American rock band All Time Low brought The Sound of Letting Go Tour to Toronto’s HISTORY on September 22, 2023. The tour’s title is a track off their recent album, Tell Me I’m Alive, released in March of this year. This marked the tour’s ninth stop following its Montreal show the previous night. It was a sold-out Toronto show.
Appearing first was English singer-songwriter Lauran Hibberd. She sported an all-denim look with her corset top and jeans. Whether it was intended to be a Canadian homage or not, it was a great outfit that charmed the Toronto crowd. Highlighting her performance was her precise delivery and outstanding stage presence. She also sang a cover of Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback Girl, which excited everyone. She closed off with a song dedicated to her dad’s passing, set to release at midnight.
Up next was Grayscale, a band from Philadelphia consisting of Collin Walsh on vocals, Andrew Kyne on lead guitar, Dallas Molster on rhythm guitar and keyboards, and Nick Veno on drums. They kicked off their set with their latest single, Not Afraid to Die, leading to their catalogue of songs with significant build-ups that got the crowd jumping, not to mention the passion showcased throughout their performance. Given these guys’ contagious energy, they ended their set with a more mellow track to allow the audience to recoup.
Following were Gym Class Heroes, a New York hip-hop rock band that has been active since 1997. They performed popular tracks like Stereo Hearts, Billionaire, and Ass Back Home. Travie McCoy (lead vocals) also paid tribute to the late rapper Juice WRLD by performing Lucid Dreams as a transition to a song. Also, to promote inclusivity, the band had an on-stage interpreter doing sign language throughout their set. There was no shortage of engagement as Travie encouraged everybody to sing hooks, jump, and throw up peace signs. Travie then introduced each member of the band as they signed off.
As people waited in anticipation, the videoboard displayed a QR code which allowed fans to interact and vote for a song to be performed later in the set. Not long after, All Time Low was set to take the stage. Each member slowly got into position. First was Rian Dawson, the drummer, followed by Jack Barakat on guitar, Zack Merrick on bass, and Alex Gaskarth on vocals and guitar, who took center stage. The band got right into action and played Lost in Stereo. As their set progressed, the video board themes switched and featured members in rotation, incorporating them in the background with each theme. Halfway through the show, Lauran Hibberd joined in performing PMA. Alex would perform The Way You Miss Me a few songs later, transitioning to Missing You as he switched to the acoustic guitar. The piano was also utilized in performing Calm Down, showcasing Alex’s versatility as a vocalist and an instrumentalist.
They then revealed the most-voted song; most attendees voted for Backseat Serenade, which was unsurprising to the band as it remained the most-voted song off the tour. Jack jokingly added that this should be the last time the song should be part of the poll to give the other song a chance to be selected. Alex went along with it and added that they should retire it for the rest of the tour.
With the show almost over, the band took their fans back in time. They performed Weightless and Monsters before clearing the stage. Moments later, the band returned for an encore performance of Sleepwalking. They then brought a V.I.P. fan to push a button. The video board showed a slot machine visual selecting the next song to play: Jasey Rae, one of their original tracks dating back to 2006. Finally, to close the night properly, Dear Maria, Count Me In was the last track performed to send off their die-hard fans. Production went above and beyond with bright lights all over the stage and floor, and a Vegas casino-themed video board complemented the final act.
Ultimately, overjoyed fans could not have asked for more. The band’s stellar performance attests to how they have managed to further their influence as they stayed true to their form, adapting with time.
All Time Low Concert Setlist at History, Toronto on September 20, 2023 | setlist.fm
- Lost in Stereo
- Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)
- Six Feet Under the Stars
- Poppin’ Champagne
- Modern Love
- Stella
- Tell Me I’m Alive
- Sleeping In
- Heroes
- Fake As Hell
- PMA
- New Religion
- Favorite Place
- Dark Side of Your Room
- The Way You Miss Me
- Missing You
- The Sound of Letting Go
- Calm Down
- Backseat Serenade
- Weightless
- Monsters
- Sleepwalking
- Jasey Rae
- Dear Maria, Count Me In