If someone were to tell you that their first concert was the Jonas Brothers, you would probably assume that they meant a much younger trio of brothers from around the year 2008. However, such assumptions clearly miss out on people like myself who decided to wait twenty-one years before attending their first live concert. Not to mention the fact that I saw the Jonas Brothers from the 2019 Happiness Begins Tour in Raleigh, North Carolina (as you can see from the terrible quality image from above, courtesy of the iPhone 7).
Of course, I can’t complain about missing out on 20+ years of concert opportunities because having the Jonas Brothers as your first concert allows you to have truly amazing bragging rights. Now, I’m sure the Jonas Brothers were just as amazing ten years ago, but there’s something truly special about the experience I had that probably cannot compare to the past. Firstly, the Jonas Brothers do have an amazing library of music to choose from now, and they put on an amazing balancing act between past and present. Secondly, there’s something quite unique about the Jonas Brothers now, especially after having watched their wonderful documentary, Chasing Happiness, on Amazon Prime. The three brothers have gone through so much together and their trials and tribulations have shaped them into who they are now which is, quite simply, a cannot miss attraction. Thirdly, the Jonas Brothers have matured, not just age-wise, but vocally, musically, and lyrically. Yes, the “Year 3000” is an amazing song, but it can’t compare to the beautiful messages you can hear in new songs like “Rollercoaster” or “Hesitate.” In conclusion, I’m glad that I waited for my first concert experience, and I’m glad I waited for the 2019 version of the Jonas Brothers.
Now, let’s talk about the show itself. The brothers brought along Jordan McGraw and Bebe Rexha as their two opening acts. Honestly, I had never heard of Jordan McGraw before, but I really liked his music, and I was enamored with his outfit choice (because I thought leather pants belonged exclusively to K-Pop boy bands, but I digress). Frankly, Bebe Rexha really surprised me with her performances, including an unexpected rendition of Post Malone’s “Better Now.” Her vocals sounded almost exactly like they do in her recordings, and that’s a testament to an artists’ raw talent.
Of course, everyone lost their minds (and I lost my hearing) when the Jonas Brothers finally came out. They opened the show with a compelling performance of “Rollercoaster” which is totally fitting since one of the themes of their comeback appears to be a celebration of their past, for better or for worse. Of course, in grandiose fashion, the entire arena provided back-up harmonies for the boys as they slowly descended from the ceiling, reminding me of the rock and roll concerts from the 1980s my mom won’t ever stop talking about.
However, the brothers weren’t messing around and followed their first song with a blast to the past with much-beloved “S.O.S.” I totally popped hard for this song, but how can you resist when the last time it was performed in concert was over ten years ago? And listening to it now with an older and wiser version of the Jonas Brothers is incomparable. They clearly put their heart and soul into performing the classic Jonas Brothers songs, and it was evident in the passionate way they belted out the lyrics with convincing vocals. They very much reminded me of an independent studio rock band who just want to be as loud as possible.
It was an interesting transition into “Cool,” the second single from their 2019 album Happiness Begins. Personally, I think this song deserves far more credit than it seems to have gotten. I mean, it might not be as good as “Sucker,” but it has a super catchy melody that practically forces you to sing along. Perhaps not as catchy as “Only Human,” which is by far my favorite song from the new album. Thus, when the boys finally played it at the concert, I completely lost all inhibitions and sung right along with them…because how can you not?
Another interesting inclusion was the transition from Nick Jonas’ single “Jealous” to Joe Jonas’ “Cake by the Ocean.” It was totally unexpected, but a pleasant surprise because I really, really liked “Jealous” and remember singing it on the way back home from sports practices during my high-school years (yes, I can still remember that far back). Regardless, it was a nice way to remind fans that the Jonas Brothers weren’t completely gone during their ten-year hiatus. They were experimenting with pop music, discovering their own unique sounds and making hits that won’t soon be forgotten.
Yet, one of my favorite moments from the concert was an amazing mash-up of some of their best songs from the past, performed one after another in a way that I could have never predicted. It was an ingenious decision to include as many fan-favorites as possible without having to dedicate more time to singing each one in full because, unfortunately, it would have pushed the concert time well past the three-hour mark. My ears would have never forgiven me. Additionally, I really liked how the Jonas Brothers weren’t afraid to explore the arena, and they actually set-up a smaller stage closer to the back where the people, like myself, could hear and see the Jonas Brothers up-close. This is where the majority of the mash-up took place and I was impressed with such consideration. As a side note, the girl who sat directly in front of me was far more appreciative than me, but that also could have also been due to the insane amount of alcohol she consumed. How funny is it that the original Jonas Brothers fans are now old enough to drink?
Finally, the Jonas Brothers ended their concert with an upbeat performance of their 2019 Billboard-topping hit “Sucker.” It was loud, passionate, and complete with a massive amount of confetti. It’s funny because, at this point, I was convinced that they weren’t going to play it at all, but how naive of me to even consider that on the Happiness Begins tour. With the lights back on, the stage lit-up, and the fans singing along, the concert closed in spectacular fashion. It was even more fitting if you consider the fact that this whole comeback has been about embracing the past with the promise of an even better future. Thus, ending the show with “Sucker” was a smart decision, reminding fans that the Jonas Brothers are here to stay and are looking ahead for even more music and even more fun.
And I was beyond impressed.
