Live Review: All Time Low, Neck Deep, The Maine

Once we're in after standing in a line that's literally over a thousand people strong and wraps right around the Hordern Pavilion, it's a race to make it inside before The Maine start.

We cut it fine but it's worth the rush to see kooky frontman John O'Callaghan take the stage with that familiar manic look in his eyes and wearing a silk black floral suit. Slay, son! Tearing into songs like Am I Pretty and oldie Girls Do What They Want, O'Callaghan is quick to let us know, "No cool people allowed here! Everyone sitting down — All Time Low is watching you! Stand up!" O'Callaghan's exuberant personality shines here, as he pulls up some random dude called William — "Say hello to Billlllayyy!!!" — to sing the chorus. Billy absolutely froths over being on stage, everyone's pissing themselves laughing and the crowd just seems to swell with happiness. We're kept occupied with a handful of songs from their newly released record, Lovely Little Lonely, over the short set and it's really nice to see the band's natural progression from a neon-hued pop punk band to older, mature alt rockers. Plus, O'Callaghan is like a punk rock priest.

Taking the stage to grime music (unsurprising given their British background) playing overheard, Neck Deep are straight into their old school punk sound. It seems like there are quite a few punters here to see the lads, moshing up quite a storm. Lead singer Ben Barlow's stage presence is pretty boring compared to what we've just seen from The Maine — he merely prowls the stage hunched over in an oversized hoodie — but the band are tight and it's no-fucks-given pop punk. They're wont to have fun with the crowd, returning a lost shoe that's found itself on stage to a very happy punter — "Look at us, Lost & Found with Neck Deep! ...we've also got a lost contact lens," Barlow jokes.

From someone who first saw All Time Low on the measly stage five at Soundwave 2008, it's incredible to see how much these Baltimore natives have achieved. Drummer Rian Dawson's buzzcut has grown out, guitarist Jack Barakat is cheekier than ever and has learned to deep-throat his microphone, bassist Zack Merrick has gotten even more buff and singer Alex Gaskarth? He still looks the same as he did ten years ago, but now with the vocal finesse that's expected after playing hundreds of sold out shows around the globe. Gaskarth is first out tonight to start off fan fave Weightless acoustically (nice to see, since often the frontman is often the one to make a dramatic, late entrance) and the song's triumphance just kicks the crowd into overdrive. Dozens of glistening LED lights and strobes back the boys these days — along with added axeman Bryan Donahue formerly of pop rockers Boys Like Girls in the shadows — but their energy and absolute cohesion as a band hasn't needed the injection of funds like their stage production has; that's been there for years. Songs like Backseat Serenade and Somewhere In Neverland see the boys share knowing glances, cheeky asides (always about sex, oral sex, or maybe boobs to switch it up) and banter they had to have learned from growing up with the onstage shit-talking of Mark Hoppus and Tom Delonge (RIP that friendship). New tunes Life Of The Party and Dirty Laundry introduce a fresh, electronic gleam to their sound, helped along with the addition of electronic drums to Dawson's drum kit, and fans already have the lyrics down to yell along to. Gaskarth thanks us for buying the most pre-orders ever ahead of the new album Last Young Renegade — "I'm so sorry it took us so long to come back", he says, referring to their last gig here in Sydney at Soundwave 2015 being rained out.

The band's musical technique is always studio perfect but tonight they're playing a lot of their latter discography — we wager that a lot of the crowd are waiting for a smidge more from So Wrong It's Right or Nothing Personal. A stunning stripped back Therapy delivers just this, and we sing along with lighters in the air (yes, not just iPhone torches). Gaskarth picks up the pace with Missing You, shouting out how "amazing it is to be a part of this family".

Their onstage banter distracts them so much they end up improvising a Drake-like song called 'Wanna See My Weiner', before playing a killer rock cover of Lorde's Green Light. Without a keys player, they've done well with a strong guitar riff to replace that piano house motif. We hear more songs from their last album, Future Hearts, and it isn't 'til the fake encore that we actually hear old favourites like Lost In Stereo and Jasey Rae — older fans breathe a sign of relief. The crowd goes so wild it feels like they were subdued all this time compared to what we're seeing here. We finish up on Dear Maria, Count Me In as confetti rains down all over us.