It’s a frigid Monday morning in 2008, and you’re outside waiting for the school bus. Still half asleep, you pull out your iPod and hit shuffle. The song that plays to wake you up? The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls. About 20-years later, that feeling lives on.
Celebrating their two era defining albums, Boys Like Girls delivered an energetic set at the Fillmore in Minneapolis. Performing to mostly a crowd of 30-year-olds, their show was peak 2000s nostalgia.
Despite peaking in popularity in the late 2000s, the band easily packed the room. Playing Love Drunk and their self-titled album in their entirety, it became clear why fans continue coming back to this music after two decades.
Boys Like Girls defined the late 2000s sound with a blend of electronic, scene adjacent hooks that many have tried to imitate. Lead singer Martin Johnson had his hands in a lot of popular projects during this era, including a collaboration with a young Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, songwriting credits for Disney’s Hannah Montana, and more.
This performance leaned into bold and colorful energy. What set this set apart from other throwback sets was this feeling of being unafraid to enjoy what you love. The band sounds just as good as they did in 2008 and have the music perfect for a group singalong.
For me, I was most excited to hear the back-to-back run of Great Escape, Five Minutes to Midnight, and Hero/Heroine. After previously seeing them early in the day at When We Were Young Festival last October, I was eager to see them again.
What really drew me to attending this show though was the opening act, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me. Fronted by former Panic! At The Disco bass player Dallon Weekes, iDKHow is in my top 10 favorite bands of all time. They were an awesome fit for this tour.
With 80s inspirations and moody themes, their modern alternative sound perfectly set the tone for the night. A commanding frontman, Dallon easily played to the crowd and built the energy.
A shorter set than what I am used to, they showcased the best of their discography with tracks from The 1981 EP, Razzmatazz, and Gloom Division all being well represented. The set went by in a heartbeat for me, as I sang along to every word.
This being my sixth time seeing iDKHow, and my fourth doing photos, I challenged myself to find new things to love about them. I focused on watching the supporting musicians on stage. Dallon’s touring camp is truly top tier.
The band really connected with the audience during alternative hit Leave Me Alone. I felt my soul leave during the lines, “When the sun comes out, you’ll find a brand-new God.”
Also supporting the tour was a group called Arrows in Action. They were very engaging and new how to connect with the crowd as well. I noticed on their Instagram that they visited The Varsity Theater later that night to see The Summerset. It’s cool to see them visiting other venues while they were in town and supporting bands in their scene.
In an era where many of the bands from the 2000s are celebrating anniversaries and touring, Boys Like Girls set themselves apart from the crowd by mastering the art of the throwback. Not only did they bring strong modern acts like iDKHow with them on tour, but they also leaned into what fans loved about their music back then.
Although Boys Like Girls haven’t hit the same heights as they did in the 2000s, their string of hits remain relevant and enjoyable for a night of nostalgia.
