“Fuck those high school bullies and fuck those record labels,” said Jack during the trio's Dickies Arena concert Wednesday night. “We’re going to keep singing our weird songs.”
Though AJR got their start performing at parks in New York City as children, their formal debut came in the form of their “Spongebob Squarepants”-sampling single “I’m Ready.” The effort, in 2012, landed them a deal with Columbia Records. “I’m Ready” is not on the setlist of their “Maybe Man Tour” — which we posit was important to indicate that AJR isn’t a boyband. They are a full-fledged pop trio. AJR opened their show with “Maybe Man,” a poignant, existential ballad, setting the collective mood for the evening — a sweet release of emotion. From the beginning of the “Maybe Man Tour,” AJR lets us know that this is more than a concert but a fully imagined and realized production. The boys arrived in their signature lumberjack outfits, as various clones also took the stage, notably as Jack sang, “Hey, I'll be whatever makes you a fan, ‘cause I don't know who the hell I am.”
A large, IMAX-like screen created multiple scenes throughout the show, visualizing different chapters of AJR’s life. During the performance of “Yes, I’m A Mess,” Jack was seen on top of a screen displaying a suburban neighborhood, as he moved across a treadmill simulating riding a bike. He moved perfectly on time with the display, as it switched from a neighborhood to an office setting.
The boys later “blew up” this so-called American dream, as an explosion displayed on screen and smoke machines blasted vapor into the audience.
Until recently, AJR would not have been considered superstars. In the early 2010s, they were overshadowed by groups like One Direction and Five Seconds Of Summer. By the late 2010s, a wave of K-Pop took over the mainstream landscape, as did a newly reunited Jonas Brothers.
But TikTok took AJR to a new level, especially with their biggest hit, “Bang,” which they performed midway through the show. The song received much airplay at the height of the pandemic — almost to the point of overexposure — and was nearly poised to become the group’s tour closer for the rest of their career. But by placing it strategically, AJR made way for fans to welcome their newer material. Jack also spiced up the song by adding a new drum and cowbell solo.
As they performed their song “Inertia,” the screen displayed a spacecraft, with Jack floating through the air on a harness as he emerged into the stars.
Ryan got a chance to shine, performing the group’s three-part song “Turning Out,” as Jack, Adam and the rest of the backing band snuck away into the audience, later performing two songs alongside fans in the nosebleed sections.
The highlight of the concert came when the boys returned to the stage and showed how one of their signature songs, “Way Less Sad,” was produced. Ryan shared anecdotes of recording plates dropping in a cafe, as a restaurant setting displayed on screen. Then, he recalled Jack watching home videos on his phone while studying in a college library (which is why he said this song was 20 years in the making, despite the boys being only in their early 30s).
Near the climax of the show, a light seemingly fell on stage and the boys were told they needed to exit so crew could clean up broken glass. A man appearing to be an elderly crew member arrived on stage but Jack ripped off his mask, confirming this catastrophe was all part of the show.
With theatrics, nostalgia and their penchant for chronicling the pain of getting older, AJR are all grown up on their Maybe Man Tour (which may have prompted confusion among the parents of the Gen Alpha fans, who were visibly surprised by the number of AJR songs containing the word “Fuck”). Taking inspiration from their New York upbringing, as well as their love of stage productions, AJR created a thoughtful, fully immersive concert experience, setting a new standard for male pop acts.
While it’s taken some time for AJR’s star to rise, their loyal fan base has only grown. They shared that their first show in Dallas eight years ago, at The Cambridge Room at House Of Blues, only brought in 50 fans. Their crowds have grown since and over 11,000 fans were in the audience at Dickies Arena Wednesday night — surely, for good reason.
Brothers Jack and Adam Metz have been playing by their own rules in the music industry from the start.
Andrew Sherman
