The All-American Rejects Turn Memory Lanes into a 2000s Time Machine with Surprise Minneapolis Show
There are concerts and then there are nights that feel like a fever dream from your teenage years. The All-American Rejects delivered exactly that with their surprise pop-up show at Minneapolis’ Memory Lanes, a performance so full of raw energy and 2000s nostalgia that they ended up playing it twice in one night.
The show was part of a secret tour concept the band launched with a simple ask: submit your city and wait. The night before, they played a backyard set in Chicago. For Minneapolis, it was originally meant to be a 100-person house show but as buzz exploded and demand skyrocketed, the band pivoted, moving the show to Memory Lanes, a local bowling alley where they set up their stage right on the lanes. Capacity jumped to around 400–500, and the crowd filled every inch of the venue.
Fans lined up around the building hours in advance, decked out in vintage band tees and warped-tour era energy. It was more than a concert; it was a time capsule. From the moment the band launched into “Dirty Little Secrets,” the crowd was transported straight back to the early 2000s. Tyson Ritter’s voice still carries that perfect blend of angst and charm, and his stage presence remains magnetic. He cracked jokes, dove into the crowd, and delivered the kind of performance that felt personal, chaotic, and electric. Some fans even managed to keep bowling during the set, rolling strikes as the band blasted out emo-pop anthems just feet away.
Before the sets end, Ritter took a moment to speak from the heart:
“If you found this band when you were in your Huggies and just now seeing us for the first time, I want to thank you for coming out and supporting a rock and roll band that gives a shit about the common man. We're not trying to sell you financed tickets to Coachella, we're not trying to sell you Ticketmaster fucking penalty fees, we're not trying to sell you $25 parking. We're just trying to sell you some songs you might've grown up with and let you fucking let go with us in this nondenominational church of rock and roll.”
That spirit defined the night. No VIP tiers, no giant screens, just a rock band, some bowling lanes, and hundreds of fans screaming every word to “Swing Swing” like it was 2005 again. And when the first set wrapped and hundreds more were still outside, the band didn’t pack up, they ran it back. A second show, same intensity, same heart.
In an industry often defined by overproduction and overpriced tickets, the All-American Rejects are shaking things up and bringing real rock and roll back to its roots. It’s rare to see a band of this caliber bring their hits to such a humble venue and even rarer for them to do it twice in one night. But then again, the All-American Rejects have always been about giving fans what they really want: sing-alongs, sweat, and a reminder of the heart-on-sleeve days when music meant everything.
For one unforgettable night, Minneapolis was 2005 again, a nondenominational church of emo-pop revival. And everyone in the building left a little sweatier, a little louder, and a whole lot lighter.
Shoutout to TCUP (Twin Cities United Performers) for helping make this unforgettable night happen. From house show dreams to a bowling alley blowout, it was a celebration of live music at its most raw, real, and joyful and it couldn’t have happened without the local love behind the scenes.
