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PHOENIX — The night kicked off with a light, Disney-esque melody, possibly a nod to her “Let It Go” cover from Disney’s pop-punk covers album A Whole New Sound. Behind the stage, a whimsical backdrop mirrored her albumfalling for robots and wishing i was one: a yellow brick road leading to the Emerald City, her name in bold red with yellow trim. A drum crash cut the melody short, and LØLØ bounded onto the stage in a very cute, circa-early-2000s pop-punk-princess look: a cropped argyle spaghetti-strap top, tight black miniskirt, fishnets, and her signature knee-high boots. “Ready to make some noise?!” she shouted, busting into her first song.
The opening song blended the lyric “It was only a kiss” from The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” with her own “faceplant.” As an opening move, it was brilliant, dropping in one of the most recognizable alt-rock hooks guaranteed the crowd’s attention, even if they weren’t familiar with her music yet.
Simple Plan’s “Bigger Than You Think!” tour admat
Smiling, she announced it was her job to warm us up tonight for the legendary bands that raised her — a particularly funny line, considering we were in the desert and it was 100+ degrees outside.
Still, the respect conveyed in her tone showed she knew exactly what it meant to open for beloved pop-punk heavyweights like Simple Plan, Bowling for Soup and 3OH!3 on the “Bigger Than You Think!” tour.
After being part of the lineup for Simple Plan’s 25th anniversary tour, LØLØ will pick back up in November to finish the last leg of her ‘U Turn Me On’ U.S. headline run — which saw all but two shows sell out before pausing in March. See tour dates below.
Her second song, “2 of us”, found her bathed in golden spotlight while her guitarist and drummer played in violet and red shadows. She delivered the raw lines, “Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I’m dumb? Well maybe I am, ’cause I still pick up…” with the kind of questions anyone who’s been in an endless rough relationship has asked as we answer the phone or text again.
“the devil wears converse” (her newest release) came next, and here she was fully in her element — moving with joyful precision across the stage, trading playful glances with her guitarist, and getting the audience clapping along. She never missed a beat, her live vocals spot-on with her recordings, her movements as expressive on stage as they are in her videos.
By the time she launched into “debbie downer”, the crowd was warming up too. She led a “Hey ho, let’s go” chant, flirty and confident as she playfully stumbled across the stage.
The second chant was a nod to the nostalgically millennial favorite film “Bring It On”, with the famous “It’s Cold in Here” chant while holding a blue pompom that ended with us all being officially inducted into her squad. The audience happily roared back.
The joy she has performing is infectious and obvious in the best way. “hurt less” had the whole crowd squatting down and popping back up on her command, and “u turn me on (but u give me depression)” was a clear highlight. Holding a striking blue-and-white guitar, she admitted the song was written about someone she’d obsessed over who made her “very mentally ill.” The crowd clapped along, and she stood more still here, letting the weight of the song land. At the end, she added, “If you were thinking of someone during that song, maybe take it as a sign to stop.” Solid advice.Just DON’T, per LØLØ.
“DON’T!” follows the same theme of hot, sexy bad-for-you exes — the late-night snacks of connections, filling but not fulfilling. She remained bubbly throughout the entire show, moving freely and animated, never losing her spark. “OMG” stood out as one of her best live numbers, alternating between breathy talk-sing verses reminding me of Taylor Swift and explosive choruses of “I can’t make it stop.” She threw herself into it, as bouncy and energized as the song demanded.
Then came the cover that sealed it: Icona Popfeat.Charli XCX’s “I Love It”, reimagined in her pop-punk style. Jumping, headbanging, leading the sing-along — she lit the room on fire, earning the biggest applause of her set.
Between songs, her banter made her even more likable. With a black guitar slung across her, she talked about her dog Slim (named after Eminem). A particularly fun audience engagement exchange was when she asked if we had exes. “Yes!” shouted the crowd. Then she asked if we had exes we hated. A louder “yes” from the crowd. She responded with a playful, “We all clearly need therapy.” She laughed before joking that it is perfectly healthy to imagine them burning in hell, then launched into the song “hot girls in hell”.
By the end, she gave her band their moment of love, calling for cheers as her guitarist took a solo and her drummer drove the beat behind him. Then, the three of them came together at center stage, bowing and thanking Phoenix for coming — a rare show of appreciation from an opener, underscoring how much it meant to them to play for Phoenix.
