Brothers in Charms

In their ongoing attempt to leave nary a single 12-year-old heart unmelted, the brothers Jonas recently unveiled plans for a worldwide arena tour. With a slew of Canadian dates planned on their new theatre-in-the-round type stage setting, the mop-topped, world-domineering boy band recentlyexplained themselvesto a gaggle of press on a North American conference call.

“We’ve never embarked on an in-the-round tour in our lives and so to be able to go on tour and do it, it’s going to be amazing,” said Kevin Jonas, the oldest, at 22. “I mean, we can’t wait.”

Selling the boys has been a brisk business. Their recently released 3D IMAX movie quickly became the second highest grossing concert film of all time. In fact, it’s a bona fide bubblegum moment: the highest grossing concert film ever was released last year by Miley Cyrus, and the boys appear several times in her film. While pundits profess that the music industry is dying, it seems a 12-year-old girl with a credit card and a crush will still find her way to the store.

However, such fandom may not be as feverish as in the late ’90s, when teen pop queens and kings ruled the world.

“Look back on it, and just 10 years to 15 years ago, Britney Spears and *NSync were selling a million records in the first day of their album release and they were selling arenas out,” Kevin said. “We’re on an arena tour now, but no one’s selling 10 million records anymore.”

The brothers have recently been holed up in the studio, working on their fourth album, due out June 15. They talk about the thrill of performing with Stevie Wonder at the Grammys and how they’ve been influenced by Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond and Kings of Leon.

But the New Jersey-bred, Texas-based pop stars also realize they’re as popular for their hairdos as they are for their sound. Furthermore, perhaps inevitably, their personal lives have become grist for the mill. Though they claim to be virgins and all wear purity rings, their rumoured canoodling with everyone from Miley Cyrus to Taylor Swift to that man-eater from The Hills, Lauren Conrad, has threatened to sully their image as choir boys.


“We’ve got a lot going in our lives so I think, for us, you know, we’re very focused on that,” Nick, 17, said, in a deft act of evasion. “We tend to find time to date, but for the most part we’re focused on what we’re doing on the TV show.”

The boys (and their management) are certainly striking while their iron is hot. Besides the concert film and JONAS, their upcoming TV show, they have also appeared on Saturday Night Live and played for U. S. President Barack Obama’s daughters, Malia and Sasha, at the White House. Of course, there was also a nasty South Park episode, in which Mickey Mouse gave the brothers a beat down, but the boys contend they’re no puppets on a string.

“Nothing we do is pushed on us,” Kevin said. “Everything we do is either brought to us and we sign off on it, or we come up with the ideas.”

Thus far, it’s hard to argue with a game plan that has made the Jonas Brothers North America’s favourite new pop band. And there’s no reason to believe that those unconvinced 12-year-olds in places as far-flung as Peru, Belgium, Ireland and Spain will be able to resist their easy hooks and smiles on a new world tour. This summer, the concert rolls through Canada.

Moms and dads, you’ve been warned. - The Jonas Brothers recently announced Canadian tour dates for the coming summer, including Vancouver, GM Place, June 30; Edmonton, Rexall Place, July 2; Winnipeg, MTS Centre, July 5; Montreal, Bell Centre, Aug. 29; Toronto, Rogers Centre, Aug. 30; Ottawa, Scotiabank Place, Aug. 31. For further details, visit jonasbrothers.com.

‘They’re More Than Gorgeous’

Alexandra Ferrara, 13, has travelled to California and the Bahamas in order to see the Jonas Brothers in concert. Alessia Dzwigala is 12 and wants to see her first Jonas Brothers concert this summer, suggesting she’ll open a lemonade stand to earn ticket scratch. We asked Alexandra and Alessia to give us 13 reasons why the boys are rapidly taking over the world.

1. They’re all pretty hot, like, gorgeous. Especially Nick, the youngest, in a cute kind of way.

2. It looks like they’re having a lot of fun on stage. During the Burning Up tour, Nick decided to do a lot of flips. We were like, “What!” Fans didn’t even know that was something he could do.

3. I loved the 3D concert movie. They’re so awesome at playing guitar.

4. They always do charity stuff, and that shows their softer side.

5. They dress pretty nice. I mean, for boys.

6. They’re pretty new and they’re really famous, but they just got their big break and they’re still progressing. They have a long way to go, but it’s fun when a group is new.

7. My friends, my cousins and everyone I know loves them, too.

8. Even my mom is a fan — well, she says she is. I don’t have to demand anymore for her to take me to shows.

9. They’re big inspirations. They say be confident in yourself and don’t worry about what others think.

10. I think they have nice parents. That’s what my mom says.

11. They care about their fans. They’re always signing autographs and always smiling. At their concerts, they point into the crowd and make everybody feel really good.

12. They write good songs like Can’t Have You. That song has a lot of meaning, like if you’re saying there’s a girl you like that you broke up with, but they know they made a mistake, but now they can’t see that person anymore. That’s never happened to me. I’m only 13; I still have a long way to go.

13. They’re more than gorgeous — like, better. I love them with all of my heart.

Source: National Post