Avril Lavigne concert is a preteen, pop-punk haven that lives up to its reputation - Avril Lavigne Bandaids: The Best Damn Avril Lavigne Fansite

catatoniaone · 05-15-2008, 02:50 AM

Avril Lavigne concert is a preteen, pop-punk haven that lives up to its reputation

Date published: 5/15/2008

BY ANDREW MUSSEY

It's hard to see a hero standing 10 feet away from you and not jump for joy, let alone write an honest review about him. Well her.

In April, Avril Lavigne and Boys Like Girls played a show at the Patriot Center that had one normally well-composed reviewer as giddy as the schoolgirls who make up much of Lavigne's audience.

Boys Like Girls opened the show. They began their set with the song "Hero/Heroine," which instantly had the entire audience singing. They continued, pulling various songs from their 2006 self-titled release, such as "Five Minutes to Midnight" and their upcoming single, "Thunder." They ended their 30-minute set by spending excessive time pumping up the audience for their biggest hit single, "The Great Escape." The energy involved in the songs' execution made the buildup worthwhile.

Avril Lavigne came on next. The gigantic screen at the back of the stage was the immediate center of attention, as the stage in front of it filled with various dancers.

The beat to Lavigne's recent hit, "Girlfriend," could be heard in the background as the star of the show was raised on a platform into the center of the stage. She pranced out, striking a pose for the audience.

It was about that time that I came to the realization of exactly how many preteen girls were standing around me. It was deafening. Nearly the entire audience was screaming as Lavigne sang.

After the first couple of songs, one of Lavigne's stagehands gave her a customized pink guitar. She used it for only a song before switching it for a different one.

From that point, it was as if she had to prove to the audience that she could play any instrument she wanted. During the performance of her new CD's first single, "When You're Gone," Lavigne sat down at a piano, which she looked somewhat awkward playing. She jumped over to a drum set for "Runaway," before switching to an acoustic guitar.

The show featured numerous covers, including Joan Jett's "Bad Reputation" and an instrumental version of Linkin Park's "Faint." Lavigne ended the 90-minute set with the performance of a classic, "Sk8er Boi." She pranced to the back of the stage and was lowered back down as her fans screamed.

Both Boys Like Girls and Avril Lavigne lived up to their concert hype. Boys Like Girls gave a high quality performance--something other "indie" bands often fail to deliver--while Lavigne's lack of lip-syncing and punk-pop passion were enough to make Britney Spears and Hilary Duff jealous.

Andrew Mussey is a senior at Stafford High School

Fredericksburg.com - LAVIGNE SHOWS OFF VERSATILITY DURING PATRIOT CENTER SET