Celebrating A Decade of Never Happy, Ever After with As It Is

Marking both the 10-year anniversary of their debut album Never Happy, Ever After and their first headlining run in the United States in over six years, the Tenth Time Lucky Tour served as As It Is’s celebratory welcome back to the scene. Playing seven shows in eight days, all leading up to a Vans Warped Tour Orlando set, this tour was a long overdue reunion packed with nostalgia and catharsis.

Before the headliners reclaimed their status, Cherie Amour and Bearings hit the stage first. Cherie Amour amped up the crowd with their nu-pop, bringing together elements of alternative rock, R&B, and post-hardcore. Rhythmic, rap-inspired flows and energetic instrumental breakdowns weaved between smooth vocal runs. They properly hyped up the crowd and set the tone for the night–what lie ahead would be a refreshing take on a familiar sound.

Bearings continued to warm up the crowd following Cherie Amour. The Canadian pop punk group has a refined sound that blends catchy hooks with an emotional punch, and they brought a subtle confidence to the Hell stage at the Masquerade. Bearings aren’t a band that begs for attention, but with consistent delivery song after song, they earn praise from everyone in the venue.

At last, As It Is took to the stage—older and more self-assured, but still carrying the frantic heart that defined them a decade ago. The moment the band came on stage, the electricity in the room shifted. Frontman Patty Walters appeared with a grin that carried the utmost gratitude, clearly feeling the weight of a US headliner after such a long absence. Nostalgia didn’t soften the show, it sharpened it. They tore straight into Never Happy, Ever After, the album that launched their careers, turning the venue into a chorus of voices shouting lyrics that had lived in the heads and hearts of many for ten years.

Hearing the album performed in full with the precision and emotional range of a band who have grown beyond the twenty-somethings who wrote them, but still with the same heart and vigor, was unexpectedly powerful. The songs felt renewed, heavier at times, brighter at others, like they had matured alongside the people singing them back.

Following Never Happy, Ever After, As It Is launched into a full second set, featuring top hits off the rest of their discography. Beginning with the Never Happy B-sides, and working their way through the lighter okay. Era and the slightly dad-rock sound of their most recent releases, the band closed out the night with the emotional release of songs off The Great Depression. In true last-show-of-tour fashion, there were guest appearances throughout the set, including Brendan Willis of Cherie Amour and multiple members of their crew, as well as all bands and crew storming the stage for a hearty performance of the macarena.

The night was not just a celebration of an album, but the return of a band who refused to fade into the memory of the 2010s alternative scene. If the Tenth Time Lucky Tour proves anything, it’s that As It Is are not just revisiting their past; they’re reclaiming their place, louder and stronger than ever.