AJR

Article by: Brittany Ormiston

Indie-pop trio AJR took Ruoff Music Center somewhere in the sky throughout their performance of exhilarating visuals, barbershop harmonies, and multifaceted sound. The crowd was certainly way less sad after the Met brothers, Jack (vocals/guitar) and Ryan (guitar/piano/vocals), hit the stage. The kaleidoscope spun round with the trumpet echoing for miles, and a wave of serotonin hit after just the first track. The crowd roaring in approval is still ringing in our ears days later. 

Jack had fans on the edge of their seats as he walked up to the towering screen and “erased” it with a smoke launcher. He hit the blank screen with his palm a few times, and reflections of himself appeared. He highfived each of them, and created the drum loop for the intro of ‘Yes I’m A Mess.’ Ryan showed off his baseball swing dance move with the other hand on keys as the crowd finished off the track. “I like myself like this,” they shouted. The most unique and stimulating segment of the set was up next. Ryan taught the crowd how they crafted ‘100 Bad Days’ piece-by-piece, starting with the production. With the instrumentation and even the startup sound of Netflix intermixed, the melody was added. The key to making it all work perfectly was playing every detail backwards, and there you have it. Colors exploded on the screen and smoke cannons erupted as AJR performed the track in full. Jack and Arnetta (trumpet) high-kicked in sync to close it out. 

AJR burned the whole house down with the second half of their set. A crowd favorite and the band’s biggest song to date, ‘Bang!,’ delivered an explosion of energy. Every fan in the venue was fully invested as they waved their arms in the air, and swayed with each beat. The band kept things interesting as they appeared in the middle of the crowd and performed ‘World’s Smallest Violin.’ Jack stated they enjoyed this segment last tour, and they plan to continue incorporating it into every tour from here on out. Based off of the ecstatic facial expressions of fans surrounding the band, core memories were made right then and there. Speaking of core memories…At every tour stop, AJR has collaborated with the local high school. During the last track of ‘Weak,’ Noblesville High School’s 100-piece marching band made an appearance. They filled the stage and every aisle as they added a vibrant twist to the already sensational song. Jack did his own marching around the stage with a red conductor outfit adorned by a gold design. The top hat and baton were the icing on the cake.       

From street performing to the stage, AJR is celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band. What better way to do it than touring the country, and spending it with their fans they treasure the most. They have launched a new chapter with ‘Betty,’ and the lyricism discusses the idea of forever. How fitting, right? The band is putting their final touches on their new EP What No One’s Thinking, and are looking forward to showing the world what their “last year has sounded like.” Here’s to infinity with the greatest band in the world, AJR.                   

Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN on July 31, 2025

Photos by Everly Ormiston