Sometimes the pursuit of good music – and I mean GOOD music means you have to be ready to fight for it.  I’m not talking Jersey Shore style knock down drag out nonsense- I’m talking planning, scheming, and analyzing the fastest route to get from point A to desired musical destination.  Last night’s battle to the Music Box in Hollywood was up there as pretty epic.  It tested my patience, it tested my driving ability, and it reminded me to never, ever, at any cost drive down Santa Monica Boulevard- which has conveniently been cut down to one lane in some areas.  So in a post gridlock haze I wandered into the Music Box, which was as jampacked as the street I’d just escaped and made my way to the front of the stage amxiously awaiting to be serenaded slowly by each track on Aim and Ignite- and more than willing to engage in a little fun.

Now I used to listen to the Format back in the day.  It’s no secret I’m a huge lyric fanatic- so when word hit the music scene about fun., it was a natural progression- and Nate Ruess’ music has evolved as much as his lyrics.  Ruess burst on stage like a little skinny jean clad lightning bolt and got the party started with the upbeat and deliciously sin-sational “At least I’m not as sad as I used to be…”  The music seems like songs written specifically for a wayward musical- but every quarter life crisis kid knows that that’s exactly what any music fiends’ life is- so the songs about sex, heartbreak, and growing up are more than well received by severe music critics.

After four songs straight Ruess and company took a two second breather which fans were not going to take lying down, urging “come on just play!”  Nate in his sly but jovial style took a two second time out to marinate on his answer and then burst into “in the middle of the night.”  After singing the entire chorus, he reassured the packed venue that he had “a shit ton more songs to go, son!”

Now when heading to a fun. show you don’t want to hear one song in particular- you want to hear every song.  The unique thing about this insanely big music icon of the Indie scene was his perpetual disbelief at not only his success- but the continued support of his fans!  He thanked every one of the auditorium occupants for listening to any of his tunes- bringing the rowdy crowd to somewhat of a silent standstill.  He took note of the awkward silence and then just stated that it was perfect for the next song- which had everyone guessing that it would be “the gambler”- and it absolutely was.  One of the very sweetest tracks about a more than successful marriage that had most of the band exiting the stage so that the song was solely stripped down to an acoustic guitar, a piano, and Nate’s delightfully sweet voice.

The band has been touring non-stop for the past two years since the release of Aim & Ignite- and at the end of the show they appeased fans with the promise that they’d be heading back into the recording studio to lock themselves away like monkeys with typewriters.  The asserted that since it worked once, it may very well work again- and with the show being as “fun.” as it was- I can safely say I have no doubt it will.  After all, what’s life if you can’t have a little fun.

You can checkout the latest & greatest with the band at www.myspace.com/fun – and if you don’t feel like investing in the well-worth-it CD, make sure to check out “at least I’m not as sad as I used to be,” “the Gambler,” and “all the pretty girls.”