Going back through over two decades of music and then playing all of it live is no easy feat, but the Jonas Brothers have done just that with The Tour. Their career-spanning spectacle landed at Footprint Center in Arizona this week where- no matter how long you’ve been a fan- you were guaranteed to hear your favorite songs.
Rising from the smoke, Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas introduced the show with a new song and the deliciously bouncy “What a Man Gotta Do” to get the ecstatic crowd warmed up. From there, it was each album in succession with some songs played in full and the rest in a medley style that pulled favorite lines and choruses for the audience to sing along.
“It is so good to be back in the birthplace of my favorite person in the entire world- Joseph Adam Jonas!” Nick shouted over the screams of the fans before truly launching into the marathon set. Joe was indeed born in Casa Grande, Arizona, and smiled proudly at the introduction from his brothers as they took “OG day one Jonas fans” back (or maybe forward) to the “Year 3000”. Songs from their 2007 self-titled such as “S.O.S.” and “Hold On” are perpetual staples in the setlist but visiting them in the context of the album itself felt nostalgic and very special.
The stage was arranged in two prongs so the brothers could get up close and personal with their fans and they meandered towards a secondary stage at the back of the floor for each era as well. Nick took up behind the grand piano while Kevin and Joe circled the smaller area, smiling and sending well wishes to the attendees at the barricade.
The Album got its own interludes between eras, but it was the older material that received the loudest cheers. A Little Bit Longer got the medley treatment at the secondary stage but “Lovebug” and “Burnin’ Up” of course were played in full with plenty of fireworks and actual fire to back them up.
After an intermission and an outfit change, the brothers Jonas returned in more casual clothing- a perfect vibe to visit the “Waffle House” and take another trip down memory lane with 2009’s Lines, Vines and Trying Times. Nick described the album for original fans as a badge of honor, as it had received lukewarm responses from listeners and critics alike when it was released.
Critical reception has never deterred the brothers from supporting their own material wholeheartedly and the arena definitely sang along to “Paranoid” and the criminally underrated “Poison Ivy”. Reaching the main stage once again, the Jonas Brothers also acknowledged their Disney Channel tenure, treating fans to an acoustic rendition of “Gotta Find You” from Camp Rock.
If this recap seems long, you can only imagine what the show felt like- older fans sipped water and stretched to rally for even more music, including Nick and Joe’s solo project tracks that have also become permanent fixtures in the setlist. Happiness Begins, the group’s reunion album was the last feature and the uplifting nature of the music was punctuated by a shower of confetti as the final notes of “Only Human” and “Sucker” rang out.
An encore of “Leave Before You Love Me” was the real final song of the night as Arizona ran the final lap of The Tour’s marathon of music. Being able to hear (nearly) every song in Jonas’ discography made for a show truly like no other- setlist divas had no complaints, fans of every age re-lived childhood memories and adult milestones and the Jonas Brothers showed us the beauty and pain behind these tracks.
It was a night of reminiscing and feeling the joy that comes with these genuine live experiences- every Jonas fan left Footprint Center clutching fistfuls of confetti and already planning the next time we’ll make these memories with the iconic trio.
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Story and photos (shot on point and shoot) by Olivia Khiel