LØLØ understood the assignment; she warmed up the crowd with charisma, pop-punk attitude, practiced precision, and just enough chaos to keep it raw. The legacy of pop-punk shone through her endless energy and crowd engagement, channeling the spirit of icons like Paramore and Avril Lavigne. As she opened for some of the most influential bands that helped build the scene, it was refreshing to experience a fun female voice in a sea of predominantly male artists.
Simple Plan, 3OH!3, Bowling for Soup and Phoenix all seemed to embrace the addition of a rising “pop-punk princess,” who left her mark on the desert with a standout set that was entirely her own. If you come out to see this tour and have a great time, LØLØ is an opener you don’t want to miss.
Tempe, Ariz. — With triple-digit temps blazing outside, the best way to beat the Arizona heat is inside a venue blasting air conditioning and even louder music. The “Idobi Radio Summer School Tour,” proudly sponsored by Hot Topic, brought the heat in a different way on Sunday, July 27, at the Marquee Theatre. Doors opened early at 6 p.m. to make room for a stacked lineup featuring Rain City Drive, Charlotte Sands, Taylor Acorn, Beauty School Dropout , Arrows in Action, If Not For Me, and Huddy. As the tour continues its westbound run through mid-August, this Tempe stop felt like the perfect send-off to summer—one last electrifying night before the school year kicks in.
Huddy started the night with a burst of energy that set the tone for the rest of the show. Best known for his viral fame on TikTok and his role in co-founding the Hype House, Huddy (formerly LilHuddy) has steadily transitioned from influencer to full-fledged pop-punk performer. Far from just a social media personality, his set proved he’s serious about music.
Backed by a tight band and moody visuals, he ripped through a six-song set that included fan favorites like “Vendetta,” “All the Things I Hate About You,” and “The Eulogy of You and Me.” Tracks like “Partycrasher” and “Cyanide” kept the crowd moving, while “Fragile” offered a more emotional moment. Whether you knew him from the For You Page feed or not, by the end of his set, Huddy had everyone ready for more.
If Not For Me took the stage next and wasted no time unleashing their signature brand of high-intensity metalcore. Hailing from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the four-piece—Patrick Glover (vocalist), Hayden Calhoun (guitarist), Zac Allen (bassist), and Cody Frain (drummer)—brought raw power, tight musicianship, and undeniable stage presence.
Known for blending punishing breakdowns with catchy, anthemic choruses, they delivered an explosive set that turned casual listeners into instant fans. The band tore through six crushing tracks: “Demons,” “No Thanks to You,” “Alone,” “Say It to My Face,” “Blameless,” and “Feel Me Now.” Each song hit harder than the last, and by the end of their set, the crowd was alive and fully locked in.
Arrows in Action brought a vibrant shift in tone, blending feel-good alt-pop with emotional punch. Since forming at the University of Florida in 2017, the trio—Victor Viramontes-Pattison (vocalist/guitarist), Matthew Fowler (guitarist), and Jesse Frimmel (drummer)—has built a loyal following thanks to their infectious melodies and heart-on-sleeve lyricism. Though guitarist Fowler was absent in Tempe due to illness, frontman Viramontes-Pattison reassured the crowd with a smirk, “He’s sick in the hotel, not dead,” earning laughs and cheers.
Despite the lineup change, the band didn’t miss a beat. A beach ball bounced across the crowd as they played through a sunny yet emotionally rich set featuring “Feel It Again,” “Light Like You,” “Cheekbones,” and “Wide Eyes.” Tracks like “Empty Canvas” and “All The Ways I Could Die” showcased the band’s deeper side, while “Uncomfortably Numb” closed the set on a high. With or without a full lineup, Arrows in Action proved they know how to connect and keep the good vibes going.
The band will end their jam-packed year at the 2025 Vans Warped Tour in Orlando, Florida on November 15th. For more information on upcoming tour dates and to purchase tickets, visit the band’s website HERE.
Beauty School Dropout hit the stage with a kind of swagger. Formed in 2020 in Los Angeles, the trio—Cole “Colie” Hutzler (vocalist), Brent “Beepus” Burdett (bassist), and Bardo Novotny (guitarist/producer)—has been making waves ever since their early days. Backed by a heavy-hitting sound and an unfiltered attitude, their live set was a chaotic good time. “If you like mosh pits. If you like crowd surfing…” Hutzler teased the crowd with a grin, before laughing, “I see some scared faces.”
