Sister pop duo Aly and AJ headlined at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, New Jersey on May 14, 2019. Their tour was in support of their new album “Sanctuary” that was released on May 10th of this year. Let me tell you there was a buzz about this night as there was a 10 year hiatus with the duo, and based on this night, they didn’t miss a beat.
The sisters took time off to work on many projects such as acting and playing several roles on the Disney Channel. They also appeared on the MTV film called Super Sweet 16: The Movie- based on the MTV series My Super Sweet 16.
The opening act that night was Armors, a three- piece band from California. They took the stage around 8pm. During their set, Armors sang “DOA” and “ I Don’t Wanna Know”. Mentioned that it was their 8th show while on tour and they were very happy to be on tour with Aly & AJ. Lead singer told the crowd that they were in for a treat because Aly & AJ were going to play their album “Sanctuary” in its entirety. Overall, Armors did a very nice job of warming up the crowd and I see them headlining The Wellmont Theater before long.
The first song of the night was “Church” which has a very fast paced beat and got the audience dancing. It was a perfect song to get the party started. When Aly & AJ hit the stage you can really tell that they have a passion for music while their energy seemed to radiate through the crowd. There was a disco ball hanging from the ceiling above the stage which made it seem like the New Year’s Eve celebration came a few months early. This song was featured on their latest single “Church” from their EP Sanctuary.
During the show, Aly and AJ didn’t just sing and dance on stage, they shared their many talents by playing guitar and keyboard. They have an electronic rock and dance pop sound with synthesizers which makes them stand out among their contemporaries in the modern pop world. Along with their musicianship, they display scintillating harmonies that draw even the most casual fan into the Aly & AJ experience. It was exciting to see them perform after a 10 year hiatus.
They had a four song encore which included the “Potential Breakup Song” featured on their second studio album “Insomniatic” This was one of their most successful albums in 2007 and sold over 1,000,000 copies. “The Potential Breakup Song” was featured as one of their biggest hits on many video countdowns. Finishing out the show with this song was a perfect ending since it seems to be one of the fan favorites.
Through their playing of “Sanctuary” in its entirety to playing the songs that teenyboppers knew and love, the Aly & AJ concert was the perfect blend of an evening of nostalgia while letting the fans know that they are back and they are taking you with them on the next chapter of their journey. I am looking forward to see what is next for this duo!
Setlist from the evening:
Church
Star Maps
Closure
Good Love
I Know
Chemicals React
The Distance
Don’t Go Changing
Promises
With You
Not Ready To Wake Up
Like Whoa
Take Me
Rush
Encore:
Slow Burn (Kacey Musgraves cover)
No One
Sanctuary
Potential Breakup Song
Check out Aly & AJ on tour for this summer in support of “Sanctuary”:
Mon. 6/3- Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, Canada
Tue. 6/4- Rose Music Center at The Heights in Dayton, Ohio
Wed. 6/5- Farm Bureau Lawn in Indianapolis, Indiana
Fri. 6/7- Canton Hall in Dallas, Texas
Sat. 6/8- White Oak Music Hall in Houston, Texas
Sun. 6/9- Mohawk in Austin, Texas
Tue. 6/11- The Van Buren in Phoenix, Arizona
Fri. 6/14- Gothic in Denver, Colorado
Sat. 6/15- The Grand at The Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah
Tue. 6/18- Commodore in Vancouver, Canada
Wed. 6/19- Neptune Theatre in Seattle, Washington
Thu. 6/20- Wonder Ballroom in Portland, Oregon
Sat. 6/22- Alameda County Fair in Pleasanton, California
Sun. 6/23- House of Blues in Anaheim, California
Tue. 6/25- The Observatory in San Diego, California
Wed. 6/26 and Thu. 6/27- The Fonda in Los Angeles, California
Thu. 7/11- Scala in London, United Kingdom
Fri. 7/12- Academy 2 in Manchester, United Kingdom
Sat. 7/13- The Academy in Dublin, Ireland
Tue. 7/16- La Maroquinerie in Paris, France
Wed. 7/17- Paradiso in Amsterdam, Netherlands
For tickets and further information on any of the gigs listed above, click here.
Fans can find Aly and AJ at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/alyandajmusic
- Photo Credit: Kim Casper at Garden State Band Connection
