After hours of speculation, the band shared the location on TikTok, and most fans did the same, rushing to the skatepark to stand in line. By the time we got to 4DWN, the line split between ticket holders and hopefuls trying to get in before reaching capacity. It stretched around the block, as many knew this was the show you didn’t want to have FOMO over.
Once inside, the fans' excitement was palpable, witnessing a historic moment: "The House Party Tour" making it to Dallas. The stage was set on the halfpipe as skaters did tricks in the background. Some lucky fans sat on the halfpipe, watching from a few feet above.
Many brands with activations handed out free stuff. People got free Crocs, free Arby’s gift cards, free tattoos, free LIFEWTR, free Gatorade Zero, free Yerba Mate with totes, free non-alcoholic drinks Heineken 0.0 and Hiyo and even free flowers. “The All-American Rejects have the meats,” read in graffiti behind the Arby’s booth.
There’s a point to all this, which lead singer Tyson Ritter explains later in the show. But all that hydration in the Texas heat was necessary after opener Flight by Nothing from Austin got us ready for the Rejects.
Minutes before the show started at 9 p.m., the band came out with several boxes of pizza as pre-fuel because they knew a lot of people probably skipped dinner to be here. Then, the lights went dark. Soulja Boy’s “Turn My Swag On” served as the pre-show music. The band got to their positions and kicked off with “Dirty Little Secret.”
“Dallas, Texas!” Ritter says. “Did you bring flowers for me? Is there flowers back there for me? Am I some kind of prize fucking horse? This isn’t even a Texas rose; this is a purple rose. How many people are ready to rock and roll for the next 45 or so?”
Throughout the night, in between the classics like “Swing, Swing” and “Sweat,” Ritter showed love to everyone who stood in the Texas heat for them. He spoke on the idea of a free concert and giving back to the community in an affordable way.
Later, he wanted Arby’s to let him be buried in roast beef, which was shot down.
“I wanted to see if I could eat myself out of the piles of beef. But give it up for corporations giving away free shit at a free shit thing. This is the future of how we do live music in this country,” Ritter says.
After the band performed their new songs “Sandbox” and “Easy Come, Easy Go,” Ritter gave a shout-out to Flight by Nothing and the skaters who ate shit behind him. They ended on “Gives You Hell,” as the balcony began to shake from where we were standing from all the singing and jumping. A random Wednesday night, sure, but an unforgettable sidequest to see our favorite band in our very own backyard.
See photos from Wednesday’s show:
4DWN skatepark was the location for the Rejects’ Texas installment of their house party series.
Abigail Mueller
An experienced skater fits a skate session in before the All American Rejects hit the stage.
Abigail Mueller
San Marcos band, Flight by Nothing, performs for a packed house in their hometown of Dallas.
Abigail Mueller
A crowd member can’t get enough of the All-American Rejects as she watches the show from the skatepark.
Abigail Mueller
The Texas installment of the All-American Rejects house party series was nothing short of a hit.
Abigail Mueller
