All-American Rejects Surprise Fans with Pop-Up Shows in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN — The All-American Rejects surprised pop punk fans on Friday night with two impromptu performances at Memory Lanes bowling alley in Minneapolis. Despite the rainy weather, eager fans lined up for hours to catch the band known for hits like “Dirty Little Secret” and “Gives You Hell.”

Fans learned of the shows just hours before they started, with Nat Jacobs, a long-time fan, sprinting to the venue after receiving a text at 5 p.m. “I think I ran out of work with a puff of smoke behind me,” she said after waiting in the rain for three hours to attend the second show.

The band used humor as they took the stage, quipping, “Minneapolis, the city so nice we played it twice.” Typically, the band performs at larger venues, but they decided to hold the surprise pop-up shows after a planned appearance at a house fell through.

With the unexpected venue change, Memory Lanes staff had only about 30 minutes notice. Server Linda Keating commented, “We had three servers and two bartenders…so yeah, we kicked ass last night.” Other staff noted that fans were so enthusiastic that those unable to get in caught the show from outside, cheering and dancing in the rain.

The All-American Rejects recently released a new single titled “Sandbox” and have been performing at smaller venues more frequently. Jacobs mentioned the crowd was mostly made up of millennials in their 30s, but it was heartening to see younger fans attending as well.

The concert was free, with the band accepting donations for a nonprofit organization. Jacobs expressed excitement as she sang along not only to nostalgic hits but also to new material, stating, “I’m gonna buy their new album. I might not have it on my Walkman, but Spotify instead.”