It was one of the most family-friendly pits of the night in the best way. Kids on their parents’ shoulders, outfitted in headphones, rocked out right alongside the longtime fans. The band’s setlist included high-energy bangers like “Fever,” “SEX APPEAL,” “FIGHT MODE,” and “A$$A$$IN,” with crowd favorites like “On Your Lips” and “WE MADE PLANS & GOD LAUGHED” keeping the energy alive. As the band exited the stage, the speakers cheekily played “Beauty School Dropout” from the film Grease, bringing their performance full circle.
Taylor Acorn lit up the stage with a firecracker set that had the crowd—especially the girls up front—jumping, screaming, and singing along to every word. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter has quickly become a standout in the pop-punk revival scene, thanks to her powerhouse vocals, emotionally raw lyrics, and a sound that hits somewhere between nostalgic and freshly fierce.
Known for viral hits like her 2022 breakout single “Psycho” (which has racked up over 11 million Spotify streams), Acorn brought a personal, heartfelt energy to the stage that clearly resonated with fans. The stage visuals added an extra layer of charm, two large video boards flashed her name with butterflies fluttering around, and skeleton hands throwing peace signs, hearts, and “I love you” signs punctuated her set with punk-rock flair. She shared that while she’s played in Arizona before, this was her first time performing in Tempe, and she “loved the city.” The love was mutual.
One of the night’s most anticipated moments came when Charlotte Sands joined her onstage for their collaborative track “Final Nail,” which the two originally recorded together—bringing their studio chemistry to life in a striking live duet.
Her set included fan favorites like “Hell of a Show,” “I Think I’m in Love,” and “Goodbye, Good Riddance,” along with deeper emotional cuts like “Burning House” and “Shapeshifting.” Acorn closed with “Psycho,” sending the crowd into one final singalong frenzy.
Charlotte Sands took the stage with a burst of bold energy—and her signature electric blue hair—to deliver one of the most emotionally charged sets of the night. Best known for her breakout 2020 single “Dress,” which went viral on TikTok, Sands has quickly carved out a space in the alt-pop/rock scene with her powerhouse vocals and deeply personal songwriting.
Her setlist hit hard from the start with “Tantrum” and “Bad Day,” and the energy never dipped. Songs like “pity,” “use me,” and “spite” showcased her ability to shift from vulnerable to defiant in a single breath.
Before performing “Alright,” Sands shared that she wrote the track during the COVID lockdown, when the world felt isolated and live music felt impossibly far away. She paused to reflect on how good it felt to be back in a room together again, then asked the crowd to light up the venue with their phone flashlights—a moment that turned intimate and unforgettable.
Rain City Drive closed out the night with a high-octane set that blended post-hardcore grit with anthemic rock melodies. Originally known as Slaves, the band has reinvented itself under a new name—inspired by Manchester, England, the “rainy city” where the five members first connected. Now fronted by The Voice runner-up Matt McAndrew, Rain City Drive has found a powerful new identity, releasing their self-titled album in 2022 on Thriller Records.
From the jump, the band commanded the room with “Lose My Composure” and “Over Me,” driving home why they’ve become a standout in the modern alt-rock scene. McAndrew’s vocals soared, and his playful banter kept the vibe loose: “If the crowd gets quiet,” he teased, “we’ll leave the stage.” No chance of that happening. The audience stayed loud through punchy performances of “Concrete Closure,” “Frozen,” and fan-favorite “Ride or Die,” which McAndrew shouted out as the band’s personal favorite.
Before launching into “Blood Runs Cold,” he rallied the room: “Let me hear you, Tempe. Make some noise, let’s pick it up!” They wrapped the night with the emotional “Talk to a Friend” and the hard-hitting “Medicate Me,” sending fans home sweaty, smiling, and fully satisfied.
Summer School Tour Leaves Tempe Fans Wanting More
As the final notes rang out and the house lights came up, one thing was clear; the “Idobi Radio Summer School Tour” delivered exactly what fans came for—high-energy sets, genre-spanning sounds, and a sense of connection that live music does best. From Huddy’s pop-punk punch to Rain City Drive’s emotionally charged closer, each artist brought something unique to the stage, creating a night that felt like both a celebration and a farewell to summer. This tour reminded everyone why we show up early, stay late, and scream every word. If the rest of the tour is anything like Tempe, then “Summer School” is a night that deserves a full house.
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Photographer: Mark Greenawalt
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