On Jan. 19th, 2008, the Man Whores and Open Sores tour rocked the coastal city of Wilmington, NC. The show was held at the quaint, smaller than a high school gym venue, Luckys Pub. Having sold out most of the other dates on the tour, I was a bit apprehensive of how the show may be with such a small crowd. However, regardless of the number of fans attending, the loyal fans that did come out brought with them more excitement and encouragement for these bands than I have seen in a long time. In return, the bands brought a high level enthusiasm to be playing in front of them, and overall it turned out to be another successful stop for the Man Whores and Open Sores tour.

Rookie of the Year was the first band to kick off the night. It was their first and only appearance on the tour, proving to be a great addition to the already impressive roster. I was really excited about seeing these guys as I had just recently been introduced to them and couldn’t (and still can’t) get enough of their album, “The Goodnight Moon.” They started their set as the crowd was still slowly trickling in. There were less than 100 people there when the guys began their first song, “Pop Destroyed the Scene,” but it didn’t affect their performance in the least. Having a slightly different sound than the other bands, a little softer (think Goo Goo Dolls or The Spill Canvas), I was unsure of how the crowd would take to them, especially as the opening act. They played a 6 song set which consisted of “Blue Roses,” “Sign of Her Glory” and newly added to the MTVU rotation, “Liars and Battle lines.” The guys of ROTY definitely impressed everyone in the audience and had them cheering and dancing by the time they were finished. The audience numbers were still lacking, but ROTY had definitely succeeded in getting everyone hyped for the next act, Every Avenue.

I had never listened to Every Avenue before but I can honestly say that after seeing them play I will be paying more attention to them in the future. They set the tone for the rest of their performance with an energetic display of enthusiasm. Starting out with “Where Were You” off their soon to be released “Shh. Just Go With It,” I noticed some of the fans singing along and really starting to get into it. Since the crowd size was so intimate, the guys took full advantage and really interacted with everyone, even talking on someone’s cell phone at one point. Also, getting off on a tangent about cheese puffs, the guys ended up throwing them at each other and into the crowd. They played six songs in all consisting of “A Story to Tell Your Friends,” “Chasing The Night,” “Think Of You Later (Empty Room),” “Trading Heartbeats” and “Days Of the Old.” If there was any question of the crowd’s energy after ROTY, Every Avenue had certainly diminished it. Once their set was done, you could almost feel the anticipation in the room as the fans awaited Just Surrender.

One of my favorite acts of the night, Just Surrender, stormed the stage and took control of the venue throughout their entire set. The guys jumped and moved around on the tiny stage so much, it amazed me that none of them were injured or ran into anything. The fans fed off their energy and so began the moshing and crowd surfing. Beginning with “New Declaration” off their album “We’re In like Sin,” just about every person watching knew the lyrics. They played an eight song set, including “I Can Barely Breathe,” “Body Language,” “Tell Me Everything,” “So Close So Alive,” “Our Work Of Art,” “She Broke My Heart, So I Broke His Jaw,” and crowd favorite, “Your Life And Mine.” The band combines dual vocals, upbeat melodies and an undeniable energy in a way that leaves you wanting more after each and every song. Their dynamic performance even included a guest appearance from All Time Low’s lead singer Alex Gaskarth. If you ever get the chance to see these guys live, do yourself a favor and go, it will be well worth it.

Last but most certainly not least to take the stage were the guys of All Time Low. I could have guessed that their performance was going to be interesting by their choice in wardrobe as lead singer Alex Gaskarth bombarded the stage with a t-shirt that read, in self written permanent marker, “As seen on How to Catch a Predator.” As soon as All Time Low hit the stage the crowd was at its best and you could almost feel the excitement exuding from the fans. The guys didn’t disappoint either. They started off with “This is How We Do” from their album, “So Wrong It’s Right.” Their own excitement and energy to be on stage in front of their fans could be felt through each song.  The connection between the guys themselves is undeniable and is something that radiates throughout their performance. A few songs into their set they had everyone moving around so much it actually caused a fight between two men and one had to be escorted out of the venue. They didn’t let that stop them and they went on to perform the longest set of the night consisting of songs like “Break Out,” “The Girl’s a Straight Up Hustler,” “Poppin’ Champagne,” and “Coffee Shop Soundtrack.” Even though this had been the smallest crowd of the entire tour the guys played as though they were in a packed house. They kept the audience pumped in between songs, telling various jokes and interacting with fans, succeeding in keeping the screaming girls on their toes and hanging on their every word. Before playing what was supposed to be their last song of the night, “Stay Awake,” the guys encouraged the audience to chant their name afterwards. They told everyone that they couldn’t resist playing a few more songs if they were asked. As prompted, when the guys left the stage the crowd went nuts in chants for All Time Low. They returned, playing a cover of one of my personal favorite songs, Blink 182’s “Dammit,” ending the show on a very good note. Truly great performers, All Time Low not only impressed me with their crisp live sound but also with their excitement and obvious love for doing what they do best – performing live.

The Man Whores and Open Sores tour was one of the most exciting shows I have been to in a long time. It was obvious that all of the guys were having a blast and their positive energy definitely reflected in their performances. It was a great night and I am hoping for a Man Whores and Open Sores round two in the future.