LIVE REVIEW: fun. @ The Music Box 10/28

Photographer: Carol Steitz

I’ve come to the conclusion that if a rainbow could exude noise, it would sound like New York City’s fun. The crimson stripe would ring of frontman Nate Ruess, orange his mic, yellow Jack Antonoff, green his lead guitar, blue Andrew Dost, and violet his piano, cornet, flugelhorn, and every other instrument this multi-talented musician plays. On 10/28 the vibrant colors of fun. decorated The Music Box to a fan-base that knew every word off their debut album Aim & Ignite (Fueled by Ramen) released in the fall of last year.

Supported by three additional musicians; a drummer, bass guitarist, and guitarist/keyboardist, fun. set the room ablaze from the get-go with opener “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used to Be)” which didn’t burn out until Ruess left the stage saying, “Los Angeles thank you, we’ll see you real soon, we’re fun.” following an encore of “Take Your Time (Coming Home)”.

Photographer: Carol Steitz

Wearing a black leather jacket and his now infamous skinny jeans, Ruess leaped about the stage like a firecracker on the Fourth of July. Fun. performed every song off their debut album including “Barlights” and my personal favorite “The Gambler” as well as a couple of tunes from Ruess’s former band The Format. While Dost’s fingers danced on the keys of his translucent piano which flashed of lime green, orange, and yellow, Antonoff (also of Steel Train) cranked out sweet guitar riffs the audience gobbled up like Halloween candy.

The energetic performance by the power-pop trio also included a round-robin of audience hand-claps as well as a playful & spontaneous Billy Joel ditty. Overall, The Music Box was an explosion of pop arrangements, delicious harmonies, and overall theatrical, whimsical, rainbowical (oh yes, it’s a word) FUN.!

Photographer: Carol Steitz

Photographer: Carol Steitz