This One is for the Suckers
Written by Tina Brice
Las Vegas is a 24/7/365 town, with events taking place all the time. Sometimes, there are so many events happening it’s difficult to choose what to attend and what to skip. Friday Sept. 8, 2023, was no exception. Matt Rife was doing a stand-up routine at the Chelsea Theater inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Luke Bryan performed at The Theater at Resorts World, and the Jonas Brothers graced the stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Sometimes, though, you get lucky.
The MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, located on the south side of the Las Vegas Strip, has been around since 1993. Entering from Las Vegas Blvd. leads to the Race and Sportsbook, which encircles a double staircase called the Centrifuge. The Grand Garden Arena is found across the casino, at the end of the Studio Walk. Red carpets and gold fixtures illuminate the halls, giving a slight tingle of nostalgia for the glitz and glam of the mobster days. But there is something charming about the updated décor drawing attention to the newer restaurants. Concertgoers stop to get a quick bite before the show starts. Once inside the arena, the casino slips away and a new world comes into focus.
Girls clad in Jonas Brothers merchandise abound. Some wear homemade tiaras spelling out “JONAS” and others have cut outs of Nick, Joe, and Kevin’s faces pasted to tutus. One girl argues with security when they try to confiscate her handwritten sign. Another woman throws up right next to an alcohol service stand, having already imbibed more than she could manage. The crowd is made up of mostly women in their mid-20s to their late 30s and their significant others. The audience looks like the Disney Fan Club all grown up, but still young at heart. The show may not have started yet, but the party definitely has.
Photo credit: Christina Brice - Jonas Brothers Concert at MGM Sept. 8, 2023
The stage juts out in a Y shape allowing the performers to get more intimate with the audience. There are seven screens above the stage broadcasting the show. A bad view is virtually nonexistent. The musicians are staggered along the back. Saxophonists, guitarists, backup singers, even a cellist are on stage playing prior to the show.
As the curtain call gets closer, the excitement becomes palpable. Frankie Jonas, the youngest brother of the Jonas clan, evokes shrieks from the audience as he takes his seat in the VIP section. The show is starting any moment. As stragglers and latecomers make it to their seats, the house lights drop. The arena erupts in screams and cheers.
The boys open with “Celebrate,” off their most recent release, The Album. They immediately flow into “What a Man Gotta Do.” The high energy performance sets the scene for the rest of the two-and-a-half-hour set. After the intro, the boys make their way to center stage to address the crowd for the first time. Joe Jonas just filed for divorce from his spouse of 4 years, Sophie Turner, and the spectators wonder if he will address the rumors. He does not. Although the brothers have six albums, they will not be playing It’s About Time, their debut album, due to time constraints. The brothers discuss the release of their second album, Jonas Brothers. This album changed the trajectory of the boys’ lives in ways they could never had imagined. The opening notes to “S.O.S.” ring out and the joyful screams resume. The voices singing along drown out the brothers. Song after song, the energy stays electric. When it comes to songs that weren’t singles, Kevin, Nick, and Joe sing medleys. Maybe it’s another time restriction, but the fact these songs weren’t as popular is interesting.
The show is broken down by album, in track listing order. Between each album, the boys play a song or two from their most recent release, The Album. Next up, A Little Bit Longer. This album was more personal for Nick. The title track is about his experience in the hospital and being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Even though this song was released in 2008, it still holds a special place in fans’ hearts. Nick sits at the piano and his voice still wavers as he sings.
“A little bit longer, and I’ll be fine.”
At least one fan cries.
After the emotional performance, the brothers do another medley. They end this set with one of their biggest hits to date, “Burning Up.” For a while, Nick had stopped doing his signature run over “red dress”, but he has brought it back. The excitement is felt, and heard, both inside the performance area and around the concessions. A much-needed intermission comes. Time to get water, go to the bathroom, and check out the merch table. But the boys have a surprise for the crowd. Matt Rife appears and does a 15-minute stand up routine. Those who left to check out concessions rush back at the sound of his voice. Could this really be happening? Two events collide under the same roof. After his short appearance, Rife needs to get back to finish his set at the Cosmopolitan. With his exit, the crowd seems to thin out.
The boys come back and play a few more songs from the Album. After, they launch into Lines, Vines, and Trying Times. Only one song from this album is performed on its’ own: “Fly with Me.” The rest are broken down into two medleys. It’s possible the band is becoming tired by this time. They’ve already played for over an hour. But again, this wasn’t one of their most popular albums so it seems intentional. It was also the last album they released before their hiatus.
Of course, they play two songs from their personal side projects. Nick sings “Jealous,” followed by Joe performing DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean.” The audience is on their feet, dancing. One more song from the Album, “Walls,” and it’s on to the final set of the night: Happiness Begins. With each song, the audience gets sparser. They finish the show with “Sucker,” the number one radio song of 2019, according to Billboard. Far too frequently, artists will feign the end of the show to entice chants of “one more” or “encore”. The Jonas Brothers are no different. They come out and perform their hit “Leave Before You Love Me” featuring American DJ Marshmello. Even though the brothers are still performing, fans exit en masse eager to continue their Friday night on the Strip and beat the crowds to the next hotspot.
A three-hour celebration leads to stumbling out of bars and dancing on top of cars, just as the brothers intended.