I was skeptical as I walked, arm in arm with a friend, through the chilly air to the Orpheum Theater. I had seen the Saturday Night Live performance, the MTV Movie Awards show from last year, and . . . well, let’s put it this way: I was left a bit cold by what I had seen of fun.’s live performances. There seemed to be a disconnect between the wall of sound echoing from the studio albums and the videos of three intimidated-looking dudes being engulfed by a grand stage. Friday night’s show softened my cynicism, however, proving that “growth” isn’t just a clichéd reason for band break-ups.
Jack’s Mannequin, the opening band for the tour, kicked off the show with a lively, full sound. The crowd warmed up to old favorites like “The Resolution” and “Dark Blue.” I have to admit that it was comforting hearing my 7th grade anthems again, years later.
When the lights flickered to indicate the beginning of fun.’s set, the flame lit by Jack’s Mannequin blew into a full on forest fire and the band took the stage. Outfitted in white jeans and his signature boat shoes, Nate Ruess bounded toward the crowd, offering a sense wonder and affection for the mass of warm bodies rocking to the instrumental for the band’s track “Stars.” The show actually began with the anthem, “Out on the Town.”
It’s a funny thing to attend the concert of an essentially top-40 band (um, hello “We Are Young” and “Some Nights”) that also dabbles in experimental, indie sounds heard on tracks like “At Least I’m Not As Sad As I Used to Be” from the band’s first album, Aim and Ignite.
fun. joins the rank of many others — such as unlikely friends Bon Iver and Kanye West, to name a few — who are unafraid to use auto-tune as an instrument. The band indulges in an electronic sound on several tracks from their sophomore album, Some Nights, and it is a central feature on songs like “It Gets Better.” This surprisingly didn’t detract from the show, though. In fact, it perhaps added to the band’s quirky charm, influenced heavily by legendary bands like Queen, who pioneered the almost theatrical quality heard on Friday night. fun. puts a unique spin on their music by threading in lyrics that have a “go get ‘em” quality, but their roots show especially on songs like “All the Pretty Girls.”
The band is comprised mainly of lead singer Nate Ruess, multi-talented instrumentalist Andrew Dost, and alternating guitarist and drummer Jack Antonoff. The success of Friday night’s show can be attributed to a mix of Nate Ruess’s endless store of energy, as well as the well-rounded sound provided by the beefed up band. No, I don’t mean they’ve gained weight; there were just more musicians to create that signature wall of sound in a live setting.
Friday’s show was a mix of hyped up energy and slower ballads, but there was one commonality threaded through it all: inspiration. There seemed to be a constant subliminal message to seize the day, and it was put forth in complete sincerity. The band closed with the monster hit “Some Nights” and the lesser-known track “Stars.” The crowd cheered the band back on for not one, but two, encores, and the show officially ended with a poppy, “last call”-esque cover of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones.
Ruess left the audience with a sassy promise to potentially return to Boston for St. Patrick’s Day. We can only hope, because who wouldn’t want to party, clad in all green, with the guys from fun.?
