 "Photo: Courtesy of: Fueled by Ramen")
Ah, Spring. With it comes nature's fresh blossoms, the occasional rainstorm and of course the University of Massachuetts' annual Spring Concert.
Upon entering the Mullins Center last night, it was impossible to ignore the eruption of deafening screams of intoxication echoing from all angles.
The evening kicked off with two mini sets performed by the winners of this year's Battle of the Bands, Static & Messiah, as well as the runners-up, Exit Reason.
Static & Messiah, a Boston-based hip-hop, rap duo, took the stage with a heap of energy and did a sufficient job riling up the crowd for their measly 15-minute set, rapping primarily about tragic life in the slums.
After taking the stage, Exit Reason was full of grins and gratification.
"It was awesome - an unreal experience," said 19-year-old lead guitarist/vocalist Sam Wood. "We have no complaints. It was a dream come true to be here."
Certainly impressive considering three of the four band members are still in high school. Sean Nolan, bassist/background vocalist is a freshman at UMass while Wood, drummer Tony Interlande, and rhythm guitarist/vocalist Jarad Weeks were new to stepping foot onto a college campus.
Then came a very loud, pulsating bass shaking the ground beneath, Fat Joe took the stage for what turned out to be a seemingly endless and virtually pointless half-hour of noise.
He opened with an original number followed by a rendition of Akon's hit "We Takin' Over." The crowd was fairly amused and perked up a bit when "Lean Back" came on.
It was almost impossible to pay attention to the premise of any of his songs between the myriad of f-bombs and n-bombs being dropped like … well … bombs.
Following Fat Joe's less-than-pleasing performance was yet another sore disappointment.
Envision a cross between a wannabe Neyo and Omarion and you get Trey Songz, an R&B, hip-hop singer, from Petersburg, Va.
Much like his predecessor, his set consisted of a lot of back-tracks and crotch-holding. He could hardly be heard due to the roaring screams coming from behind as his DJ shouted a useless blend of "uh" and "what."
By the third track, entitled "Last Time," the audience had begun to drift off into a stupor. The inevitable and tacky ripping of his shirt kept the crowd amused for a short while, as his pants made their way down to his rear end, a clear shot of his "package" in tow.
All hope seemed to be lost until a tiny ball of fire burst onto the stage.
Haley Williams, 19-year-old lead vocalist of Paramore, exploded onstage with her impressive vocals and animated stage presence. She flailed around every which way, keeping the audience engaged with her every move in between backflips by bassist, Jeremy Davis.
"I like you guys," she said with a smirk, "welcome to the family."
The Franklin, Tenn., natives were well-received as the crowd bopped along to the bands' catchy pop hits including their latest single, "crushcrushcrush," and the obvious crowd-favorite, "Misery Business."
After a perpetual half-hour following the culmination of Paramore's set, the crowd was anxiously squirming in its seats before the lights dimmed and Jimmy Eat World took the stage.
The band opened rather weak, with "Big Casino." A few loyal fans waved their hands frantically while the remainder of the crowd proved to be slightly underwhelmed.
"Sweetness," a ditty off their 2001 album "Bleed American," yielded a different reaction. Nearly everyone leapt to their feet, echoing "whoa" after "whoa."
Their stage presence lacked in comparison to Paramore's as lead singer/guitarist Jim Adkins failed to leave his five-foot radius and each song weaved through one after another.
Last night marked the band's last show with Paramore; Jimmy Eat World I soon to embark on a small cross-country tour in both Sweden and Norway, wrapping it up in mid-June.
By far, Paramore stole the night. Without its solid set, the show would have been a sure disappointment.
Better luck next year.
Heather Waxman can be reached at hwaxman@student.umass.edu.
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