Teen icons-in-training get close to fans at Taste show
CONCERT REVIEW | Aly and A.J. bond with crowd at Petrillo
If they were any more famous, Alyson Michalka and Amanda Joy Michalka -- better known as Aly and A.J. -- might have caused a riot Sunday at the final concert at Taste of Chicago.
After about half of the sun-baked crowd at the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park had cleared out toward the end of their 12-song set, the duo invited their fans to rush toward the front of the stage, which they did with teenage fervor.
(Oscar Lopez/For the Sun-Times)
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Aly & A.J. perform
But compared to the madness surrounding the Chicago visit of their contemporary Miley Cyrus, this was decidedly subdued. And no parents were shelling out astronomical scalper prices for this free show. Even so, Cyrus' dominion over the tween demographic was apparent. As the crew was getting the stage ready between sets from well-received opening acts Keke Palmer (Chicago's own) and A Cursive Memory, five peppy folks from Radio Disney came onstage to lead the crowd in a sing/dance-along to Cyrus' "Best of Both Worlds."
On one hand, this makes no sense. With catchy hits like "Chemicals React" and "Potential Breakup Song," it seems that sometime actresses Aly and A.J., who play their own instruments, don't seem to lip-sync and write their own songs would be just as appealing. On the other hand, teens wouldn't be teens unless they were fickle.
The sisters seem to be growing up and maturing faster than Disney (and their fans, for that matter) can keep up with. And it's no surprise that as Aly, 19, and A.J., 17, continue to grow up and evolve, they're taking on more of an edge. Aly wears a nose ring. Both were sporting tattoos on their right forearms that didn't look like the washable kind. Very un-Disney.
If they continue to distance themselves from Mama Disney, their challenge will be whether their fans will stick with them. Part of the appeal of Aly and A.J. is that the girls come across like average teenagers who live a sensational lifestyle.
For example, in a YouTube video blog posted last Thursday, Aly reveals that she's "stoked" because the duo's new album is going to be "sick." Then at one point in the video, A.J. lets the fans in on their all-important decision of where they'll go to lunch: Quizno's (pronounced "Queeznos," purveyors of what the gals refer to as "sweaty meat") or Subway (the sisters' "guilty pleasure").
It was this same aura of informality mixed with undeniable talent that spurred flashes of staying power Sunday afternoon. Playing guitar, piano and bongos intermittently, they showed that they're both talented musicians with phenomenal stage presence. They've both mastered the unteachable skill of strategically whipping their thick blonde hair from side to side with the music.
In the crowd, one fan held up a sign reading, "We love Quizno's sweaty meat." That's the kind of influence these girls have -- for now.
This was the last stop on Aly and A.J.'s summer tour. It's quite possible that we won't hear from them again until their new album drops in early 2009. It could launch their careers into the Cyrus stratosphere. And this may be the last crowd they ever encourage to rush the stage.