20 Years of Boys Like Girls at The Fillmore in Detroit
Boys Like Girls returned to The Fillmore Detroit for a night that felt just as much like a celebration as it did a concert. Marking 20 years as a band and 17 years since Love Drunk, the show leaned heavily into nostalgia—but never felt stuck in the past. Instead, it felt like a full-circle moment for both the band and the fans who grew up with them.
For me, it hit a little deeper. Boys Like Girls was actually the first concert I ever saw at the Fillmore back in 2007, so walking into the same room all these years later felt surreal. The venue hasn’t lost its charm, and neither has the band. There was this shared sense of history in the air, like everyone in the crowd had their own version of that same story—first concerts, old memories, and songs that stuck with them longer than they expected.
When the band took the stage, it didn’t take long for that early 2000s energy to come rushing back. Songs from their self-titled era and Love Drunk had the entire room singing word for word, louder than the speakers at times. Martin Johnsonstill knows exactly how to work a crowd, balancing humor, gratitude, and just enough chaos to keep things feeling loose and real.
What stood out most was how timeless the music felt. These songs could’ve easily been locked into a specific era, but instead they’ve grown with the audience. Whether you first heard them in 2007 or somewhere along the way after, they still hit the same.
By the end of the night, it didn’t feel like 20 years had passed—it felt like everything had just picked back up where it left off. And for me, being back at the Fillmore watching the same band that started it all made it more than just another show. It was a reminder of why live music sticks with you in the first place.