almost monday Review: Atlanta 2026

There is nothing quite like a concert on Halloween night, where costumed fans fill the room and the bands on stage jump headfirst into the absurdity. Gathered at Center Stage for the much anticipated THANK GOD IT’S ALMOST MONDAY Tour, Atlanta concertgoers arrived ready to celebrate almost monday’s sophomore album of the same name. The night was full of dancing, energy, and a stacked setlist to please old fans and new fans alike.

The night kicked off on a high note with feel trip., a bilingual indie rock duo who immediately set the room in motion with their perfect blend of English and Spanish lyrics. Their bright, melody-driven sound proved to be an ideal sonic complement to the headliner’s upcoming set. Mid-set, the band took a brief pause to share that this show marked both their first show in Atlanta and their very first tour, reflecting on their humble origins playing basement shows and pool parties. Lit in moody LED lights, lead singer Juan Mallorca commanded the stage with charisma, pacing back and forth interwoven with well-timed jumps. Closing out their performance, the band asked the audience to light up the room with their phone flashlights, bringing the opening set to a bright, engaging finish.

When it was finally time for almost monday, the venue lights dimmed as the title track from their new record, “thank god it’s almost monday,” played over the PA system. One by one, the band members filed out onto the stage fully clad in Scooby-Doo costumes, triggering immediate cheers and laughter from the crowd. The entrance culminated with lead singer Dawson Daugherty crawling out on all fours in a Velma outfit, searching for his missing glasses in a perfectly executed nod to the iconic character. The moment he found them, the band launched into “delicate,” immediately followed by a high-energy sequence of “class a,” “no more regrets,” and “life goes by.” Daugherty ran, kicked, and squatted across the stage with the audience dancing fervently along.

High energy movement remained the defining thread throughout the evening. During “only wanna dance,” Daugherty did some karate-inspired moves to kick the room’s energy up another notch. “enjoy the ride” brought a darker visual edge as red lighting flooded the stage while preserving the song’s upbeat pulse. A hazy, foggy atmospheric intro built dramatic tension in the room before the band burst into a fan favorite “jupiter,” prompting the crowd to later sway in unison. Daugherty challenged the audience further, calling out, “You’re now one of us so I want to see you dance,” before diving straight into “lost.”

Pausing to acknowledge the holiday, Daugherty thanked the crowd for spending Halloween with them while lightheartedly noting how tricky it was to execute his trademark stage aerobatics (the high jumps, deep squats, and big kicks) while wearing a dress. He spent a moment pointing out standout costumes across the crowd, shouting out everything from SpongeBob and alien suits to fans dressed up as the band members themselves. Reminding the audience that the ultimate goal of the night was simply having as much fun as possible, they tore into their one of their biggest hits “sunburn.” It started slower than normal, picked up, and ended with the audience singing the chorus all on their own. Keeping the momentum going, “superprism” hit with fun strobing lights. They then performed one of their self-proclaimed “favorite songs,” “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals.

The pace temporarily softened as Daugherty picked up an acoustic guitar, taking a moment to share how much the new record means to them. He reflected with genuine gratitude on their journey from a circle of friends jamming in a San Diego surf shop to touring the country together all these years later. They moved into “losing streak,” with the crowd singing along to the bridge. That intimate mood carried into “leaving is easy,” where phone flashlights lit up the room, swaying in motion with the emotional track. The emotional weight remained locked in through “fade,” even as the underlying production shifted back into a richer, electric texture.

Declaring it was time to “pump it up some, it’s Halloween night,” Daugherty propelled the show back up with “never enough.” Then, taking a moment to introduce his bandmates, he poked fun at bassist Luke Fabry for looking far too ripped for his Daphne dress and pointing out that his own sunglasses were actually functional prescription eyewear. He then dedicated “french kids” directly to a pair of fans right on the barricade dressed in berets and stripes. The energy of “she likes sports” brought plenty of jumping across the pit before transitioning smoothly into “sequoia.”

The final stretch closed out the night with a bang. “skinny dip” saw a ton of movement across both the stage and the floor, while the well-trained crowd sang the guitar hooks of “cough drops” right back to the band. Daugherty took a brief moment to say how fun this night had been, and how he doesn’t say that at every show, before launching into the band’s biggest hit “can’t slow down.” The set closed strong with the final track on the album, “better late than never.” The band then took a bow, throwing setlists and drum sticks into the crowd. Atlanta walked out into the night on an absolute high after a fun evening of feel-good pop music.