One of the best parts of 2019 is the reunion of the Jonas Brothers. In an age of nostalgia and reboots, this was the perfect time for a Jo Bros comeback. And yeah, you can easily argue that their comeback was pretty successful — it’s almost like they never had a hiatus. When I first heard their single “Sucker”, it unleashed my inner 11 year old self. When the “Happiness Begins” album was released, it was the only music on my Spotify playlist all summer long. Once I realized that they were going on tour, I immediately purchased my tickets without hesitation. In anticipation for the concert, I listened to the ultimate Jonas Brothers playlists, preparing and testing my memory of lyrics from every one of their songs. I think it’s clear that I had major expectations for this concert, and before I go into the details, I’ll hint that the Jonas Brothers did not disappoint (like I would ever doubt it though!). So, here’s everything that happened when I went to the Happiness Begins tour this past month.
Before the concert began, the stadium already had a sense of energetic anticipation. Everyone was there for the same reason, basically to relive their childhood and sing along to some iconic songs. At every concert I go to I always buy some concert merch and wear it, but I’m a little jealous of the people who cleverly wore their concert shirts from 10 years ago. That is dedication I wish I was better prepared for. Then the opening acts showed up. First it was Jordan McGraw… Dr. Phil’s son! Yes, that’s my big takeaway from that performance. Next was Bebe Rexha, which in my opinion, is a pretty cool opening act. It was the perfect way to get the crowd even more excited than they already were. Opening acts can be awkward since not everyone has arrived yet, but I think it had the right balance of entertainment and succinctness.
Ok, here’s the part you’ve been waiting for in this review… the actual concert! It was everything I would expect from the Jo Bros and certainly had my 11 year old self’s approval. The theme of the concert was about growing up and looking back at your younger self. They started out the concert with their song “Rollercoaster” from their new album, which kind of represents that theme. The Jo Bros wanted to make this concert about growth and how even though we are all grown up now, we never forget our younger selves who in a way, shape our future. In between songs on the screen behind them, they would have clips of them with kids playing the brothers as children. This theme isn’t only about the Jonas Brothers growth, but ours as well. The last time we were all at a Jo Bros concert was 10 years ago. Mostly everyone in the audience was in their late teens to 20s. We grew up with this band; it was our childhood. We were travelling back to 2009, bringing back those memories we had, while also creating new memories with friends, new or old. It was like everything was the same as before, but still different at the same time.
Regarding the music, they performed almost every song you could think of. I left the concert completely feeling a sense of satisfaction that I got to hear every song I was expecting. From their new album to throwbacks to Camp Rock, they had it all. Some of my standout songs include “Burnin Up” and “Sucker”, which were the encore songs, “Only Human” and “SOS.” To even make sure they got every song you wanted to hear, they had a throwback medley of some oldies but goodies. However, the most surprising was when Nick and Joe sang songs from their solo careers and DNCE! I didn’t expect that at all, so when I heard Nick belt out “Jealous”, I was fangirling like I never had before. I’m really glad they incorporated that into the show. It was fun to see both of them sing each other’s songs together since that was a time they were no longer a band. And “Jealous” was my high school jam, so I was definitely even more hyped than before.
Unlike most stadium shows, the overall concert wasn’t about the theatricality. Sure, we had the combo of fireworks, fire and confetti. How could you not have fire for “Burnin Up”?! Which, quick side note, was so hot I could feel the heat from my upper level seat. But, there were little to no backup dancers and the concert mostly relied on cool lighting and strategically set fireworks. Even the stage setup wasn’t that grand. There were points though that the bros went to a small platform on the other side of the stadium, but they simply walked over to it. The Jo Bros were decked out in suave, yet trendy monochrome colored suits. And later they sported black and white striped attire. It was simple and understated, yet stood out. The performance style of the concert made the stadium sized space feel smaller than it actually was — like nothing else outside that space mattered in the moment. The only thing that mattered was everyone enjoying two hours dedicated to enjoying some good music. That’s what the concert was. It was a celebration of music where the Jo Bros basically had a big jam session with the audience. At one point, they even asked the audience to pick out a song to play! There’s no denying that the Jonas Brothers know how to put on an enjoyable concert or better yet, a giant party.
Their stage presence is so fun and you never felt bored. I couldn’t stop singing along with my friends. It didn’t feel too over the top or gimmicky, but still had the audience hyped with quality production value. You could tell they were singing live and also enjoying that moment sharing their music that they’ve created over the years. It was one epic party that I’m so glad I got to experience. From the moment they stepped on stage, it really felt like happiness had begun.