Photos and Article by Lara Ziccardi
Boys Like Girls are pop-rock staples responsible for some of the most screamable anthems of the 2000s — you know them, you love them, and you definitely had at least one of their songs on your iPod. They are currently on “The Soundtrack of Your Life” tour, performing their debut 2006 self-titled album and their 2009 sophomore release Love Drunk in full (yes, both — we’re being fed). On the tour, they brought along iDKHOW, formerly known as I Dont Know How But They Found Me along with Arrows and Action. They pulled up to The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ to a completely sold-out room and casually delivered the performance of a lifetime.
Photographer, writer, and co-founder of Punk Pulse Media, Lara Ziccardi, was on the scene.
I’m going to be so for real right now — this is my fourth time photographing Boys Like Girls, and I would do it again without a single thought. No hesitation. Immediately yes. I shot them at The Fillmore in Philadelphia on “The Speaking Our Language Tour” (October 2023), made the trek to Norfolk, Virginia at The Norva on the “Lost In Wonderland Tour” (July 2024, ask me about that trip, I’m serious), and finally, opening for Dashboard Confessional at The Stone Pony (September 2024).
So when they announced a stop in my literal college town of Montclair? Oh, I was seated. And by seated, I mean in the pit.
Boys Like Girls kicked things off with Love Drunk, opening with “Heart Heart Heartbreak.” Was I expecting the self-titled first? Yes. Was I mad about it? Absolutely not - it was actually the perfect unexpected choice. Even though I was in the photo pit for the first three songs, I could already feel how insane the energy was about to get. Then came “Love Drunk,” which still hits every single time, and of course I was dancing while photographing!
They ran Love Drunk straight through in album order, and the visuals were so fun. The stage was stacked with those chunky, boxy 90s/2000s TVs, and they fully committed to the bit. When a song had a music video, it played behind them. If not, lyrics lit up the screens so everyone could scream along properly.
I loved how hard they leaned into the 2000s aesthetic. No half-commitments here — we were fully transported.
A few of my favorites during Love Drunk included,
- Heart Heart Heartbreak
- Love Drunk
- Two Is Better Than One
- The Shot Heart ‘Round the World
- Chemicals Collide
Intermission hit, and I had one very important mission: figure out if there was a pit. I wanted one, but honestly wasn’t fully expecting it — so naturally, I started asking around.
One of my favorite parts of concerts is just talking to people, and the crowd did not disappoint — multiple confirmations later, yes, there was a pit, and yes, I was absolutely about to be in it.
The second those opening notes of “The Great Escape” dropped, there was immediate movement. No hesitation! The pit opened up and the energy went from high to absolutely unhinged in seconds — by the chorus, it was electric.
They rolled straight into “Five Minutes to Midnight,” which is another personal favorite, and the chaos (complimentary) continued — jumping, screaming, everyone fully locked in. “Hero/Heroine” shifted things into more of a headbang moment, which the crowd gladly delivered. Then came “Thunder,” - hearing the entire Wellmont Theater sing that back felt special.
At one point, lead singer Martin Johnson asked how many people had illegally downloaded Boys Like Girls back in the day — and the number of hands that went up was… a lot. No shame whatsoever, I promise! I was alive in 2006 but I was (unfortunately) busy going to pre-k and learning my ABCs.
He talked about how grateful they are to still be doing this, to still have fans showing up, and to have made it 20 years as a band. And yeah, those moments always hit a little. Because when you actually stop and think about it — how many people come out to shows, how many memories are tied to these songs — it’s kind of insane in the best way.
Live music just does that. And 20 years of that kind of support must feel so special, for the band and the fans.
A few of my favorites during Love Drunk included,
- The Great Escape
- Five Minutes to Midnight
- Thunder
- Dance Hall Drug
- Heels Over Head
To close out the night, they mashed up “The Great Escape / Love Drunk,” and the crowd absolutely lost it — full chaos, full volume, and yes, crowd surfers made their appearance.
Boys Like Girls remain one of my favorite bands to shoot — they’re energetic, passionate, and just genuinely fun to watch. It might not be the 2000s anymore, but for one night, they made it feel like it never left.
And honestly? I’d go back a fifth time. No questions asked!
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