Selling 27 million records comes with privileges; Adam Levine can rock a hot-pink guitar, no questions asked. Levine has the swagger of Jagger.
In their 21 year history, Maroon 5 have accumulated so many hits their hour and a half set only contained a few songs that weren't chart toppers. Last night (28 September) the band opened with 'Animals', the second single off new album 'V' and then embarked on a five-track uninterrupted run, with each song melting into the next.
Levine used the searing guitar solos of James Valentine as an opportunity to grab a drink and catch his breath, making it apt that the bracket included their first, mega hit, 'Harder To Breathe'.
Image © Chris WardThey soon slowed the pace with 'Love Somebody' and The Police sounding 'Maps'. Levine knew that 'This Love' from 'Songs About Jane' was an opportunity for a sing-along; he even knows the crowd always rushes the tempo when they sing it a cappella. It is pop dynamite. It is the kind of music that has prompted screaming fans to chase them down at airports; even if sometimes, as Levine lamented, it is because they are mistaken for Justin Bieber.
The music industry has changed since the band formed – smartphones didn't exist. Levine urged the audience to put their phones away for 30 seconds while the band huddled together and sung a harmonious introduction to 'Payphone'. Not every audience member could handle the challenge.
Image © Chris WardThe band left the stage without playing their two biggest hits, making the inevitable encore even more inevitable. The encore did feature some surprises, though, as duo R. City made an unannounced appearance to perform their track 'Locked Away'. 'She Will Be Loved' and 'Moves Like Jagger' had the iPhones out in force again.
Levine doesn't know if he wants to tour like Jagger, but he is a superstar all the same.
Click here for photos from the show.
