Police in Missouri college town let All-American Rejects play one final song before shutting down backyard gig
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Police let The All-American Rejects play one last song before ending their backyard concert near the University of Missouri.
In a scene straight out of a nostalgic emo anthem, The All-American Rejects brought their house party tour to a backyard near the University of Missouri in Columbia over the weekend—only for the show to be cut short by police, who, fittingly, were fans of the band.
The alternative rock group, best known for their 2000s hits like “Move Along” and “Gives You Hell,” has been surprising fans with a string of unconventional pop-up shows across the Midwest. These small, chaotic concerts have taken place in unusual venues, including bowling alleys and suburban backyards.
Their latest stop on Sunday saw the band set up in a backyard near the college campus. According to a video posted on the band’s official TikTok page, the impromptu show drew a lively crowd of students and locals—but was eventually deemed in violation of local ordinances.
Despite this, police handled the situation with understanding. Columbia Police Department Assistant Chief Mark Fitzgerald confirmed in a statement to CNN that both the band and attendees were “very cooperative.” Officers arrived on scene and allowed the band to finish with one final song before officially shutting the event down.
“I guess we’re getting kicked off campus,” lead singer Tyson Ritter told the cheering crowd in the TikTok clip, before launching into their 2008 anthem “Gives You Hell.”
“The sergeant who responded recognized the band and said he had listened to their music a lot during college,” Fitzgerald shared. “He allowed them to play one last song before concluding the event. The department would be happy to welcome them back—this time, hopefully with the proper permits.”
The show marked the band’s fifth house party stop, following earlier appearances in Green Bay, Chicago, Ames, and Minneapolis. During their Minneapolis gig, the response was so overwhelming that they added a second performance at Memory Lanes, a local bowling alley.
The idea for the tour began with a spontaneous concert held last month at a house near the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Since then, the band has been flooded with messages and requests from fans across the country hoping to host their own backyard gig.
“We’ve been overwhelmed with the reaction to our LA house party pop-up,” Ritter said in a recent video. “We see all your comments and DMs requesting these house parties in your city and we’re going to make it f***ing happen.”
Those interested in bringing the Rejects to their city can apply through a form linked on the band’s social media pages.
Each performance has been documented on TikTok, where the band has also been promoting their upcoming album Sandbox, which is set for release this Friday. They have teased another show set to take place Wednesday night, with the location kept under wraps. The event will be livestreamed on their TikTok page.
The All-American Rejects, who formed in 1999, rose to fame during the 2000s emo rock wave with their debut hit “Swing Swing.” Their breakout success was solidified with a string of emotionally charged anthems like “Dirty Little Secret,” “Move Along,” “It Ends Tonight,” and “Gives You Hell,” cementing their place as a defining voice of the era.
Now, more than two decades into their career, the band is reconnecting with longtime fans in a uniquely intimate way—house party by house party.
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