Kiss Concert (Kiss 108) Review

So, let me start by saying I pretty much haven't missed a Kiss Concert since I was 8. Back then, you could buy some of the artists CDs and get access to a meet and greet. It was a HUGE event that sold out instantly. Over the past couple of years, it has seemed to be taking a backseat to Jingle Ball. When this years' line up was announced, I got excited about two people. But the others were either artists I hadn't heard of or artists I only knew one song of. I didn't rush out to buy tickets. So when we won tickets for the second row, of course I got pumped up. What a great place to do a review from.

I'll admit, I walked into the first act late and didn't catch her name. It was an adorable little girl, probably around 8. She was full of personality from what I saw. She didn't seem scared at all.mi bet in a few years I'll be kicking myself for not knowing her name... But she did some covers and was just adorable. Have I mentioned she was adorable? I believe she did a bit of Iggy Azalea's "Fancy." How perfect can one child be?

Next up was Jill Jenson. 

You probably saw her on X-Factor a few years back with a story that brought tears to the eyes of many (including Demi Lovato). She was then, most recently, on American Idol. How she didn't go further, I will never understand. However this local lady can SING. Her first song was incredible. But what really made other people stop and stare (in a good way) was her cover of Ed Sheeran's "Lego House." Absolutely fantastic. Such an incredible voice. And she is stunning! Too bad she had to go to a wedding after or we would have tried to catch up with her. (S&Em Note: Stay tuned for an interview!)

Staying on the talent reality show trend, we had Kristen Merlin up next. (S&Em Note: We got her all on video, but it is sideways and won't rotate. We will upload it when we figure it out). This woman was on The Voice and was voted fan favorite. Another incredible local talent. Honestly, she should have won The Voicr, but my opinion is just that. She covered Sugarland's "Stuck Like Glue." Wow. Such an incredible country voice from a person that pahks the cah in Hahvahd Yahd. She has a major homecoming shoe coming up in Brockton that you don't want to miss. But she was very comfortable on the stage. The audience went crazy seeing her. The reaction was priceless, I hope she felt the love coming from the Xfinity Center.

Aer comes out on stage (pronounced air).

Going in, I had absolutely no idea who they were, but I kept an open mind. Oh boy. They were very excited to be at the Kiss Concert. At first,mi thought it was a little much and that one of them was acting too much like a "hype man." But the more they performed, the better they got. They are also Mass natives. The woman next to me had turned to me and said "The attractive singers are their saving grace. I'm not sure how I would like them with my eyes closed."  That made me wonder. So I closed my eyes. They reminded me a bit of Emblem 3. The enthusiasm is very noticeable. The vocals weren't perfect, but it was fun! You don't see people enjoying music like that anymore. With a bit more experience in performing, I think they're definitely people to watch. I enjoyed them.

NKTOB MKTO performed next. 

 

So many people thought New Kids On The Block were performing when they heard the abbreviation, but this isn't an 80s/90s boy band. Another duo with very high energy. They interacted with the crowd and got people on their feet. The two balance each other out/compliment each other well. Side note: their drummer was fantastic, although I don't believe that he is a part of MKTO. It was nice to see the singers appreciate their band though. They made sure the crowd recognized the band. The song "American Dream" had to be downloaded to my iPod instantly. I really enjoyed the message and how it was performed. But what is their claim to fame? The song that is currently taking over the radio: "Classic." This is the song that references Michael Jackson and Prince. It's a fun song, but I feel like it was done in the 2000s. Plus, so many of the kids don't know who MJ and Prince are that the references go right over their heads. Are we really that old? Anyways, that performance definitely got the crowd into it since everyone could sing along.

Rixton was up next. 

I had no idea who they were until someone told me they sang that "Me and My Broken Heart" song. I'll get to that later. There are five guys in the British band. All of them play instruments (hallelujah!) Robin Thicke watch out. This lead singer has MUCH better falsetto! I'd love to hear him cover an old Robin a Thicker song. As a band, they performed very well together. They had some nice choreography with their instruments and one another. The song "Appreciated" may be my new favorite song. Again, this band was full of personality, but you can tell they take their craft seriously. They're starting their tour IN BOSTON in August, so definitely check that out. Learn some more of their music!

The beautiful Katy Tiz followed Rixton.

She opened with a "No Scrubs"/"Say My Name" medley. We must have been the only ones from "that" generation, as she kept looking at us and smiling since we were singing along. It was quite a clever mash up, and from what I've seen on YouTube, she's pretty awesome at mash ups. She was so bubbly and so humble, I enjoyed her presence. I think she may be a bit sassy based on her songs, which I love. For example, she performed "I Don't Give A" and it was fantastic. She ended her set with "The Big Bang," but she first thanked the crowd for loving the song and getting it on the charts, stating we will never love her as much as she loves us. I love her voice and her style of singing. It's intriguing. She's just a fun artist, I love it.

R5 came out next.

 Now, I know who Ross Lynch is because I have a bunch of little cousins that love the Disney Show "Austin and Ally." So I was waiting to see them to bring back awesome pictures and videos so I could be the best big cousin ever (especially since after the Radio Disney Music Awards my little cousin had been fangirling). They came out with crazy energy, jumping around and dancing like "rock stars." They covered an old song first and then did one of their well known songs called "Loud." Something just seemed off. Ross had been jumping around like crazy, and then he just stopped. I don't know if he hurt himself or if the fact that a sound tech had to come out and reattach some of his equipment to him ruined the vibe, but he seemed pretty standoffish. His siblings were much more personable. They interacted with the crowd while Ross ran his fingers through his hair. When they performed "(I Can't) Forget About You" the crowd went insane. It was very well performed. I was just very distracted by what seemed like an attitude from Ross. The little girl in front of me even seemed to notice and she was about 6. Everyone has bad days...

