MUSIC

Kiss 108 FM Jingle Ball

Avalon

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Dec. 15

Imagine Christina Aguilera in front of hundreds of screaming fans. Now imagine most of those fans are over thirty. That was the scene at Avalon last month as the 21-plus club hosted the KISS 108 FM Jingle Ball concert, featuring several artists who normally appeal to a decidedly younger audience. Even 18-year-old Aguilera would have been bounced if she'd tried to enter through the club's front door. However, the crowd, made up of largely of lucky listeners, tried their best to impersonate a teenage audience, and, as the night wore on and the alcohol flowed, they almost succeeded--only their earplugs gave them away.

The artists, oblivious to the age disparity, created an overall tremendous show. Admittedly, with seven big name performers, including Enrique Iglesias, Jewel and Smash Mouth, it would be hard to go wrong. Although each performer had only about half an hour to wow the crowd, most of them managed quite well. For most of the night, the energy was high and the crowd was on their feet.

The show did begin sitting down, with Alanis Morissette, who remained on a stool for her act, performing a number of her ballads including "Ironic," "You Learn" and "That I Would Be Good." Amber, the newest artist among the performers, followed Morissette and made the most of her moment in the spotlight. Using the opportunity to plug her new album, she passed out advertising postcards and performed a large repertoire of her new songs. Perhaps she dragged on a bit too long--the audience shared little of her enthusiasm. But she redeemed herself with her closing performance of "Sexual," introducing the number with a plug for fewer male chauvinistic songs. The women in the audience cheered her on as she cried out, "This is for the ladies... Ladies, are you feeling sexual? That's right, guys, check out your ladies!"

Enrique Iglesias followed, starting off on a high note with "Rhythm Divine" and "Be With You." He then moved on to a rendition of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba," introducing it with a cheesy salute to diversity. "No matter what you are--English, Chinese--you gotta love this song." But he wasn't done pandering to the crowd yet. Pulling Stella, a frizzy blonde, from the crowd and onto stage, he serenaded her with his slower song "You're My #1." After telling her "you gotta stand still and look me in the eye the whole time," he placed her hand on his behind and sang into her ear. The crowd went wild, and as for Stella, KISS DJ Billy Costa said it best, "Stella had things happening to her body that will never happen again." With the energy riding high, Iglesias closed the act with streamers and confetti as he performed his hit "Bailamos."