ALY & AJ OFFER A SANCTUARY FOR FANS,
WELCOMING ALL FOR A NIGHT FULL OF MUSIC WITH A CAUSE
May 19, 2019 Written with Live Images by Zack Tremblay | Promotional Image by Parker Woods
A lot can happen in ten years. For Aly & AJ, their ten year hiatus was not intentional. The duo made a return with the release of their 2017 EP ‘Ten Years’, sending fans into a complete frenzy. Nostalgia has proven to be a strong suit in the sister’s return, not only from their past, but by using music from the past as influence for their new material. The 80’s synth pop style became a signature sound for Aly & AJ, as they carried that style over to their brand new body of work with a modern twist. Sanctuary offers a selection of five songs, featuring their lead “Church” + “Don’t Go Changing”, “Star Maps”, “Not Ready To Wake Up”, along with the title track “Sanctuary”. The duo is currently on The Sanctuary Tour in support of the EP. They brought the tour to Paradise Rock Club in Boston on May 18th, which they admit is one of their favorite venues to play while on tour. You definitely do not want to miss seeing Aly & AJ live this year!
From the moment the lights dimmed down, the energy in Boston was an unreal experience. The sold out crowd committed to singing every single song at the top of their lungs as they danced the night away. The show kicked off with “Church” bringing the audience on a journey with an eighteen song set. While Aly & AJ took the time to perform all of their new material, they also didn’t shy away from the old hits including “Closure” and “Like Whoa” from their 2007 release, Insomniatic + “Chemicals React”, “Rush” and “No One” from their debut album, Into The Rush. After all of these years, these songs resonate with so many fans to this day.
Aly & AJ have always been passionate about their music, but that is not the only thing. They are also very passionate about certain causes. They have been very vocal about these causes since their return to touring last year. On the Promises Tour last year, they partnered with two programs including HeadCount and Project Heal. HeadCount is an organization that educates and helps people on how to register to vote in the United States of America. Project Heal is a wonderful organization for people coming out of treatment for an eating disorder, offering a peer group where they can talk openly about it. This time around, Aly & AJ teamed up with The Trevor Project for The Sanctuary Tour, opening up about creating a safe place both online and at shows for LGBTQ+ youth. Following their speech about The Trevor Project in Boston, the duo performed “Good Love”, which has become an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community.
Since the Promises Tour last year, Aly & AJ have taken the time to plan out every detail for the Sanctuary Tour. From lighting and merch design to wardrobe, every detail is thoughtfully planned out to ensure that fans have the best experience possible. The lighting for this tour perfectly matched the vibe of their set, offering a visually pleasing representation of their evergrowing sound. Now, we’ve got a taste of Aly’s design talents very early on in the duo’s career, but she has had a hand in the decision making process for their merch this time around, giving the fans a stunning collection new products. Merchandise is a huge factor is the success of any tour, it truly keeps the brand of an artist going. Next time you’re at an Aly & AJ show, or any show for that matter, consider picking up a shirt, a poster, or even a pin. I could go on about the merch fans wear, but we have to take a moment to discuss the incredible style the Michalka sisters are serving this year. The duo have collaborated with Alex Eagle Studio out of London, wearing a collection of stunning suits on stage. It’s 2019, Aly & AJ are releasing new music, touring the country and killing the fashion game. What more can we ask for?
While this has been quite the journey for Aly & AJ, this is just the beginning. Just over the past year, the duo has proven to step up their game with every move they make, especially on this tour. The Sanctuary Tour will run through June 27th, ending in Los Angeles, CA, before heading to Europe this July. For a full list of dates and ticket information, visit alyandaj.com. Stream Aly & AJ’s EP ‘Sanctuary’, along with their entire music catalog across all streaming services.
F O L L O W A L Y & A J B E L O W:
B U Y T I C K E T S T O T H E T O U R
B U Y / S T R E A M S A N C T U A R Y
