Whilst I'm in that reviewing frame of mind, I'll just write a few lines on Maroon 5's performance at the Carling Academy, Brixton, last Friday.
I saw Adam Levine and the rest of the Maroon 5 boys supporting Matchbox Twenty in September last year and at that point in time, they were not particularly well known in the UK market and 'Songs About Jane' was still three months away from release. Now look at them. A number one album, a sold-out National headlining tour and a heart-throb lead singer.
And preying on this last point, the average age of the crowd must have been middle-teens and judging by the reaction of those teenies as Levine bounced onto the stage, you can forget the music, he's the reason they are there. Still, for those of us who were actually there for the music, Maroon 5's delivery was astonishingly good. Levine and Jesse Carmichael trade guitar solos like touts trading precious spare tickets and the sheer enthusiasm Levine thrusts into his performance is utterly captivating.
Sadly, I was sandwiched between a teenie with enormous teeth and a drugged up skinhead who preferred staring at me than watching the show but I suppose that justs highlights the diversity of Maroon 5's appeal. Yet that's not the only thing that's diverse about them, the final song of the night was a cover of AC/DC's Highway To Hell with Levine swapping roles with the drummer, some huge guitar and vocal solos and the keyboard player having another strum on rhythm guitar. A splendid night.
