The first Hydro trip of the year and it’s a double-header in terms of coverage. I (Mosh) was really up for seeing Taylor Acorn, while Emma (who wrote the bulk of the review) was there for the headliners and main support, so we’re splitting the review. There was meant to be a fourth band on the bill, Four Year Strong, but they dropped out a short while ago. As far as I can tell, the other acts extended their sets to make up for the extra time. The set changes were still only about 20 minutes and Taylor Acorn opened the show at 7pm as was originally advertised, with the headliners taking their final bow at around a quarter to eleven.
Taylor Acorn appeared on my radar quite randomly a year or so ago, and I immediately loved her first album and covers EP from beginning to end. A great style, easiest to compare to Avril Lavigne I guess, but definitely not parroting her, with some of the best lyrics I’ve heard in a while. Definitely emo, reflective, self-referential and insightful. All this wrapped around great, catchy pop-rock tunes.
We got a decent handful of songs in tonight’s show, as Taylor was joined by one drummer and one guitarist so there was a definite use of backing tracks to fill the void. I’ve no issue with this, especially when the two musicians were so damn good. I couldn’t catch their names when they were introduced, but it would be unfair to not mention them! The guitarist in particular was a whirling pink-haired dervish, never standing still for more than a few seconds and very much part of the entertainment.
Taylor herself is definitely comfortable on stage. Moving around without appearing to be pacing aimlessly, she made full use of the extended walkway while regaling us all with songs like recent number “Burning House” and personal favourite “I Think I’m In Love”. I genuinely don’t think anyone has ever captured the feelings of taking those first steps into a really important (to you) relationship so well!
The crowd reaction was good and grew as the performance continued. Quite a few phone lights were on and waving, and the cheers increased in volume song by song. “Greener” was well received and the meaning behind “Shapeshifting” still gives me goosebumps. It was no surprise that she saved the kick-ass “Psycho” for the end of her set though.
Taylor has only headlined a couple of shows in the UK (all three in London, two alongside festival slots at Download and Slam Dunk), but she already has a more comprehensive tour lined up for April. Hopefully Slay in Glasgow will be rammed with people who saw her tonight! I know without a doubt that I’ll be there. Amusingly, the band which followed were one that Taylor covered on that old emo EP…
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Mayday Parade fell between the two of us as the largely unknown act despite their 20+ year history. A band we’d both heard of, but neither had seen before, we were looking forward to seeing what their live show was like.
Self-styled as emo pop-punk, they threw ten songs at us that hit that niche perfectly. From clothing-related openers “Under My Sweater” and “Jersey”, they obviously knew what they were doing and there were more than a few people in the now-full Hydro who were obviously already fans.
Like Taylor Acorn’s set, there was no hugely dazzling stage set (this was to be saved for the headliners) so the band let the music do the talking for them… except when Derek Sanders was doing actual talking! While the songs may be appropriately downcast – this is emo after all – his between-song banter was anything but. Enthused at the longevity of the band, he was open about thanking fans for keeping the band where they are now, and I was particularly taken by his plea to ensure that everyone should be welcome at their shows.
Not quite the rocking act which was to follow, Mayday Parade performed a set of very enjoyable toe-tappers and catchy riffs – definitely enough to have me heading home to actually give them a listen despite not having really given them that chance before.
It was no real surprise that they finished with their best-known song, “Jamie All Over”, with the only real disappointment being that Taylor Acorn didn’t join them on stage for it, as it’s one of the songs she covered by them!
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Glasgow’s OVO Hydro was buzzing as All Time Low started off the UK and Europe leg of their new Everyone’s Talking! tour in Scotland. The excited crowd spent over an hour and a half experiencing a night of pop-punk nostalgia, big hits, and the raw emotion that defines All Time Low.
The show started with an introduction video to all the members including “bonus guy” Dan Swank, who supported the band on stage.
From the moment frontman Alex Gaskarth hit the stage opening with “Cold Open”, the energy was electric. Fans erupted as familiar anthems like “Suckerpunch” and “Weightless” hit, proving that even after twenty years All Time Low can still turn an arena into a sea of voices singing every word along with them.
What made this set stand out was its balance of songs through the different eras of the band, including classic crowd-pleasers like “Sleeping In” and “Monsters” alongside newer tunes including “Butterflies” and “The Weather”. It would have been hard not to sing along, whether you’d been a fan since the early days or were there for the first time.
The atmosphere was lifted even higher during the more intimate, acoustic moments. Notably, when Gaskarth brought things down to voices and heartfelt lyrics on “Missing You” and “Remembering Sunday”, opener Taylor Acorn joined the band onstage to once again showcase her fantastic vocals. These were beautiful counterpoints to the full-on arena rock moments and reminded everyone this band’s songs can still hit you in the feels.
The production was amazing. Dynamic lighting, booming sound, interesting and interactive visuals, and an attention to pacing kept the show looking fantastic. The on-brand red, yellow, green and blue used to decorate the stage and in many of the background visuals kept in perfectly with the band’s branding.
The encore, featuring “The Weather”, “Lost in Stereo”, and an explosive sing-along to their biggest hit, “Dear Maria, Count Me In”, was the perfect ending. With confetti and cheers closing out a night that I was very glad I got the chance to experience.
This band’s music really stands the test of time, as I found myself having just as much fun watching them live as teenage me had rocking out in my bedroom. If you get the chance to catch them on tour, I’d definitely recommend going!
All Time Low: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
Mayday Parade: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
Taylor Acorn: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | bluesky | spotify | tiktok | youtube
