Shawn Mendes illliminates ACC

Photo+used+with+permission+of+Island+Records

Photo used with permission of Island Records

Sabrina LeBoeuf, Editor-in-chief

     Pop sensations Charlie Puth and Shawn Mendes lit up the American Airlines Center on July 19 with their musical talents, vocal ranges and their own personal choir that consisted of every teenage girl in the stadium.

     The concert began with Puth’s greatest radio hits, old and new. His set, only five songs long, consisted of “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” “Marvin Gaye,” “Suffer” and “One Call Away.” His newest hit “Attention” had fans screaming their heads off. Though he never did reveal who the song was about, a question he’s been asked repeatedly since the release, Puth’s sultry vocals and wicked bass line distracted the crowd from the unknown fact.

     His last song, ”See You Again,” is now known as both a dedication to the late Paul Walker as well as the most viewed video on YouTube. Though the song is more popularly known with Wiz Khalifa added to the track, Puth was marvelous on his own, belting the song that brought him to fame. The performance was so moving that Puth’s own bassist was waving a flashlight in the air.

     Shortly after Puth left the stage, Mendes emerged from a trapdoor with a guitar playing “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back,” driving the crowd to insanity. Everyone was hypnotized by his every command to clap, wave their arms or sing along. He even managed to harmonize with all the Emily’s in the crowd when he sang “I Don’t Even Know Your Name.”

     In the mix of his tops songs, like “Mercy” and “Stitches,” Mendes threw in songs from his album Illuminate as well as popular tracks from his previous works, such as “A Little Too Much,” “The Weight” and “Life of the Party.” He even added songs that were not his own, including “Want You Back” from Jackson 5 and “Castle on the Hill” by Ed Sheeran.

     All of the people in the stadiums had to be big time fans because there were people singing along for every song, regardless of its popularity. Everyone was so enthusiastic that Mendes had to ask the crowd to be quiet while he sang the first half of “Three Empty Words,” a somber song with a beautiful guitar accompaniment.

     Throughout the concert, Mendes rarely talked between songs. Yet, when he did, his words were wonderful pieces of musical wisdom. He emphasized how music is a “person to person connection” and that “music should not be confusing.” At one point, he moved to a smaller stage in the back, sat down on stage and sang directly to the people in front of him to prove his point.

     However, the best part had to be the Canadian heartthrob’s strong connection to Dallas and how much he let it show. Dallas being the first place he ever visited in the United States, Mendes made it clear that everyone had a standard to uphold- to make this concert the best night of his tour. This, accompanied by his raw, heart wrenching voice and his skills on the piano and guitar, made for a magical concert.

     Although his concert only used moderate lighting to set the mood and lacked the theatrics that most pop stars enjoy, Mendes illuminated the stage with his smile, personality and talent, much more than any theatrics ever could.