By Anthony Moore
Aly and AJ are currently out on tour with Miya Folick in support of their most recent album “With Love From”. I was in attendance for the second stop of their U.S. tour at The Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon.
Aly and AJ are sister duo that blend a sound of pop, rock and country, with lyrics of heartbreak, love and good times. The full crowd in attendance were treated to songs spanning their career, at one point mentioning that the two have been writing and performing for 20 years. It’s undeniable how well Aly and AJ play off each other with their guitair playing and harmonizing vocals. The crowd was capitivated from the moment they started with the opening songs “Open to Something, and That Something is You” and title track “With Love From”. Leading the crowd to sing along with the earlier pop hit “Potential Break Up Song”, the crowd screaming “I WANT MY STUFF BACK” as loud as they could. Then before the crowd knew it, it had been 2 hours with twenty plus songs being performed through the evening.
After leaving the stage, the crowd at The Crystal Ballroom shook the third floor of the building clapping, stomping and shouting for an encore. Aly and AJ came back out with their band to perform the two songs that had yet to be played off “From With Love”. Finishing the night with “Blue Dress” and “6 months of Staring at the Sun”.
Blue Dress is a personal favorite of mine on the new album, I was glad to hear it played live and a highlight of my evening. A country esque ballad, telling the story of a love interest calling to them to come see them in their new dress and shoes. Not caring about who they’ve been with in the time before, only caring that the person shows up to dance with them. Its a simple and touching song, a personal stand out of the new album that is full of great songs.
Catch Aly and AJ on tour in the United States through May, tickets can be purchased on their website. The album “With Love From” currently available on all major streaming platforms.
