Boys Like Girls | The Camera Affect

Boys Like Girls’ nostalgic performance at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ on ‘The Soundtrack of Your Life Tour’ 4/11/26 | Photos & Review

May 23, 2026 Leave a comment

Whether it’s 2026 or 2006, there is no doubt that emo is here to stay.

Showcasing two iconic albums, American rock band Boys Like Girls stopped at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair on The Soundtrack of Your Life Tour.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled record, Boys Like Girls (2006), and the 17th anniversary of their sophomore album, Love Drunk (2009), in their entirety (and in tracklist order), the Boston band packed the New Jersey venue with emo, pop-punk, and rock fans alike.

Alternative band Arrows In Action kicked off the night with an epic seven-song set, starting with “Light Like You” from their 2025 album, I Think I’ve Been Here Before. The Florida three-piece made for an incredible start to the night, bringing on classic pop-rock vibes as fans piled into the pit.

Supporting their deluxe record, I Think I’ve Heard This One Before (2026), the Florida band had me adding their pop-rock single “Stop Talking” to my liked playlist before they even left the stage.

Next up, Salt Lake City’s beloved I Dont Know How But They Found Me took the stage. The project of the legend himself, Dallon Weekes, opened the set with his satirical track “Nobody Like the Opening Band” (and clarified that the song was, in fact, not about the opener, Arrows In Action).

Supporting his 2024 album GLOOM DIVISION, the indie band performed tracks from across their discography, from recent songs like “DOWNSIDE” and “SPKOTHDVL” to early tracks like “Choke” and “Do It All The Time.”

Finally came the time the crowd had all been waiting for: Boys Like Girls took the stage, starting the emotional and nostalgic set right away with Boys Like Girls album opener, “Heart Heart Heartbreak.”

Bringing the energy from the first note to the final, Boys Like Girls put on a stellar performance reminiscent of the 2006-vibes, bringing fans back to a time where perhaps a good amount of the audience wasn’t even alive.

Since the four-piece was set to perform their first two albums in full, they touched on all the hits, including “Two Is Better Than One,” “She’s Got a Boyfriend Now,” and the Love Drunk title track, and “Five Minutes to Midnight,” “Thunder,” “Hero/Heroine,” and of course, the highlight of the night, “The Great Escape.”

Knowing their audience and knowing them well, Boys Like Girls did a commanding reprise of hits “The Great Escape” and “Love Drunk” just to send their fans home on a high note. Vocalist Martin Johnson even invited New Jersey’s own Jean Paul Makhlouf from the electronic group Cash Cash.

I have to admit, coming into the show I was largely unfamiliar with the two albums the tour was celebrating… and after a whole night of a standout set, enthusiastic fans from the front to the back of the house, and nostalgic mid-2000s vibes – I’ve had the records on repeat ever since.

Needless to say, when Boys Like Girls are back in town, there’s no way this girl is going to skip out on another incredible performance.

Boys Like Girls will continue The Soundtrack To Your Life Tour on the U.S. West Coast this May, followed by performances in the UK this summer. Remaining tickets and more information are available on the band’s website, here!