Aly & AJ were one of the staple bands in your iPod Nano if you grew up on Disney Channel in the early 2000s. Often times now, you can find them on the y2k or nostalgia themed playlists on Spotify, but those songs are only the tip of the iceburg to their incredible discography. They brought the tour for their newest album, Silver Deliverer, to Austin and absolutely blew the crowd away with their angelic performances.
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Venue Unmatched
The show took place at the historic Paramount Theatre in Austin. It was my first time at the venue, meaning I got to take in the gorgeous views from inside of the theatre. There were angelic murals and beautiful arches making up the theatre. A simple but elegant venue, and I couldn’t think of a better band to see there.
The moment the show ended, I turned to the fans I’d met and immediately started gushing about how absolutely angelic and ethereal Aly & AJ are. Their entire show matched the energy and vibes of the venue perfectly and it was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve had at a show.
Going into it, I was a little worried about the energy, due to the fact that there’s no standing room at the venue at all. Yet, I was immediately relieved of that worry as soon as they stepped on stage. The entirety of the venue stood up, including many on the raised balcony, for a majority of the show. They were singing and dancing along in the back just as much as they were in the front. This show created a new definition of intimacy for me, truly. Though they weren’t close to the front of the fans, they interacted with them just the same, radiating the energy from the performance all the way to the back walls.
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Heal Your Inner Child
To promote this tour on Instagram, the band pushed the tagline “Come heal your inner child”. I thought this was a beautiful angle going into the show, as a lot of their fans recognize them from childhood. As I experienced the show, though, I realized that not only were they talking about the fans coming to heal their inner child, but the band also reminiscing on their past albums and experiences that led to their success now. This tour was a safe space for nostalgia for everyone and that’s such an incredible experience to have curated for their fans in a time where everything else can be quite scary.
During an acoustic set with the band sat on stools in front of the crowd, AJ talked about how helpful and cathartic songwriting is for them, using the process as a means to process their emotions and gain clarity in situations that they didn’t have a way to process otherwise. To demonstrate this, the women played Something More and Out of the Blue. AJ talked briefly about this moment in her life where she experienced her first relationship and subsequently, her first breakup. These two songs helped her process all of the emotions she was feeling during these pivotal moments and it was a raw and beautiful moment to share with the audience.
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Working Through It, One Show At A Time
In the most emotional moment of the show, Aly announced their partner for the tour, an organization called Everytown. The organization advocates for gun safety legislation. While this may seem like an out of place choice, the decision was an incredibly personal one for the band.
In 2022, the band was caught in the crossfire of a mass shooting in Sacramento while on tour. While telling the story, Aly got visibly choked up, offering the soft spot to the crowd in a plea to donate to the organization. There was not a person without their phone moments later, everyone scanning the QR code up on the screen to donate. It was one of the quiet moments that radiated throughout the room, showing the passion and love that the band has for their music and what they do, even if it means confronting and working through the trauma caused by that event. They closed the moment by playing the song written about the experience and the aftermath, Sirens. It was one of the most moving experiences I’ve had at a show.
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I came into this show looking to experience some of my favorite songs from childhood live and left with a new favorite artist. Aly & AJ’s live performances are so full of passion, joy, and emotion, leaving anyone who comes with an unforgettable experience.
Check out their live shows here.
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See our gallery from the show!
