By Megan King
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year and a half, it’s been hard to escape the catchy hooks and memorable lyrics of the Los Angeles. based band Maroon 5. Their first single, “Harder To Breathe” took the airwaves by storm in late 2003, and it wasn’t long until this seemingly unknown band had four hit singles, a platinum album and a 2005 Grammy award for Best New Artist. Soon, they were touring the country, making stops on the East Coast at Roseland Ballroom, Jones Beach Amphitheatre and even doing a show at our own Hofstra USA last spring.
After performing to a sold out crowd for the first of three shows at the famous Radio City Music Hall on April 6, it’s a safe bet that they’ve probably found their second home in New York City. A quick scan of the venue found a pretty diverse audience in attendance, ranging from your typical lovesick teenage girl, to the average preppy college kid, to even Wall Street business execs looking to kick back and enjoy some good music.
And enjoy they did. Opening act The Donnas were slow to get the crowd pumped, but that was soon alleviated with their insanely catchy “Take it Off.” And while a few concert-goers danced along, it was clear that most people were just impatient for the main act to take the stage. Soon, though, they wouldn’t have to wait any longer. Maroon 5’s opening number, the up-tempo tune “Shiver,” brought everyone to their feet with its solid rock feel and driving beat. Other funky rock tunes from their platinum release Songs About Jane followed, like “Tangled” and “Through With You,” where it became evident that lead singer Adam Levine really knows how to work a crowd. Prowling the stage during each number and starting a huge sing-along to “This Love,” Levine had the Radio City audience in the palm of his hand. “The Sun” slowed up the tempo of the show just a little bit, which gave guitarist James Valentine a little bit of air to perform a groovy guitar solo to show off his skills. A new tune entitled “Wasted Years” soon followed, which brought the crowd back to their feet, dancing along. It also pleased older fans, as many people who have been following the band for quite some time were in desperate need of some new material to rock out to.
Cover songs are practically a staple in any concert nowadays, and Maroon 5 delivered there as well. Throwing in a few lines from The Police’s “Roxanne” and Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall” into their own song entitled “Secret,” Maroon 5 pleased the crowd with some old classics.
Every member of the band got a little bit of stage time, as replacement drummer Matt Flynn got a chance to rock out on the set for “Harder to Breathe,” bassist Mickey Madden provided a great bass line for “Not Coming Home” and keyboardist Jesse Carmichael served up those instantly recognizable opening chords to “Sunday Morning.”
The New York crowd also got quite a treat in the band’s encore, when injured drummer Ryan Dusick joined the rest of his band mates on stage to do a great rendition of AC/DC’s classic, “Highway to Hell.” With Dusick on guitar and vocals and Levine on drums, it was fantastic for the fans to see all original members performing again. Maroon 5 ended the night with their smash hit, “She Will Be Loved,” where influences like Stevie Wonder and Sting were obvious. Levine’s expressive tenor voice was strong throughout the night, while the rest of the members added their own unique skills and personality to the show. With a mainstream sound that has somehow remained innovative and fresh (and with a killer live show to boot), it’s safe to say that Radio City Music Hall hasn’t been rocked that hard in a while.