Aaron Carter's Party Never Stopped @ LA's The Mint
By Jessica Klausing
Aaron Carter performs “Fool’s Gold” at The Mint. Photo by Jessica Klausing.
Admit it, you so wanted to join Aaron’s Party.
Aaron Carter was the “flyest kid on the block” in the early 2000s with his teen party anthem, “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It).” He wooed teenage girls worldwide with “I Want Candy” and rapped about winning a basketball game against Shaquille O’ Neal in “That’s How I Beat Shaq.” Flash forward to 2019, Carter is back with new music and a more mature image. He proved at Los Angeles’ The Mint that Aaron’s Party never stopped!
Carter kicked off the set with “Fool’s Gold,” a hit from his most recent album release, LøVë. The track blends electronic dance music (EDM) styles with pop. This electronic opener had everyone singing the chorus, “Look at you falling/Do you even know what you’re falling for?/Cause I see you falling/You traded my heart for some fool’s gold.”
Aaron Carter photo by Jessica Klausing.
“Bad 2 Good” and “Dearly Departed” dazzled fans with more slick, exuberant synths. Everyone was on their feet dancing the night away. Carter seemed to be having the time of his life as well. The blond singer was all smiles as he stepped away from his keyboard to bust a few smooth dance moves. Just as things were starting to heat up, a few minor screeching speaker issues threatened to delay the fun.
“Bro, I promise I’ll buy you new speakers if they blow,” Carter assured the venue’s sound guy from onstage.
Thankfully, no speakers blew out and the night went on as scheduled. Carter continued to serenade more reflective heartbreak anthems off his LøVë album. On “Seattle TideZ,” Carter compares a troubled relationship to the Seattle weather with, “This love can’t keep me waiting/This love is far from faded/I see this jaded situation through these sheets of rain and you always keep me waiting.”
Aaron Carter prepares for the next song. Photo by Jessica Klausing.
“Champion” was the most emotional song of the night. The song was written to honor Carter’s father, who passed away from a heart attack in 2017. His father’s last voice mail was played before the song.
Not wanting to end on a sad note, Carter promised a song to take us all back. Of course, the venue went ballistic with frantic chants for “Aaron’s Party!”
“No, not yet. But it’s coming! Don’t worry!” Carter assured the room.
“This is a song that was written 60 years ago and it goes a little something like this,” Carter said as he launched right into “I Want Candy,” his other hit from the 2000s. Needless to say, the fans were not disappointed with this particular song choice!
Aaron rocks out to “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It).” Photo by Jessica Klausing.
Nothing compared to the hype from “Aaron’s Party (Come Get it)” though. Fans literally screamed out the lyrics word for word, almost overpowering Carter’s vocals at times. Carter had a few tricks up his sleeve as he remixed his traditional pop track to incorporate a trap beat.
The night ended with Carter lending his honey sweet vocals on “Sooner or Later.” Fans hollered for an encore, which he was more than happy to oblige. He returned onstage for another remix of “Fool’s Gold” ending the night on a dance party high.
If you come to an Aaron Carter concert expecting to hear his old childhood hits, then you’ll be sourly disappointed. You may get a nostalgic throwback or two but Aaron has made it clear in interviews that he wants to move on with his music career. His new music is comprised of eclectic trap EDM remixes with honest lyrics reflecting past failed relationships and loss. Aaron Carter may have matured but his newer catchy tunes can still pack a dance floor!
SETLIST:
Fool’s Gold
Bad 2 Good
Dearly Departed
Almost There
Don’t Say Goodbye
Same Way
Seattle TideZ
Champion
Let Me Let You Go
I Want Candy (remix)
Hard to LøVë
What Did You Want to Say?
Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)
Sooner Or Later
ENCORE:
Fool’s Gold
