It Happened Last Night
Taking Back Sunday, All-American Rejects Open U.S. Tour
The two bands treat Michigan State students to their distinct brands of emo and punk.
By Brett Callwood

Tuesday night at Michigan State University, angsty rock fans with angular haircuts and all-black wardrobes stood alongside preppy Greek Row members to watch Taking Back Sunday and the All-American Rejects -- reps from the introspective and fun-lovin' poles of the emo genre, respectively -- kick off their joint U.S. tour.

The 20-date outing is a co-headlining affair, with the two bands trading the closing slot each night, and at this show the Rejects took the stage first, opening with "Move Along" from their 2005 album of the same name.
The quartet was in top form, strutting through a set of fan faves, from "Dirty Little Secret" to "Gives You Hell," the first single from their latest release, When The World Comes Down. It's the Rejects' most successful track yet, having spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and selling over 3.2 million copies in digital downloads.

On another new track, "Real World," the boys moved away from their characteristic pop-rock sound and explored something more interesting: dark, '80s new wave. It's a commendable experiment for the Rejects, who have been pigeon-holed as one-trick ponies. But they pulled it off with both promise and precision, with frontman Tyson Ritter pouting his lips and swaying his skinny torso across the stage like a model-boy Iggy Pop.