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On Friday night, Feb. 1, the crowd at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Boston had a really fun. time.
All puns aside, the band with the most appropriate name ever put on a show best described as “electric,” “energetic,” and, well…“fun!”
Photo by Samantha Costanza/Gavel Media
The first pleasant surprise of the evening actually came in the form of the opening act. Andrew McMahon started the night with his dexterous piano skills and beautifully pure singing voice. Now, if you’re like me and everyone else in the audience last night, you’re probably asking, “Andrew McWho?” McMahon is better known as the lead singer of the band Jack’s Mannequin. He closed his set with the Jack’s Mannequin hit “Dark Blue,” bringing the crowd back to the days of awkward middle school dances in the cafeteria.
Fun.’s set began with the song “Out on the Town,” which is actually a bonus track on their latest album Some Nights. From the moment front man Nate Ruess opened his mouth, the entire crowd was on its feet, singing along to every lyric. The energy in the room never once died down, as the band continued to belt out favorites from Some Nights and their first studio album, Aim and Ignite.
Photo by Samantha Costanza/Gavel Media
Their set rocked on as they performed hits like “All the Pretty Girls,” “All Alone,” “Be Calm,” “At Least I’m Not as Sad (As I Used To Be)” and “One Foot.” They made use of the flashy lights and projection screen behind them during “All Alright” and elicited more than a few love-stricken “aww’s” during the adorably romantic love story of “The Gambler.”
The band took a break to talk to the crowd about how much they adore Boston. Ruess claimed that the crowd at the Orpheum was one of the most energetic ever, making him feel like they were playing a Dropkick Murphys concert. Without missing a beat, guitarist Jack Antonoff broke into the famous melody of the unofficial BC theme song, “I’m Shipping Up to Boston."
Photo by Samantha Costanza/Gavel Media
Fun. surprised the audience by playing a new, unreleased track entitled “What the F**k.” It featured their usual poppy melodies and Freddie Mercury-esque vocals, guaranteeing a future fan-favorite (though I have a hunch that the track may not be very radio-friendly). Next, the crowd went wild upon hearing the familiar piano intro to the band’s most recent single, “Carry On.”
The show closed with the band’s most famous single that really put them on the map, the anthem of young adults of our generation, “We Are Young.” The crowd was so electrified that fun. decided to play not one, but two encores.
Photo by Samantha Costanza/Gavel Media
The three band members reappeared even more jazzed up than before, sporting bright green Celtics jerseys. The first encore featured the smash hit “Some Nights,” and the creatively auto-tune laden “Stars.” After another round of raucous screams and applause, they came back out on stage once more to close with a cover of The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
True to the lyrics, I definitely “got what I needed” from fun.’s concert. This band is a perfect example of a group that breathes new life into their songs when they perform live onstage. Fun. doesn’t need a huge arena or flashy pyrotechnics; their music is the true star of the show and never fails to produce a concert that is fantastically fun.
Check out our February print issue for an “Artist Spotlight” on fun.
Only child who regards all her friends as siblings - whether they like it or not. Obsession with all things pop culture, television, and theatre (verging on slightly unhealthy). Cant' remember the last time she went to sleep before 2am. Gets into heated arguments with anyone who thinks New York pizza is not the best food on earth.
