder. It was very hard to make my way through the crowd. The upstairs bar was packed full of people all along the sides looking down at the stage.
9 pm rolled up and All Time Low was ready to go. Alex, lead vocalist took the stage first on the piano, with all lights cut with one spot lit right on him, and then the rest of the band members, Jack, Rian, and Zack took their spots on the stage. The audience screamed for them, singing along to every song they played word for word you could hear them singing back starting with “Tell Me I’m Alive”. The second song was an older one, one of my favorites, “Break Your Little Heart”. Later followed by ‘forever young’ leading into “Somewhere in Neverland” which was again, an All Time Low Classic.
The blue and yellow lights made a beautiful stage setup. The whole night was energetic and interactive, as they finished their set with Monsters and a huge fan favorite, Dear Maria Count Me In. Nevertheless, Salt Lake turned out and up for this incredible lineup of artists. Everyone was in bliss, even some of the security at the front were nodding their heads to the tunes and watching the show take place. It was a night that was unforgettable.
