Big Time Rush in Phoenix, AZ
BY SARAI KELLEY MOSS
On August 13th, acclaimed pop group Big Time Rush headlined the Arizona Financial Theater in downtown Phoenix for a sold-out audience as part of their “Forever” Tour, bringing supporting act Spencer Sutherland along for the tour.
American pop and R&B singer, songwriter, and actor, Spencer Sutherland, wow-ed the crowd and started the night off with a kick. He brought a level of anthemic rhythm and blues with a soulful essence that set forth a precedent of beautifully executed pop music amalgamating different genres that rapidly shifted with no discrepancies. His incredible vocal range and tone delivers his own stylistic combination of Pop meets RnB. Sutherland asserted his own sound at his live show. From the beginning, his memorable entrance to “Shame,” supported by his band and lighting which built anticipation, played in his favor. He engaged with the crowd, showing what appeared to be genuine appreciation and a passion to perform. His performance radiated energy, running back and forth on the stage and jumping into the crowd like nobody’s business. His set geared up the audience for a spectacular night!
Big Time Rush‘s Forever Tour is a big time success. This summer, the band practically broke the internet after announcing they were getting back together after a 7-year hiatus. BTR parted ways back in 2014 after their Live World Tour came to an end. Now, they are officially back and better than ever, with all four original members taking part in the reunion. The 4 piece band started their journey on a self-titled Nickelodeon show, which started in 2009 and ended in 2013.
Big Time Rush is comprised of James Maslow, Kendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson, and Carlos PenaVega.
They kicked off their set with the infectious “Windows Down,” and their presence was met with a raucous response. They immediately broke into “Music Sounds Better With U” and the sassy “Honey,” which they debuted for the first time, and “Love Me Again.”. They performed the perfect mix of older hits and newer releases. Their setlist included fan-favorites like “Halfway There,” “Boyfriend,” and of course, “Big Time Rush.” During “Worldwide,”
To add more excitement for all the rushers in the building, all four band members performed previously practiced dance choreographies in which they demonstrated that they are still as good of dancers as they were 7 years ago.
Their stage production was absolutely everything. The smoke, the lights, the effects quite literally took you back to their first tour ever. There was everything from smoke machines, CO2 smoke cannons, confetti, and strobe lights. Their stage presence was simply perfect, showcasing consistent energy and flawless choreography throughout the entire set.
The band didn’t miss an opportunity to engage with their audience, stopping every couple of songs to talk to them. They would share stories of their reunion, give backstories on the song they were about to perform, or simply interact with the fans that were close to the stage.
They promised to be back to Phoenix, hopefully sooner than later!
Setlist:
- Windows Down
- Music Sounds Better
- Honey
- Love Me Again
- Any Kind of Guy
- Amazing
- Call It Like I See It
- Dale Pa’ Ya
- Show Me
- Not Giving You Up
- Halfway There
- Stuck
- No Idea
- Confetti Falling
- I Want It That Way / Cover Girl / Can’t Feel My Face / Hot in Herre / Giant Turd
- I Know You Know
- Worldwide
- Time of Our Life
- Paralyzed
- Fall
- Boyfriend (Justin Bieber) / Party in the USA / Hit Me Baby One More Time / Never Gonna Give You Up
- City Is Ours / Big Night / Til I Forget About You
- Nothing Even Matters
- If I Ruled the World
- Big Time Rush
- Boyfriend