Watching the Jonas Brothers’ show, it can feel like siblings Joe, Nick and Kevin asked Taylor Swift whether they could copy her homework. As with the Eras Tour, the show is a career-spanning retrospective with a set neatly partitioned by specific albums. Some might call it plagiarism. Others may call it smart; why not give it a try given how there’s bound to be a crossover of fans? Whichever way you fall, one thing that’s certain is just how entertaining it is.
When it comes to the set list, the Jonas Brothers actually have Swift beat: tonight, the trio perform more than 60 songs from across their six albums (Swift manages about 45), whizzing through numbers in medleys with such exhilarating speed that by the time you’ve recognised the chorus of one, they’ve moved on to another.
Old favourites like Burnin’ Up, SOS and Lovebug get played in full, the latter’s exploding final chorus given a new weightiness by Joe and Nick’s now matured voices. There’s an equally grown up level of musicianship on display, too: along with Kevin’s guitar skills and Nick’s instrument hopping, the band are joined on stage by nearly a dozen musicians, including dancing trombone, trumpet and saxophone players, multiple guitarists, a cellist, and two backing singers. They’re all so good that you wish the main attraction would integrate them further. When they do come forward to dance together, during the mashup of sun-dappled songs from the band’s comeback album, it’s a complete joy.
There are other delights, though. Kevin’s hyperactive bounce during the crash of Sucker is infectious, while Nick’s solo hit Jealous is a treat, its sexy swagger offsetting the slabs of cheese found in the band’s early pop-rock fare. But embracing the past, even the naff Disney Channel fluff, is part of the fun and creates a clear bond with the fans who grew up with those songs. Sure, the Jonas Brothers may have pinched someone else’s idea, but that doesn’t stop everyone tonight from having a mighty good time.
• At Glasgow Hydro, 13 September; Birmingham Utilita Arena, 15 September; and London O2 Arena, 16 and 17 September
