Updated: Thursday Nov. 12, 3:57 p.m.
In their first college campus tour, Maroon 5 rocked Carnesecca Arena, headlining this year’s fall semester concert for a crowd of screaming and adoring fans. Employees of the Campus Concierge said that over 3,300 tickets were sold for the event.
A set from the soul/indie band, the Fitz and the Tantrums, opened the weekend event.
Using infectious hooks and upbeat tempos, the band had everyone out of their seats and jumping on their feet to start the show on a positive note.
The biggest surprise of the night came from a performance by an artist better known for his work outside of music. Jason Segel, star of the hit TV series How I Met Your Mother and many films including I Love You, Man, was the special guest who showed off his musical prowess for a live rendition of some familiar favorites. From the movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall, “Dracula’s Lament” and “Inside Of You” were instant crowd-pleasers.
Noting that he was at a catholic university, Segel said, “I have to stay fully clothed tonight,” to a reaction of hoots and laughter. While introducing Segel, Maroon 5’s lead singer, Adam Levine, said this was the only show on the band’s college campus tour the comedic actor would perform.
Once Maroon 5 hit the stage, adrenaline shot through the entire arena as the speakers boomed with songs from the band’s multi-platinum albums, Songs About Jane (2002) and It Won’t Be Soon Before Long (2007).
The set started off with their high-energy singles, “Harder To Breathe,” “If I Never See Your Face Again,” and “Makes Me Wonder.” Levine then introduced another special guest, Adrian Young, of the band No Doubt, who filled in for their drummer, Matt Flynn, for the show.
The pace was toned down towards the middle of the set when the band took a breather.
After gulping a swig of water, Levine said, “I’m not a college student, I’m 30,” invoking an excited response from the ladies in attendance. The band members sat on stools to perform more intimate versions of their songs, including a country-music rendition of “Wake Up Call” and a soulful rendition of “Secret.” The band also did a well-received cover of the Alicia Keys classic, “If I Ain’t Got You”.
By show’s end, the Grammy-award winning group closed out the show, performing hit after hit including “She Will Be Loved” and “Sunday Morning”. Before the house lights turned on, the band returned at the audience’s demand for an appropriate farewell with their song, “Sweetest Goodbye.”
“They amazed the audience with their musical genius and stage presence,” said junior Samantha Marsden, “I wouldn’t have wanted the concert to be any other way.”
11/12 Correction: The article originally stated that Adrian Brody was the drummer for Maroon 5 during the concert. The drummer was actually Adrian Young.
