Rob Thomas burst onto the scene in 1996 as the creative force and lead singer of Matchbox Twenty. In 2005 he branched out and has since become a three-time Grammy Award winner whose songs have consistently topped the charts. For Front & Center, Thomas, as part of an acoustic trio, takes the stage at the Iridium in New York City to treat fans to a unique and intimate performance of some of his biggest hits including #1s “Lonely No More,” “3 AM,” and “Smooth.”
Singer/songwriter Shawn Mendes treats fans to an intimate performance at the Melrose Ballroom in New York City. Mendes first came into the public eye as a popular user of the social media platform Vine and at only 18 years old, he is one of only six artists to have two No. 1 albums on the Billboard Top 200 all genre chart at such a young age. He was included in Time’s “The 25 Most Influential Teens” in 2014 and 2015 and was included in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” for 2016. In this episode of Front and Center, Mendes performs some of his biggest his including “Treat You Better,” “Stitches,” and “Mercy.”
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, Cheap Trick, celebrate their accomplishment with an intimate performance at the Melrose Ballroom in New York City. The band has become a musical institution, best known for timeless classics such as “Surrender” and “I Want You to Want Me.” With more than 5,000 performances, 20 million records sold, 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum recording awards, the band was honored in October 2007 by the Chicago Chapter of NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences) for their contributions to the music industry.
The Godfather of “the New Jersey Sound,” Southside Johnny performs in front of an intimate audience of his biggest fans. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes have become a staple in the New Jersey music scene having released twelve studio albums since 1976 and featuring a rotating group of members such as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Steve Van Zandt. The band’s horn section, the Miami Horns, have toured and recorded with Bruce Springsteen and other members, Mark Pender and Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg have played regularly with the Max Weinberg 7 on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.
The Iridium in New York City welcomes legendary guitarist Steve Vai for two intimate performances in the smallest room that he has performed in years. Voted the 10th Greatest Guitarist by Guitar World magazine, Vai treats fans to selections throughout his three decade long career. Vai began his career as a transcriptionist for Frank Zappa in 1978 before joining his band from 1980-1983. As an independent guitarist he has won three Grammy Awards and has produced eight studio albums, two EPs, two special albums, eight live albums, twelve soundtracks, twenty compilation albums, and six DVD releases. Vai’s solo sophomore release, Passion and Warfare, has earned gold certification in the US.
The Iridium in New York City welcomes ACM Award nominees, The Cadillac Three. Fronted by Grammy Award nominated songwriter Jaren Johnston, the Cadillac Three have a sound that hovers between radio-ready Country anthems, hard-and-heavy Rock ballads and traditional Southern folk. The trio perform songs from their latest album, Bury Me in My Boots, including their three top 50 songs “The South,” and “White Lightning.”
All the way from Iceland, indie rock band Kaleo comes to New York City’s Iridium to perform songs from their Elektra Records debut A/B. Highlights include a performance “Vor í Vaglaskógi,” a traditional Icelandic Love song sung in the band’s native language, as well as their top 10 singles “All the Pretty Girls” and “Way Down We Go.” Formed in 2012, the band music is mostly influenced by folk and blues and prominently features a distinctive resonator sound.
Folk-rock band Dawes take the stage at the Iridium in New York City for an intimate performance of both old and new material. The band, comprised of brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith, Wylie Gelber, and Lee Pardini, formed in 2009 from the band Simon Dawes after the departure of their co-songwriter. Their last two albums All Your Favorite Bands (2015) and self-released We’re All Gonna Die (2016) have reached No. 1 on the Billboard Folk Chart. In a special Front & Center exclusive, Dawes performs new songs “Tequila,” “One of Us,” and “Roll with the Punches,” as well as hits such as “Little Bit” and “When My Time Comes.”
Three time Grammy Award winner and six time CMA Award winner Jennifer Nettles is known as one of country music’s powerhouse vocalists. Her debut solo album, That Girl, hit #1 on the Billboard Country Chart and #5 on the Billboard Top 200. Her second album, Playing with Fire, released May 2016 reached #2 on the Billboard Country Chart and #10 on The Billboard Top 200. In an exclusive Front & Center CMA Songwriter Series, Grammy Award nominated singer/songwriter Brandy Clark and singer/songwriter Amos Lee join Jennifer Nettles on stage to sing some of their greatest hits including “Love Can Go to Hell,” “Unlove You,” and “Drunk in Heels.”
