Pop rock band, DNCE, set to perform fall concert
By Liz Reichart// A&E Editor
Social Media was abuzz on Aug. 9 and for the first time this summer, it wasn’t about Taylor Swift’s feud with Kim Kardashian. At 9 p.m. High Point University platforms announced that pop rock sensation DNCE would be headlining the fall semester concert on Sept. 16. Group members Jack Lawless, Cole Whittle, Jin JooLee and Joe Jonas will be gracing the Roberts Hall Lawn to play a full set for some enthusiastic HPU fans.
Despite their meteoric rise to the charts, many were left wondering- who is DNCE? If some were unfamiliar with the name, surely there was no confusion as to the identity of the band’s front man, Joe Jonas. Originally one of three members of the Jonas Brothers group with brother Nick and Kevin, Joe began living with now DNCE member Jack Lawless while promoting his solo career. The band formed in 2015 and named themselves DNCE after the name of a song written for their first album, which lyrically speaks of being too drunk to spell the word “dance.” “It [the name DNCE] just kind of describes the imperfect awesome[ness] of the four of us together,” said Jonas as he described the shining moment the band decided on its name to iHeartRadio writer Nicole Mastrogiannis.
Their infectious tune “Cake by the Ocean” has reverberated off every dashboard in the nation this past summer, reaching number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, and at number seven on the Canadian Hot 100. The song’s title comes from the band’s Swedish producers, Robin Fredrikson and Mattias Larsson. These musical Swedes repeatedly confused the cocktail “sex on the beach” for “cake by the ocean,” and the band found it humorous enough to write a song about their linguistic mix up. DNCE has announced that their studio album will be released in August, giving HPU fans plenty to look forward to before their September show. The band has also announced that they will be opening for Selena Gomez’s tour later this year.
When describing the subject matter of their tunes, Jonas says it’s a go-with-the-flow attitude: “It’s music that you can dance to and it’s all about the stories. We have funny stories [that are] very detailed, like in [a] relationship that you can just laugh at, and commit it to, and just sing along. Keeping life fun.”
From social media reaction, it appears that despite a predictable mixed bag, HPU students are ready to vibe with DNCE’s laid-back style. “I’m so excited to see DNCE on my birthday this year!” said sophomore Eve Nelson. Some students will need some coaxing come concert time. “We couldn’t even get the good Jonas brother?” said junior Brandon Odom, in reference to Joe Jonas’ brother Nick, who has a hugely successful solo career of his own.
No reaction yet on social media from any of the DNCE members, not surprising considering their busy schedules and the life afforded to the famous. For now, we wait for the release of their first album and hope we can learn all of the lyrics before concert time rolls around.