Great talent secretly descended upon American University’s Bender Arena Friday night in the form of Fountains of Wayne and N.E.R.D. — two of the most original acts to enter the Top 40 in quite some time — but, regrettably, a harsh soundboard and long delays diluted the potentially spectacular performances.
Sans an opening act or little fanfare, New York City pop-rockers Fountains of Wayne suddenly (and casually) took to the stage, delighting the mostly college-age crowd with material spanning their three-album musical career, from the band’s very first 1996 single “Radiation Vibe,” to the newly released “Mexican Wine.” Unbeknownst to many of its recent fans, the group, named after a gaudy New Jersey lawn ornament shop, has been enjoying critical acclaim and a core group of admirers since its self-titled late ’90s debut. And despite their only recent — and sudden — rise to fame, primarily due to its MTV staple “Stacy’s Mom,” the boys have demonstrated from their very first chords that filling a cavernous arena would hardly be a challenge.
Minus rock star glitz or glam, the denim-clad foursome, fronted by singer Adam Schlesinger, expertly maneuvered through a tight set, seamlessly shifting from booming rock to acoustic ballads such as “Hackensack,” a heartfelt account of unrequited love in the Garden State. The highlight of their performance was, of course, the three-minute “Stacy’s Mom.” The song, a sugary confection with a video that features supermodel Rachel Hunter as the alluring matriarch, had the young audience sprinting from the bleachers down into the thrilled, bouncing crowd. Unfortunately, as with most of Wayne’s all-out rock numbers, the venue’s crude acoustics made their skillful musicianship almost indecipherable.
Next up was N.E.R.D., the genre-defying alter ego of the infamous Neptunes production team, who has provided the slick chart-topping beats for the likes of Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Britney Spears and No Doubt. The group took their sweet old time —a whopping 45 minutes of it — coming to the stage. But when they did, it was clear who the kids really came to see. No matter that one-third of the trio, Chad Hugo, was noticeably missing. When the band appeared, both time and common sense went out the window and, for all intents and purposes, they were the center of the universe.
Backed by the spectacular Spymob, Pharrell Williams and Shay sauntered onstage, and flanked by gigantic blowups of their trademark ominous red space-huskies, worked the young audience into a pre-summer frenzy; an ocean of waving arms and writhing T-shirt and tank top-clad devotees. The able-bodied and lithe Mr. Williams was clearly the female population’s ground zero. Knowing it all too well (perhaps a little too well), he answered their shrieks with air kisses and grinding dance moves. N.E.R.D.’s set mainly featured material from their new album, “Fly or Die,” including the popular “She Wants to Move” — which, like most of their music, shifts between R&B, rap and hard rock.
When he wasn’t singing or boasting about his prowess with women, Mr. Williams expressed his gratitude for the crowd’s role in making “Fly or Die” the chart-topper it’s become. “We didn’t come here for some celebrity [expletive]!” he yelled. Instead, Mr. Williams implied, N.E.R.D. came to commemorate upcoming graduations and the promise of summer’s arrival.
And, indeed, it was a night without much pretense… a loud and genuinely casual affair, full of powerful guitars, catchy hooks and celebration.
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