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The GW Hatchet

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Review: Jonas Brothers bring intense, chaotic energy to Capital One

Oh how the tables have turned.
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Courtesy of Jes Sheldon

Lifelong Jonas Brothers stans, dressed in everything from lovebug costumes to “Kevin girl” t-shirts, were transported to the “Year 3000” Friday.

The tight-knit trio promoted their recent but most unoriginally named album, “The Album,” basking in their boy band glory days at Capital One Arena during their “Five Albums. One Night.” concert. With 67 songs to cover, the performance was a three-hour marathon with a brief intermission as they performed all five major albums and incorporated hit songs from their stints as solo artists. 

“This is the culmination of a nearly 20-year journey we’ve been on together,” Nick Jonas said to the crowd. 

The main stage was awash in bright red and gold lights as the brothers emerged from below the stage in plumes of smoke, opening the concert with their recently released song,“Celebrate!” Joe Jonas gallivanted to center stage in black sequined trousers, matching the sparklers that blasted upwards from the corners of the stage — the middle brother seemingly missed the “wear a full leather suit” memo his brothers adhered to.

They then transitioned into another fast-tempo and relatively new song, “What A Man Gotta Do,” elevating the pop hit with swinging jazz undertones courtesy of their saxophonist Gabi Rose.

The former Disney darlings still paid homage to their roots as teen heartthrobs, playing a video montage of clips from their “Camp Rock” days on a jumbotron screen above the main stage as they moved to earlier hits like “S.O.S.” and “Year 3000.” The nostalgia of watching three grown men sing the same songs from their original “Jonas Brothers” album while the younger version of the goofballs — complete with bad haircuts and even worse fashion  —danced on the big screens behind them, nearly brought this 2000s girl to tears. The tables truly have turned.

Nick highlighted this sense of sentimentality by welcoming attendees to the Jonas family, whether they have been fans since the first album was released or are recent converts.

The Jonas brothers also took this opportunity to remind their fans of how soulful and mature their music has become, transitioning from the smooth timbre beats of “Sail Away” into “Little Bird,” a newer song that pays homage to their daughters. A standout performance from the night, the trio made their way to the center of the stadium, down a makeshift aisle to a smaller stage adorned by a baby grand piano. Nick and Kevin Jonas accompanied their band’s pianist on acoustic guitars as Nick and the backup singers harmonized with the chorus while fans swayed to the beat.

Though it was a manageable change of pace from their amped classics, later on in the show,  the lack of planning in the set list became apparent. After performing three slower paced, bluesy songs from their “A Little Bit Longer” album, including the titular song, Joe awkwardly commented that those songs were “cute” but the moment called for faster music before dramatically kicking off their drum heavy anthem, “BB Good.” Truthfully, I expected more of a consistent, up-tempo spectacle from the trio that once filmed a heist music video with their bodyguard to rescue Selena Gomez, thwarting an evil Danny Trejo. 

Some fans have oddly drawn comparisons between “Five Albums. One Night.” and Taylor Swift’s recent “Eras” tour, which also covers her vast discography. Though their concepts are similar and entertaining, the Jonas Brothers just don’t quite measure up to the story-telling Swift integrates into her show through elaborate costume changes, narrative discussions during the concerts and overall pizzazz because they lack elaborate set pieces and backup dancers. 

The impetus of the Jonas Brothers’ tour is instead the fact that they’re performing all 67 of their songs. Also, rather than dividing their songs up thematically, the set list followed the boundaries of their albums, creating a somewhat disjointed experience for listeners as their albums are largely not concept-based. 

Another awkward moment occurred when, once again, the trio moved to the smaller stage at the center of the stadium to perform their song “Love Her.” This tune is the aural equivalent of a love letter to their respective spouses and was released just a few months before Joe filed for a divorce from his wife, Sophie Turner. 

During the song, Joe requested a camera that projected onto the jumbotron above the main stage and, once handed it, began operating it as his own “kiss cam,” randomly pointing it at couples and encouraging them to kiss as his brothers performed. 

In spite of this odd interlude, overall the brothers turned in strong vocal performances. Nick especially showcased the range of his voice, from hitting euphoric falsettos on crowd-favorite love song, “Lovebug,” to integrating a raspy tone during a soulful rendition of his solo R&B hit, “Jealous.” 

Closing the night out with their sobering pop single, “Leave Before You Love Me,” the siblings, their backup singers and their band poured every last bit of energy into this anthem to avoid heartbreak. Fleeing the stage in a flurry of multicolored confetti, the JoBros confused the audience by ending on such a somber note as whispers of “Is it really over?” filled the room.

I along with my fellow concertgoers, lingered for a few moments, after the last note was played and members of the band had taken their bows, in awe that they truly had played all five albums. In spite of their call to leave before falling in love, I found myself feeling wistful for the first time I heard their music after watching “Camp Rock.” I realized that a piece of my younger self would always hopelessly love them even if the goofy spark of their youth had vanished.

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About the Contributor
Jenna Baer, Contributing Culture Editor
Jenna, a senior majoring in creative writing, is the 2023-24 contributing culture editor. She previously worked as a staff writer and cartoonist. She is a Houston, Texas girl through and through.
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