Review: The All-American Rejects Universal Mardi Gras 2026

Tyson Ritter. Photograph: © 2026 Jade Read

Stephanie Rodriguez

Managing Editor

March 31st, 2026

The Music Plaza stage came alive as The All-American Rejects closed out Universal’s Mardi Gras 2026 celebration. As they walked out to the Super Mario Bros. theme, Tyson Ritter took a moment to look at the crowd and Minion-decorated buildings, acknowledging the surreal park meeting a rock concert vibe.

The first riff of "Dirty Little Secret" instantly sent a chill through the audience and acted like a shot of pure adrenaline for the fans. It’s the ultimate icebreaker track, a song so ingrained in the audience's memory that the entire venue seemed to take a deep breath before screaming the first line back to Tyson Ritter. The audience was full of not only millennials but also new generation AAR fans. The energy in the crowd was a unique blend of chaotic and sentimental. Immediately after, he shouted out the fans all across the audience, including the ones sitting inside the "Jimmy Fallon’s Race Through New York" building watching through the window.

Despite the Florida rain, the atmosphere wasn't dampened; it made the performance more cinematic. Ritter and the band proceeded to do a "magic tongue" rain dance with their tongues in an attempt to stop the rain. The concert quickly jumped into "My Paper Heart," in which the band brought a full-throttle performance and displayed a photo collage of the band's early days.

But the Florida theme carried on with the song "Beekeeper's Daughter"; Ritter took the line "Pretty Little Flower" and effortlessly swapped it for "Pretty Florida Girls." A small nod that sent a wave of cheers through the crowd, it wasn’t only a concert, but it felt like a shared inside joke between the band and Orlando.

Ritter even took a moment to lean into his own cinematic history, jokingly referencing his film debut in The House Bunny before the band launched into "I Wanna." It was a moment that perfectly captured the night’s vibe—part rock concert, part nostalgia, and entirely self-aware.

One of the most surreal moments of the Universal Mardi Gras show was seeing them bring a personal vibe, directly speaking to the audience about their surroundings. At one point, a high-energy "millennial jam" was practically led by a seemingly 5-year-old fan in the front.

It served as the perfect visual for what Ritter describes as the goal of his House Party concerts: "nothing more than just a good time." He spoke about just starting off by playing music for kids in backyards turning into cutting into the "underbelly of America"—finding those raw, fun moments that make music feel alive and reminding everyone that despite your opinions, everyone loves good music. To the delight of the locals, he also dropped the news that they might be interested in a backyard in Orlando this May.

Just as the drizzle began to let up, the stage lights dimmed and Tyson Ritter grabbed an acoustic guitar, stripping away the rockstar perspective and revealing his raw true self. He spoke candidly about his roots in Oklahoma, describing a broken home and the jagged edges of a childhood that wasn't always easy. "The music heals me," Ritter explained. In a rare moment, he introduced a new unreleased song titled "Green." He noted that it was only the second time he had ever played it live, making the Universal Mardi Gras crowd part of a very small circle.

The lyrics felt like a page from a diary rather than a typical pop-punk anthem. He sang of the heavy contrast between the vibrant memories of youth and the somber reality of growing up,

using the metaphor of how "a little blue gets you gray." It was a poetic way to describe the fading of innocence—the way life’s "blues" eventually settle into a permanent, weathered gray.

The song painted a cinematic, dusty picture of life in the Midwest, grounded in the grit of childhood experiences that clearly still resonate with him. The lyrics were grounded in the kind of Midwest grit—dirt roads and quiet nights—that shaped the band's earliest influences.

The reflection period following the new material did not last long. As the band kicked back into gear, the momentum shifted from the dirt roads of Oklahoma back to the bright lights of Florida. During the performance of "Mona Lisa," Ritter made sure the audience knew exactly where they were. He wove Orlando-specific phrasing into the lyrics, shouting out the local fans and making the song feel customized for the night.

With the audience fully back on board, the band launched into the cinematic "It Ends Tonight." There was a cathartic feeling with so many people singing "When darkness turns to light" in a unified roar. It was a moment of pure impact, proving that these tracks have evolved from simple pop-punk hits into emotional landmarks for everyone standing in the Universal Music Plaza.

If the previous songs were about emotional impact, "Move Along" was about physical connections. Ritter took the song's title to a literal point, hopping around and moving along the stage. Seeing a performer ditch the structured concert performance to instead physically feed off the crowd’s energy broke the fourth wall entirely. For those minutes, the plaza wasn’t just a venue but the center of a high-energy show.

Tyson Ritter with Fan. Photograph: © 2026 Jade Read

The night reached its conclusion with another high note during the encore of "Gives You Hell." After spotting a fan’s sign that read, "Can I play Gives You Hell on Bass?", the band returned to the stage, handing over their own instruments.

For the fan, the moment was a whirlwind of adrenaline and preparation. "It was definitely really nerve-wracking the first two minutes, but I was just so excited," Onyx stated. As she held down the low end for one of the biggest pop-punk anthems of the 2000s, the connection between the band and the audience was palpable. Ritter continued improvising lyrics to reference the Minion Cupcake behind the packed audience. The experience was more than just a guest spot; it was a long-awaited connection with the artists who shaped her. "Him and this band mean so, so much to me. They are going to continue to be big inspirations for me, and I hope one day I can do it again."

The night at Universal Music Plaza was more than just a trip down memory lane. From the 8-bit nostalgia of the Super Mario opening to the raw barefoot vulnerability of the new tracks, the show felt like a living room session scaled up for thousands.

Watching the hand-off of the bass to Onyx was the ultimate proof that the Rejects aren’t just playing for an audience; they’re building a community. As the final notes of the night faded into the Orlando sky, the performance felt like a promise of things to come.

Setlist:

1. Super Mario Bros. Theme (Intro Tape)

2. Dirty Little Secret

3. Fast and Slow

4. My Paper Heart

5. One More Sad Song

6. Beekeeper’s Daughter

7. I Wanna

8. Sweat

9. Search Party

10. Swing, Swing

11. Green (Unreleased, Tyson Ritter solo acoustic)

12. Mona Lisa

13. Get This

14. It Ends Tonight

15. Easy Come, Easy Go

16. Move Along

17. Gives You Hell (Encore)

Writer: Stephanie Rodriguez 

Editor: Jade Read