The Brothers Are Back!
When any artist takes a hiatus, it’s a big risk. Fans could move on or they could stay just as devoted as before. The latter is definitely true of the Jonas Brothers. Hours before doors would even open, fans young and old lined up around the block holding signs and singing their favorite lyrics, hoping to catch a glimpse of the brothers as they came out of their tour bus.
As they waited for the show to begin, fans took vine videos of themselves singing “Still In Love With You” in hopes of being picked for the Sing With Jonas contest. At 7pm, Mike Tompkins came out from behind the computer screen ready to entertain the crowd with a sick DJ set. Known best for his YouTube videos where he sings hit songs and uses his voice to layer all the instruments, Mike recreated some of the covers on stage using recorded loops that he put together live.
Karmin took to the stage singing their new single, “Acapella,” and instantly the crowd was on their feet. Being their usual selves, Amy and Nick entertained the crowd and goofed around with the fans in the front row. Playing some new music off their upcoming album Pulses, most fans seemed to already know the words and sang along to each and every song. If the songs they played are any indication of what the rest of the album will be like, I’m counting the days until the release.
Following their set, Mike came back out on stage to keep the crowd on their feet dancing while the stage was set for the Jonas Brothers. As Nick took his spot on the stage, fans searched around the venue to find Kevin and Joe coming in through the aisles. It was as if they continued right where they left off three years ago. Fans sang along to each and every song and the three brothers looked like they were exactly where they should be. No longer having a major label dictate every aspect of their tour, the three had more freedom to change up their set list nightly to give fans that were coming to multiple shows a different experience each time.
As the show progressed, it was clear that as the Jonases grew up. They also changed up their style a bit, revamping some of the old songs and the new songs reflecting a bit of an older and updated sound. With live saxophone added to most songs, it gave the music a different vibe that I quite enjoyed. Clearly inspired by a blend of rock, jazz, and EDM, there was never a dull moment in getting to hear the new music. After singing one of the new songs, “Found,” Nick started out a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Thinking About You” that had every girl in the theater freaking out and singing along. As Kevin and Joe joined in, the volume level grew and grew, but it was nothing compared to when they sang “Who I Am.” The entire place sang along in a way I’ve never seen before, and it was one of those moments when I could only imagine what it must feel like to be on stage and hear the entire crowd singing louder than the speakers.
After singing “Let Go” with Karmin, Nick prefaced the next song by saying, “It’s time to get angry.”
With an intro like that I had no clue what to expect, but what I got was a new one called “What Do I Mean To You” that had elements of rock and EDM mashed with the typical Jonas sound to create one of my favorite songs of the night. Contest winner Tiffany was brought out on stage with a huge smile ready to sing “Still In Love With You” with her three favorite brothers. The rest of the show progressed on as more of the old favorites were sang, ending with the most energetic version of “Burnin’ Up” I’ve ever seen. A surprise video of Big Rob filled the screen as he sang the final chorus of the song, ending the night on a high. With a two song encore, fans didn’t move until the last note was sung. Leaving with smiles, thousands of girls were ready with stories to tell and memories that would last until the next concert.
Though they may have taken three years off, it was well worth the wait. As the fans and the brothers grew up, they also grew closer. There was a feeling of family floating around the show, as fans saw their old friends from concerts past and the brothers shared the stage once again. The new album, V, is set for release soon, but in the meantime, check out photos below from the show!
