Pop siblings give pumped crowd what it wants Nick, Joe and Kevin plumb last five albums in nostalgic hit parade By: Eva Wasney Posted: 11:07 PM CST Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023

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This article was published 16/11/2023 (1034 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg fans took part in a glitzy pop-music marathon Thursday night led by sibling heartthrobs Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas.

Canada Life Centre was awash with flashing lights, handmade signs and screams galore during a more than two-hour concert that included an intermission and a setlist of 67 Jonas Brothers originals — mercifully, and necessarily, a number of songs were cut short or presented as mash-ups.

The Jonas Brothers are in the midst of a career-spanning world tour entitled Five Albums. One Night. While the group technically has six studio albums under its collective belt, the show is a deep dive into the Jo-Bros last five records: Jonas Brothers (2007); A Little Bit Longer (2008); Vines, Lines and Trying Times (2009); Happiness Begins (2019); and a selection of songs from The Album (2023).

The concert concept stems from the Jonas Brothers’ recent five-night Broadway residency, during which they played one album front-to-back each night. It also follows an increasingly popular format for major touring artists (see: Taylor Swift’s multi-billion-dollar Eras Tour).

While the brothers don’t have quite the same following as Swift (few artists do), Thursday’s multi-generational crowd was similarly pumped to see the enduring pop idols.

Following a moody black-and-white countdown video — a departure from the goofy pre-show ads for a Jonas-affiliated popcorn product — the brothers rose up from the stage in separate clouds of smoke, signature black blowing in a wind-machine-assisted breeze. The music cut briefly to make room for the wall of sound emanating from the audience.

The brothers warmed up with a few newer tunes before getting into the self-titled album that put them on the map 16 years ago, opening and closing with hits S.O.S. and When You Look Me In The Eyes, respectively.

Playing on a deep stage trimmed with colour-shifting LED lights, the group was backed by a large live band and a chorus of choreographed singers and dancers. Fireworks, faux snow and confetti rained down.

Nick, Joe and Kevin spent much of the night bouncing up and down the Y-shaped forestage. Several acoustic songs were played from a satellite stage outfitted with a piano, giving fans at the back of the floor a few intimate close-ups.

Nostalgia is the name of the game with a show like this and the siblings took turns reminiscing about their early days in New Jersey, career and life thus far. The trio have gone from teenage Disney Channel stars to attempted solo artists to reunited 30-something bandmates as fathers and husbands.

At one point, middle brother Joe’s crack at banter included a surprising, and somewhat incoherent, tribute to parenthood and his recent divorce from Sophie Turner — the Game of Thrones star with whom he has two daughters. Wearing a tight white tank and matching pants, his stage presence was noticeably angsty and he seemed content performing in his own bubble most of the night.

The band paused for a scheduled intermission following a speedy run through A Little Bit Longer, which includes the romantic hit Lovebug. The brothers returned to the stage in new outfits to sing the catchy Waffle House from their newest release.

At press time the crowd remained on its feet, bopping along to era-specific faves and singing along enthusiastically to every song.

The band last performed in Winnipeg in 2009. They’ve grown inevitably since their last visit, with more professional accomplishments and more personal baggage. Through it all, their current tour offers fans a chance to let loose and enjoy an evening of dancy, unabashed pop music.

The evening was a family affair through and through with opening band Lawrence, fronted by brother-sister duo Clyde and Gracie Lawrence. The eight-piece indie pop outfit from New York put on a jazzy, energetic 40-minute set, but struggled to engage the sparse audience — lineups for merch snaked through the venue concourses ahead of showtime, likely contributing to the empty seats.

Highlights included the band’s original song, I’m Confident I’m Insecure, and some funky remixes of early aughts hits, such as Get Busy by Sean Paul — a tune that works surprisingly well with horns and sax.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

X: @evawasney