PHOTOS: Jam'n 94.5 Summer Jam 2014

Jennifer Lopez performing at Jam'n 94.5 Summer Jam 2014. Credit: Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

Jennifer Lopez performing at Jam'n 94.5 Summer Jam 2014. Credit: Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

Last Friday, New England’s biggest Hip-Hop event of the Summer, Jam’n 94.5's Summer Jam, went down at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA. This may have actually been one of their best line-ups to date, however. Gracing the crowd of nearly 20,000 were industry heavy-hitters Kendrick Lamar, YG, Juicy J and more, including the one and only Jennifer Lopez.

Check out photos from the big night below:

Christina Perri Commands the Stage at House of Blues Boston (Giveaway Inside)

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

While Easter may not seem like the best day for a concert, Christina Perri made sure the crowd had as much fun as she did.  Cute, giddy, and abundantly energetic, Perri was as fun as she was talented.

The concert began with a ghostly warmup by 17 year-old Birdy, who showed off her powerful vocals in her rendition of "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver.

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

Next came the main act.  The crowd went wild as Perri emerged from the wings alone in a purple haze to begin the show.  She kept a powerful stage presence throughout the night, interacting with her beloved crowd before, after, and during each song.  Highlights include the audience snapping along before a song and an emotional wedding proposal during "A Thousand Years".  Perri wasn't afraid to make it personal, giving many explanations for the inspiration behind each of her songs.  She made note that three years ago to the day she opened for James Blunt on the same stage.

As the night moved on, an encore was inevitable.  Perri was very creative with hers, however.  At the end of "I Believe", she divided the audience in three parts, singing "I am still alive; hold on; this is not the end/this is the beginning" as she departed the stage.  Her encore performance included the hugely famous "Jar of Hearts", before which she was presented with a drawing by an endearing fan.  In a final, beautiful, theatrical moment, her band re-emerged wearing "Boston Strong" t-shirts in support of the Boston Marathon.

Whether singing, dancing, or just talking, Christina Perri has as much fun on stage as her crowd does.  

Want to win a copy of Christina Perri's new album "Head Or Heart"? Enter for your chance to win below:

CONCERT REVIEW: Plain White T's Gives Crowd What They Want

Plain White T's performing at Merrimack College. Photo by Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up.

Plain White T's performing at Merrimack College. Photo by Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up.

Friday night was Merrimack College’s Spring Concert, and this year brought none other than the Plain White T’s, and the crowd was definitely content with the college's decision to have them.

Throughout the one-hour performance, there was never a dull moment in the audience. Everyone in the arena knew every word to every song they sang, regardless of how old they were. 

Plain White T's performing at Merrimack College. Photo by Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up.

Plain White T's performing at Merrimack College. Photo by Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up.

Something I really love to see at concerts, and that I unfortunately don’t see too much, is the artists connecting with their audience. The T’s certainly fit this bill. The band even stopped between songs to comment on the posters that some of the girls in the audience made for them (which made those girls go insane).

The Hollywood Records-signed band played a variety of their hits throughout the night, like “The Giving Tree,” “1, 2, 3, 4,” and more. My favorite performances of the night were the two closing songs, “Hey There Delilah,” and the extremely catchy “Rhythm of Love.” Both had the the crowd going crazy, belting out every word.

Check out the below gallery featuring all the photos from the night:  


CONCERT REVIEW: Cher Proves She Is Still #1 At "D2K Tour"

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

On Wednesday, April 9th, ‘pop goddess’ Cher brought her highly-anticipated “D2K (Dressed 2 Kill) Tour” to the TD Garden in Boston.

Cher opened the show with a new single of hers, “Women’s World,” where she stood high above the crowd on a shimmering pedestal, making the crowd go absolutely insane. 

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up

After the first two songs. Cher went on a seemingly long rant about how her crew only gives her Dr. Pepper. However the crowd didn’t care, and seemed to love every word that came out of her mouth.  The thing that really seemed to bother the crowd though, and rightfully so, with a round of “boo”s, the “Believe” singer's announcement that this would actually be her final “farewell” tour. In case you didn’t know, Cher has been doing these “farewell” tours since 2002, so I’m sure a good number of fans didn’t take her too seriously.

It was during songs like “Take It Like A Man” where Cher truly defied her age. Dancing around the stage in a gold armor-like dress, Cher shook her hips and danced like she was in her 20’s. Hard to believe she is almost 68!

One of the most amazing feats of the night was the plethora of costume changes, almost between every song. Cher donned her typical feather costume and diamond hair for many of the numbers. Even more impressive, the energy stayed alive during these 2-3 minute changes. Throughout each set/costume change there was always something to keep the crowd busy. Whether it was a throwback video to “Sonny and Cher” or a circus performance by the amazing dancers, the energy never faded .

Whether or not this was actually Cher’s farewell tour, it was still an unforgettable night, made even better by her extensive past. Surviving a career in the music industry for a few years is extremely difficult and tiring, so the fact that 25 albums and 50 years later Cher is still killing it, is something to be admired by all.

Check out more photos from the show below: