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Live Review: fun. @ Boston, MA’s The Orpheum (02/01)

Bands: fun., Andrew McMahon
Location: Boston, Massachusetts’s The Orpheum
Date: February 1, 2013
All pictures by Avery Fiftal for Lost In The Sound

fun. at The Orpheum
You may know fun. simply as the band that sings “We Are Young” or maybe you know them as the band that had 3 songs in the Billboard Top 100 in 2012 and who had their second full album, Some Nights, recently go platinum, but this band has much more humble beginnings than this.

fun. was formed in February 2008 after Nate Ruess’s former band The Format split. Fun. was formed when Ruess brought in Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff from Anathallo and Steel Train, and they released their first album, Aim and Ignite, in August 25, 2009. This album took off in the alternative music scene getting recognition as a progressive and amazingly written pop album. The next year, fun. set off on their first North American tour with the band Jack’s Mannequin.

Two years later and the song “We Are Young” started changing this band’s life. On March 7, 2012, Fun’s single “We Are Young” reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and their sophomore album, Some Nights, took off from there and they have been continuously touring since.

Now, fun.’s back on tour and this time they brought out Andrew McMahon (ex-Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate), and I must say; this was a show to remember.

Andrew McMahon opened the show with a mix of classic Something Corporate songs along with his soulful Jack’s Mannequin tunes. Though not many people in the crowd seemed to know many of McMahon’s songs due to the fact that he was added to the tour after it was sold out, he seemed to capture the attention of many prospective fans. As McMahon’s first solo tour the few fans in the crowd were greatly anticipating what was to come about, and I must say, as a fan myself, I was thoroughly impressed. With everything from “Dark Blue” to “I Woke Up In A Car” we were able to hear Andrew McMahon’s journey over the last 10 years. It was simply amazing to be able to see McMahon perform live for the first time as a solo artist and be able to see his growth all in one performance.

Next, it was fun’s turn to play to the full house at The Orpheum. They opened with “Out On the Town”, a bonus track from Some Nights and you could feel the excitement of the crowd completely radiate throughout the room. Dedicated fans of fun. screamed the lyrics along with Ruess and as the set progressed, you could feel the amazement and astonishment of the crowd grow as more and more well known songs were performed. “Some Nights” and “We Are Young” got screaming whoops and a rowdy singalong from every head in that crowd, while the lyrics to songs such as “Barlights” and “The Gambler” flowed out of devoted fans alike.

Fun. put on a show that was thoroughly impassioned and impressive to new and old fans alike. Their like show all in all proved why this band has taken off so well in the last year. Everything from Ruess’s extraordinary stage presence to Jack Antoff’s staggering guitar solos to Andrew Dost playing everything from piano to stealing Ruess’s famous gold microphone, it was a show to remember. And the Boston Celtics jerseys weren’t a bad touch either.

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Valentine’s Day Mix

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Here’s a mix to listen to.

 

Steel Train – I Feel Weird

The Postal Service – We Will Become Silhouettes

Rivers Cuomo – Lover in the Snow

Elliott Smith – Say Yes

Jimmy Eat World – Invented

The Smiths – There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

The Dangerous Summer – Reach For The Sun

Wilco – I’m Always In Love

Limbeck – I Wrote This Down

Girls – Saying I Love You

Cults – You Know What I Mean

The Format – Janet

Best Coast – Crazy For You

WZRD – Teleport 2 Me, Jame (Feat. Desire)

Interview: fun.

Nate Ruess, vocalist of fun., took some time to talk with Lost in the Sound. fun. is currently on the Vices and Virtues tour with Panic! at the Disco and Funeral Party. Two years after releasing critically acclaimed album,Aim and Ignite, the band is finally working on a sophomore album. Nate talked about the current tour, the new album, and more. Check out the interview below.

LitS: Nate, right now you’re in the middle of the Vices & Virtues tour. How has that been?

Nate: It’s been really fun. People are super nice and there’s been nothing to complain about. A very stock answer, but true.

LitS: You always describe fun.’s live shows as a “whirling dervish” of music. Has anything changed from these live shows over the years?

Nate: No. It still feels kind of the same. There’s still a kind of raw energy to the shows where we’re always smiling.

LitS: Are there any differences between your live shows with fun. and The Format?)

Nate: Yeah, of course. There’s been different songs and a whole different bunch of things. Aside from me, everything is totally different. (more…)

New Sam Means Demo

Download a demo of a new song by Sam Means (guitarist of The Format) at his Bandcamp here. The new song is called “Bigger Heart” and features similar styles of classic mellowed-out by The Format songs.

Dead Wildlife Debut

Braden McCall and Sean McCall of The Format have formed a new band called Dead Wildlife. Download their debut EP Golden Feathers for free or purchase a physical copy at the band’s Bandcamp page.