Blinding lights flash on, and then fade to black. An overwhelmingly large crowd pours into the amphitheater. Now, add thousands of deafening screams, and you have got yourself the general feel of the Maroon 5 concert on September 14^th.

Kelly Clarkson was the opening act for Maroon 5. When I think of this performance, I think of color. From the screen, to the lights, to her own clothing, various vibrant colors shone throughout her time on stage. With her years of experience performing, Clarkson never lets down. Her voice is impressive, her songs were great to dance to, and she was the perfect opener for the main event of the night.

The band came onto the stage of the Cruzan Amphitheater out of the blue- literally. One second, it was pitch black. The next, the stage was illuminated with flashing, swinging blue lights, and the sound of Adam Levine’s voice singing “One More Night,” echoed throughout the audience. Two side screens on stage went back and forth in projecting members of the band (and the audience), and the center screen, consisting of changing lights and images, was up to par in its visual effects.

Think the band would take a breather after their first song by talking to the audience? Guess again! Maroon 5 barely paused, taking advantage of all their time performing. With hit after hit songs being fired out, the crowd never quieted. How could they when the band kept “amping” everyone up? In the song “Lucky Strike,” Maroon 5 threw huge light-up beach balls that the audience bounced back and forth throughout the rest of the concert. Green laser lights panned across the sea of people and the roof of the amphitheater, creating quite the spectacle.

While they played mostly their newer songs, Maroon 5 could not complete a concert without performing some of their older hits. In “Sunday Morning,” my personal favorite, three other instrumentalists joined them on stage to create a phenomenal horn section. This song may have been one of the loudest, as nearly the entire crowd chimed in on the words. “Sunday Morning” seemed to provide a really personal feeling amongst Maroon 5 fans, especially the longtime ones.

Adam Levine warmed the hearts of many in another song that he put on a much more intimate level. With Maroon 5’s lead guitarist James Valentino playing, Levine sang an acoustic version of their hit, “She Will Be Loved.” The fans swayed back and forth and listened happily, until Adam Levine began to involve the crowd.  After dividing the audience into two sections, teaching them the harmonies, and getting them to sing, he came in singing with his entire band playing a powerful wrap-up of the song. For me, “She Will Be Loved” was one of the highlights of the entire night.

All in all, this concert was unforgettable. Seeing that Maroon 5 is as good live (if not better) as they are on radio shows their honest talent. There could not have been a soul in the mass of people at this concert who walked away unsatisfied. The band began with full energy, kept up the excitement, and finished off strong. What more could anyone ask for? Needless to say, it looks like Maroon 5 is going to be at the top of the charts in the music industry for a while.