In case you didn’t see the numerous posters across the university’s campus, The Fray, Jack’s Mannequin and Andy Grammer performed in Erie on Sunday night. Some ears may still be ringing as a side effect to the concert experience.
The evening started out with a surprise artist, Jessie Baylin. Her sound was similar to something that would be heard in a downtown coffee shop. Her performance was very calm and mellow. She did not play many songs either.
Grammer followed after a short intermission. Most of the audience was sitting down until he played his hit single “Keep Your Head Up.” He also performed songs such as “Sunday Morning” and “Chasing Cars,” originally performed by other artists.
Despite confining themselves to one side of the stage, Grammer and his band showed an awareness of stage presence with their fervor and physicality. Grammer’s songs were upbeat and he performed with great enthusiasm.
Jack’s Mannequin had the crowd on its feet before lyrics were even sung. Unlike Grammer, the bad was spread out all across the stage. The performances that got the most reaction included “Spinning,” “Bloodshot,” and “Dark Blue.”
The lead singer and piano player, Andrew McMahon, was all over the place when he was on stage. He barely stayed seated in his piano stool. There were even times when he climbed onto the piano, creating dissonance. This might have helped him to perform with some theatrical energy.
The Fray followed as the grand finale of the concert. Like Jack’s Mannequin, they were spread about the stage. The show they put on lived up to its hype. They had less popular songs such as “She Is” as well as crowd-pleasers like “You Found Me” and “How to Save a Life.” The light show went hand in hand with the musical performance.
During the show, lead singer and piano player McMahon had a moment of silence to remember recently deceased student Jason Wahl, the Gannon student who accidently fell to his death over the weekend. For five seconds that night, the Tullio Arena fell silent in respect for the tragic loss.
After the final song in The Fray’s set list, the audience continued to cheer loudly, beckoning an encore. The band returned after much screaming and played two more songs. Then they each took their bows and exited the stage.
The band displayed familiarity with several instruments. Two of the band members switched back and forth between different percussion instruments and one also played the keyboard. McMahon also pulled out an accordion in their final song of the night.
The concert featured a variety of music enjoyed by many. Each band had unique qualities about them that helped them to make an impression. All in all, it was a fantastic show.
