By Sean O’Kane

Fun and excitement reigned supreme last Friday during the AP Tour stop at Manhattan’s Fillmore NY at Irving Plaza.

Co-headlined by easy-punk rockers All Time Low and brightly poppy The Rocket Summer, Alternative Press Magazine’s tour has easily sold out shows all across the country. But what the two headlining bands shared in a rabid, young fan-base, they differed radically in their musical approach.

The Rocket Summer is a band that is very much about the lead singer Bryce Avary. Not only does he switch from guitar to keyboards and back while belting out very personal lyrics, he also has recorded every musical part of each of his three full-length albums (save for some horn instrument work on his latest, “Do You Feel”).

This set was the highlight of the night, as Avary had the most fans singing along and held the most attention. Avary and his touring band of close friends mixed mostly new songs like the funky groove of “So Much Love” with the cleaner sound of older songs like “Cross My Heart,” the first song from his first record “Calendar Days.”

Halfway through the set Avary showcased his myriad instrument skills by playing a new song called “Wake Up,” one that features Avary alone. He began by playing a drum solo and after looping a few bars of it through an electronic pedal he moved to the bass and did the same. Once the two loops were working in sync he moved to the keyboard and taught the crowd the simple shout chorus while he looped the keyboard. The song ended in Avary exploding on guitar then diving into the crowd with a microphone, letting audience members sing along.

The set finished with the U2-style “So, In This Hour…,” a seven-minute-long epic that thrashed and cheered, but then pulled back with a most introspective finish as Avary sang a beautiful final verse over just piano.

All Time Low, on the other hand, was more like a younger version of Blink 182. They used very light and cheeky lyrics over simple chord progressions. But what they lacked in developed musical tastes they made up for in pure youthful energy on stage that gives them a strong presence akin to their pop-punk predecessors.

Their performance was energetic and full of acrobatic leaps that did not disrupt the music. Lead singer Alex Gaskarth would hop on to one of the special light boxes set up at the front of the stage and lean in towards the crowd, a move mimicked by guitarist Jack Barakat and bassist Zack Merrick.

They played through crowd favorites like the newer “Poppin’ Champagne,” and older songs like “Jasey Rae.” In the middle of the set they played their now ubiquitous cover of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” to the delight of most fans; some in attendance even opened umbrellas they had with them while they danced along.

While the show was energetic, it was hard to get past the constant vulgar exchanges in between songs. The backdrops behind the band had the same words printed on them, the kind that would make elementary school children giggle. While this part of the show may have appealed to the crowd in attendance, it fell flat on older ears.

The surprise of the night was The Matches, a band that has been around almost as long as many of the fans at the show have been alive, but is just now getting mainstream attention. The difference in sound and energy between their newer songs like “Yankee In A Chip Shop” and older, more punk and ska influenced songs like “Chain Me Free” was palpable. But their energy matched their distinct sound, which featured choppy ska guitar laid over very powerful drums, all focused by lead singer Shawn Harris’s rough and powerful voice.

The dud of the night was Sonny, the former lead singer of the hardcore band From First To Last, whose electro-scream had most fans taking early bathroom breaks or buying shirts while he paced back and forth on stage.

Forever The Sickest Kids was pleasant enough for an opening act, similar in style to All Time Low but hindered by its inexperience. The band’s music was less catchy, and despite an abundance of energy the band certainly didn’t overwhelm like the headliners.

While All Time Low lacked the smarter lyrics and developed songwriting of The Rocket Summer, the guys proved their worth as a co-headliner with their exuberant stage show. But The Rocket Summer’s brutal honesty and extremely catchy music stole the show.