Maroon 5 live in Manila

MANILA, Philippines—Great music will once again grace Manila grounds as Maroon 5 brings their “Overexposed Tour” with special guest, The Cab on September 18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketnet.com.ph or call Ticketnet hotline 911-5555 for inquiries.

Expect today’s hottest band composed of Adam Levine on vocals, James Valentines on guitar, Mickey Madden on bass, Matt Flynn on drums, PJ Morton on keyboards,  to knock everybody off their feet with a scorching performance together with The Cab, who recently gave an amazing show here in Manila last March with other great bands in a mini music festival called Smash Project 2012.

With millions of album sold worldwide, numerous chart topping hits, it’s not a surprise that Maroon 5 has now reached international prominence and recognition. Gone were the days where the band was just trying to fill small LA clubs. Now it’s arenas and stadiums at thousands strong. Yes, the band is now a worldwide sensation but has still managed to keep their feet on the ground and acknowledge, with humor, the fact that they are overexposed.

“Overexposed”, the title of Maroon 5’s latest album was an inside joke, a pre-emptive approach to what was inevitably going to be said of the band. With front man Adam Levine’s venture into TV, as a mentor for the hit reality show The Voice, Maroon 5 has reached that stage where their popularity has become increasingly hard to deny.

“It’s like, ‘We get it—we’re overexposed,’” Levine says with a laugh. “We’re just trying to preemptively go where the conversation is headed anyway. We figured we’d get there first.”

Their latest phenomenal hit “Moves Like Jagger”, a song that went down in history as one the most paid downloaded songs, prompted the band to explore the idea of co-writing. The underlying message of their new album title captures the band’s willingness to take a step further in terms of music and took risks.

“I feel like we’ve been standing on the edge of a cliff for a long time,” Levine says. “We’re a band that’s always been close to being full-on pop, but that’s rooted in a lot of other things: rock, soul, funk, the list goes on. Overexposed is the first time we’ve ever completely embraced the idea of making pop music—of making songs for the radio. We just said, ‘Let’s not be afraid to do what we basically are.’”

Maroon 5’s fourth album is the result of that. Levine says that of all the band’s albums, “Overexposed” feels “both most and least like Maroon 5. There are lots of traces of the past, but it also hints at a new idea,” the singer explains. “More than anything I think this record says that it’s always cool to try—that you should always be willing to take a step beyond whatever feels comfortable.”

The album features collaboration with well-known producers—Max Martin (the album’s executive producer), Benny Blanco and Ryan Tedder. Their single off their new album, “Payphone” – the incredibly catchy and sweet as pop song, features rapper Wiz Khalifa for the guest verse. Indeed they are heading over to the “pop” direction with heads held up high.

“I love how ‘Payphone’ seems like a such sweet song until the chorus comes in,” Levine says, referring to the part of that tune where he declares, “All those fairy tales are full of s… / One more …. love song, I’ll be sick.” “It’s totally subverting the song in this way that makes you lean in and listen,” he says.

The creation of their new album also brought about changes individually for the band members.

“There’s a new focus that’s set into us both personally and as a band,” Valentine said.

“We had such amazing experiences the first 10 years of this group, and I think we spent a lot of time enjoying it, which was great. But now it’s like, ‘Well, what do we do? We make records.’” The guitarist laughs. “Put it this way: In 2007 after the show we were definitely finding out where the party was. Now it’s more like, ‘Hey, let’s go finish that song.’ That’s what’s more exciting to us.”

Whether it’s a new approach to song writing or the band’s headed over to a new direction, there is still one thing that remains true: Maroon 5 continuously creates great music. This fact is undeniable. And with fans awaiting their return, Maroon 5 “Overexposed Tour” would be an affirmation of the fact the people all over will always and continuously support the great music that the band makes.

Great music is wonderful but it would be doubly incredible if it were heard live. Maroon 5 live in Manila happens on September 18 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. This event is presented by Midas Promotions in cooperation with Dayly Entertainment.  Also presented by Head and Shoulders, Sulit.com.ph, Tanduay Ice with co-presenters Dickies and PLDT My Dsl. (advt)