From Elton John to FUN., the ever-talented Nate Ruess included a little bit of everything during his performance at UCONN’s very own Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. On Saturday, September 19th, former frontman of FUN. and The Format, singer- songwriter Nate Ruess, graced the stage of Jorgensen with a performance full of dancing, insane vocals, and, of course, Husky Pride.
Upon arrival guests were treated with free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, merchandise, and activities. This show was part of the Campus Consciousness tour, a movement to provide cleaner energy. Fans were encouraged to sign petitions for cleaner energy in order to get the chance to meet Nate himself.
The opening act, Holy Child, kicked off theshow in a lively manner. The dynamic trio from Southern California performed their latest hits. Holy Child’s riveting demeanor pumped up the crowd and got the party started. Between the upbeat music and non-stop dancing, Holy Child put on an exhilarating performance. Lead singer Liz even climbed down into the audience to start a dance party of her own. Not to mention, she was wearing massive, hot-pink pumps! After their performance the members of Holy Child remained by their merchandise table to meet fans and take pictures.
Anticipation built up as the house lights went down and members of Nate Ruess’ band trickled onto the stage. Nate opened with a single straight from his new album Grand Romantic, called “AHHA”. He kept a permanent smile on his face as the audience sang along with him. The staging was simple and minimalistic, which was very appropriate for the intimate audience and Nate’s demeanor. The absence of neon lights and props accentuated Ruess’ killer vocals. Nate sang a conglomerate of songs for both old and new fans alike. He performed material from FUN. including “Carry On” and his grammy award-winning single “We Are Young”. Ruess also included songs from his new album such as “A Great Big Storm” and “You Light My Fire”. He even performed a cover of Elton John’s “Rocket Man”. Emotion was poured into every lyric and he truly made the experience personal.
Throughout the performance Nate danced around his band mates (and on the piano), interacted with the crowd, and even looked towards the audience for some words of encouragement when singing the big hit in “Just Give Me a Reason”. The highlight of the show, however, came when Nate Ruess sported his Husky pride by leading the crowd in the UCONN Huskies chant.
After the concert Nate surprised a few fans who were waiting by his tour bus to take pictures and sign autographs. Even as a solo artist, Nate Ruess proved just how talented he is. His quirky disposition and vocal abilities truly make him worth seeing live. Nonetheless Nate’s down-to-earth personality added to his authenticity as an artist.