The All-American Rejects+Dashboard Confessional: Summer Tour Preview

The All-American Rejects+Dashboard Confessional: Summer Tour Preview

Words by Brittany Robinson | Photos by: Jen Vesp

In case you haven’t heard by now, your favorite emo/pop punk hard-hitters of the 2000’s are back, and smack dab in the middle of a summer tour. I’m talking about none other than The All-American Rejects and Dashboard Confessional (with support from The Maine and The Social Animals). Now, if you’ve forgotten about these guys, odds are that you are now headed to your favorite streaming service. Who could forget “Dirty Little Secret” and/or “Hands Down”?

The truth is these two bands helped define the early 00’s scene. Oddly enough, they were also never too far off from each other. The Rejects were better known for their hits (in Spotify popularity order): “Gives You Hell,” “Dirty Little Secret,” “Move Along,” “Swing, Swing,” etc. Meanwhile, Dashboard Confessional was producing some of the most popular U.S. albums to hit the charts. “A Mark, A Mission, A Brand, A Scar” (released in 2003) reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard charts, with another #2 peak follow-up in 2006 with their fourth studio album, Dusk and Summer. If that wasn’t enough, they both recently did artistically-interpreted covers of each other’s songs in order to hype up their summer tour. Definitely worth a listen if you haven’t yet.

At this point, you may be wondering where they went. Both bands faded out from the scene, respectively, without much warning on whether or not they would ever come back- and for similar reasons. Both essentially burnt out, and had realized that they were dangerously close to the start of making music in order to appease the masses. So, it was time to take a much-needed break and allow themselves time to fall in love with the process again. But all is right with the world, as the boys are back and are currently working on new albums.

While taking the time off since 2009’s Alter the Ending, Dashboard Confessional has stayed busy. Vocalist Chris Carrabba has been writing all sorts of new material since then, and the band is rumored to be comfortably working with and narrowing down 40 songs. In 2006, Dashboard released a new song “May” (in May!) which was their first new music in a long 7 years.

More recently in 2017, the quartet released Covered and Taped which features 4 covers. They were also featured on a nothing, nowhere track called, “Hopes Up.” If you’re able to hit them up while on tour, lucky audience members have reported that they are also playing a few song’s worth of brand new material.

Photo by: Matthew Pock

Don’t forget that you also get to enjoy the musical stylings of The Maine, and/or The Social Animals on this tour (depending on location). Just this year, The Maine released their sixth full-length album Lovely Little Lonely as well as celebrated 10 years of bandship. They’re well known for giving fun and upbeat performances that will definitely demand your attention, building up to The Rejects and Dashboard. Differing from the lineup slightly, The Social Animals are a Minnesota-native indie rock band. However, don’t let that description fool you. The quartet melds an honest, acoustic vocal performance with folk and americana vibes.

This powerhouse lineup of a summer tour is right in the middle of it. If you have yet to see these bands, now is the perfect time to fulfill your needs as someone who existed in their prime. Even better, you get to see them on their comeback.

All American Rejects:

Dashboard Confessional: 

http://www.allamericanrejects.com/

https://www.dashboardconfessional.com/

http://www.wearethemaine.net/

http://www.thesocialanimals.com/