Growing up means leaving pieces of our past behind in order to discover what life has in store for us next. Change is a necessary process but it can be scary, and when faced with a new chapter in life it’s natural to look back fondly on old memories of times that seemed simpler. If you’ve listened to Alternative Radio in the past few months, chances are you’ve heard AJR‘s song “Sober Up” (which features Rivers Cuomo), but if you haven’t, let us introduce you. The song is nostalgic and a bit angsty, but it’s so infectious that the result is rather uplifting.
Following the success of “Sober Up” (the song is currently sitting at #4 on Alternative Radio and has over 18 million streams on Spotify), AJR have released an accompanying music video, which can be seen above. The video sees brothers Adam, Jack, and Ryan Met (yes, the band name comes from their first initials) wandering the streets of their hometown of New York City. They’re not on a journey with any destination in mind, and instead spend the time reflecting back on youth’s finest moments in surprising ways.
“Sober Up” is the third single released from AJR’s sophomore album The Click (2017) following “Weak” (which has been certified Platinum) and “I’m Not Famous.” The Click sees AJR caught in the in-between period of emerging young adulthood; it’s refreshingly honest in its acceptance of not having the answers to life’s questions (on “Turning Out” Jack sings, “You say I turned out fine / I think I’m still turning out”), clearly excited about whatever is to come next, even if they don’t know what that is. Listen to the album on Spotify below.
If you like what you hear you’re in luck, as AJR will be hitting the road in just a few days for The Click Tour. The tour will begin on February 8 in Raleigh, North Carolina and wrap up on May 12 in Boston. Tickets for all shows are available now on AJR’s website, and we suggest moving quickly as several shows have already sold out. Following The Click Tour, AJR will perform at Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama on May 20, and The Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky (July 13-15).
AJR – The Click Tour Dates:
February 8 – Raleigh, NC @ The Lincoln Theatre – SOLD OUT
February 9 – Atlanta, GA @ The Buckhead Theatre – SOLD OUT
February 10 – Charlotte, NC @ The Underground – SOLD OUT
February 12 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live
February 13 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
February 16 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues – SOLD OUT
February 17 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s
February 18 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
February 20 – Memphis, TN @ The New Daisy Theatre
February 21 – Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
February 22 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel
March 17 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
March 20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theatre – SOLD OUT
March 21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore – SOLD OUT
March 23 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
March 25 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theater
March 26 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theater – SOLD OUT
April 6 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
April 7 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre – SOLD OUT
April 8 – Minneapolis, MN @ Music Hall
April 10 – Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium
April 11 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
April 13 – St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall – SOLD OUT
April 14 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues – SOLD OUT
April 15 – Detroit, MI @ Saint Andrew’s Hall – SOLD OUT
April 17 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
April 18 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
April 19 – Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore
April 21 – New York, NY @ Terminal 5
May 9 – Toronto, ON @ The Opera House – SOLD OUT
May 10 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
May 12 – Boston, MA @ House of Blues