Cash Cash. 

Man that was a throw back. I loved their old song "Party in Your Bedroom" back in high school. But everything was completely different. 3 guys, all EDM. No one knew any of the songs and half the crowd sat down. It was really disappointing, I felt like I was on Jersey Shore (and I got soaked with water from water bottles they were squirting at the crowd). However, I did know "Take Me Home," which they brought out the woman that sings the song to perform with them.i hate to say this, but I truly dislike EDM. Maybe I'm biased, but this was the least impressive set of the night.

Karmin. 

 

I seriously love these two. I saw them a few years back and they were great, so I had high expectations. Amy now has blonde is hair which she was rocking. I believe they are still engaged, although I saw no ring (maybe because they were performing). These two are so captivating and energetic that I kept forgetting to take notes. I even forgot they are also from Boston! They put out their first full length album, Pulses, a month ago. So, how was their performance? They exceeded my expectations by far. Absolutely phenomenal and amazing crowd interaction (R5 take notes). If you can't think of what they sing, think back a few years to "Brokenheared." Singing, rapping, they have it all. This song got the crowd going! Plus seeing them interact with each other just makes me swoon. Ah, musician love. I would absolutely go see them in their own show. So incredible.

Before I hyperventilate, I have a confession to make. I am a huge Ariana Grande fan.

Such a huge voice comes out of such a tiny lady. It's strange to think she's only s few months younger then me and she's out their living the dream and being a triple threat while I just blog about it. Anyways. Her set seemed short, but at least it wasn't just one song like it was last year. Her dancers are always on point. I did feel really bad for her mom, who almost got trampled in the audience. Leave Joan alone guys! Anyways, again the woman next to me commented. She said "This is terrible lip syncing." Of course, she wasn't looking at Ariana, but the screen behind her which had a delay. Once she realized that, she was in awe. This girls stage presence is incredible. Being in "Thirteen" must have done wonders for her when she was younger. There wasn't a single note off. And you can't deny that "Problem" featuring Iggy Azalea is a contender for song of the summer. But she looked beautiful, her dancing has improved, and she sounded great. She seemed extremely nervous though, which interfered with her crowd interaction. But other thsn that, she was flawless. After she performed, most of the crowd left!

I spent the entire day trying to figure out how I knew Timeflies.

The singer/rapper looked incredibly familiar, but I couldn't figure it out. Before they went on, I believe it was one of their roadies (or maybe it was an Xfinity Center employee that wasn't wearing the uniform) but either way, this person FREAKED out saying their wasn't enough room on the stage. I was concerned this would set the tone for the whole set. But when they came out, there were no issues. I learned they were from Medford, MA which is fantastic, I love local talent. Everyone was singing eith them. Then they referenced a Twitter/YouTube series/trend called Timeflies Tuedays. Basically, you give them random words and they put them in a hat and the very attractive rapper/singer/frontman freestyles. They brought out radio and TV personality, Romeo, to give him a list of words that he could freestyle on stage. All of them were Boston based. Honestly, I was beyond impressed. I'm glad I got it all on video. (S&Em Note: Again, the video is sideways... we are figuring it out). Needless to say, I now am subscribed to their YouTube channel.

Jennifer Freaking Lopez was up next. 

 

Seriously. I was like 10 feet away from her. She looks absolutely incredible. She sounded absolutely amazing. And her performance was incredible. What else do you expect? It was perfection. I love that she brought so many dancers. She was definitely embracing her soon to be single life. Girl loves to show off that infamous butt. There was more dancing than singing, however it was such an amazing set that I almost don't care. Plus Napoleon and Tabitha are her choreographers. But seriously, what can't this woman do? But please JLo, stop with the papi thing. I can't handle people that call their boyfriends/husbands "daddy" or "papi." Plus I haven't "Luh'd" someone since 8th grade. I do, however, love people. Including Ms. Lopez. By the way, she didn't come off as a diva at all. She interacted with the crowd in a personal way and seemed invested.

Fifth Harmony, another Simon Cowell success, followed. 

 

They are from the same season of X Factor as Jill Jenson. I remember seeing them on the show. Oh my, they are just too adorable. My little cousin loves Camilla and her bow. However, Lauren has such a powerful voice. She seemed a little off and I believe I saw tears, so I hope everything is alright with her. I didn't know most of the songs, but they were great performers. There were a few technical issues, but nothing too bad. I believe they could be today's Spice Girls. I know kids, Tweens, and teens love them. "Miss Moving On" is their big song. It was hard to recognize at first, but once it got going, the crowd erupted (even more than before). They had a huge fan base at the show. Again, they seemed nervous, but they interacted with the crowd a lot. It was wicked cute. Made them much more likable.

Ending the show was Calvin Harris. 

Yes, he is a DJ. Yes it is EDM. However, it was an incredible set, although it seemed quite long. I knew more songs than I realized. He's adorable and got the crowd jumping and dancing. Confetti was everywhere, fog covered the stage, and fire erupted. It was an incredible shoe. I'm sensitive to strobe lights, so I had to sit with my eyes covered, but this is why you bring a friend. He was great. Please tell me someone else hears "sex with elephants" instead of "such sweet nothings." Listen to it, think about it, your life is changed.

Overall, I ended up really enjoying myself. I wouldn't have bought the tickets and I'm not sure if I would have enjoyed the show as much from my usual seat (the lawn). It definitely isn't the same as old shows, but it was a nice way of introducing new artists.

Have a show you want reviewed? Want to see how you compare? Contact us! We are happy to review.