Concert Review: Jesse McCartney and Simple Plan

Jesse McCartney sang "The Best Day of My Life." Simple Plan lamented "The Worst Day Ever."

Those opposites would seem to make their Saturday double-bill at the Illinois State Fair Grandstand even more of a headscratcher than it's been since it was announced in April.

But if you look at it in teen terms, the best day easily could follow the worst day, or vice versa. And for the predominantly teen or 'tween crowd of 11, there was nothing weird at all about this musical pairing. (Plus, there were equal-opportunity shirts that read "I Wish I Was Jesse's Girl" on the front and "I'm Addicted to Simple Plan" on the back.)

Both acts received widespread, enthusiastic crowd participation. Simple Plan divided the crowd on "I'm Just A Kid" and had a contest to see which side could shout that title refrain the loudest. And McCartney coaxed girls in the crowd to scream their names during "What's Your Name?" By far, this was the biggest young-adult party the Grandstand has hosted in years.

Discounting Simple Plan's yeah-right lip service about how the crowd was the "craziest we've seen all year," the Canadian punk-pop band seemed somewhat shocked at the responses it drew.

The band opened with "Shut Up," which wisely showcased Simple Plan's more muscular side. It's preferable to the semi-whining on mid-tempo numbers such as "Welcome To My Life" or cutesy joking on songs like "Addicted."

That punk version of a tee-hee Barenaked Ladies lyrical style still hit a highpoint with a massive crowd sing-along, which was the first of many. Simply put, Simple Plan pretty much was unstoppable when they mixed attitude with their angst-ridden complaints, as on "Me Against the World," the more rough-edged "Crazy" and the insanely double-timed "Thank You."

Jovially shoving one another and generally clowning around, the members of Simple Plan clearly enjoyed their 75-minute set, which included some odd verse-or-two covers (50 Cent's "P.I.M.P." and The Darkness' "I Believe In A Thing Called Love"). The band's only true misstep seemed to be a big power-rock version of "Untitled (How Could This Happen To Me?)" Bombastic where its studio version is stark and spare, this take drained some power from the ballad about the final results of bad choices.

In warming the crowd up, McCartney elicited more squealing than probably came from the Swine Barn all week. The shrieking rose when he entered to "Without U" (complete with some mike-stand straddling), when he ended with the glitzy, Jamiroquai-style funk of "Get Your Shine On" and in between when he shimmied in any direction or flashed gratuitous glimpses of abs.

McCartney boasted an undeniably strong stage presence, striking pin-up poses and inviting a girl from the crowd onstage for a personalized version of the ballad "Take Your Sweet Time." (He also showcased some drumming acumen with a crazy solo at the end of "What's Your Name?")

Right now, though, McCartney must be content to be a Justin Timberlake for 'tweeners, with only one tentative foot forward toward adventuresome producers and strong meshing of styles. Though a solo act, he still carries a bit too much of the boy-band mentality he honed with Dream Street. But his extremely polished live set suggested he definitely will get there someday.