Jingle Ball is a packed party
LOWELL - A concert sponsored by a radio station is the perfect snapshot of who's hot right now. Sets usually last 20 minutes, giving performers the spotlight long enough to peddle the song that got them on the bill in the first place. For some of them, 20 minutes is just right.
Oddly enough, there's little regard for who plays these shows; often the artists have absolutely nothing in common except a radio hit. Only at KISS 108's Jingle Ball Thursday night at Tsongas Arena could you watch tween sensation David Archuleta flash his open-mouthed smile one minute and then witness emo rockers Hinder take the stage and announce, "This one's called 'Get Stoned.' "
If the performers shared anything, it was the power to get the sold-out audience to scream like the Jonas Brothers were in the house.
Early on, Lady GaGa, who's fond of saying she makes "pop art" (yawn), did her best to work up the audience, but aside from her hit "Just Dance," she went right over the heads of most of the squealing teen audience.
Archuleta, the baby-faced runner-up on the most recent season of "American Idol," was his usual earnest self. He seemed genuinely surprised by the reception he got, at one point proclaiming, "You guys are one great crowd." Along with songs from his new album, he played a charming cover of Vanessa Carlton's "A Thousand Miles," with Archuleta manning the keyboard.
Even though they went mostly acoustic, rockers Hinder were still loud and brash, courtesy of lead singer Austin Winkler's shredding vocals. Especially after Archuleta's milk-and-cookies set, the band seemed totally out of synch on the roster, especially on the call-and-response portion of "Get Stoned," which parents must have loved.
Katy Perry, who, you might have heard, kissed a girl (and she liked it!), was one of the evening's pleasant surprises. Dressed in a Santa-inspired get-up, Perry exuded a refreshing charm that's largely missing on her slick debut. And it was nice to see she had a good sense of humor. Prefacing her ubiquitous hit, "I Kissed a Girl," she quipped, "It's been overplayed, but let's do it anyway."
By contrast, Kevin Rudolf seemed woefully unready for prime time. On "Let It Rock," his Top 40 anthem featuring Lil Wayne, he would've been lost without his fans, who were more excited about singing it than he was.
He looked even sillier once Jesse McCartney, decked out in his Saturday night finest of charcoal suit and tie, took the stage with his stylized R&B. "Leavin' " was his summer hit, but the fans' screams suggested it has a longer shelf life.
British pop star Natasha Bedingfield also went unplugged, which highlighted the more tender aspects of her sweet music. Even though she was introduced by reality-TV pinup Brody Jenner, she sounded less syndicated and more heartfelt.
R&B star Ne-Yo headlined Jingle Ball and for good reason, and not just because of his many hits. At Monster Jam in October he was an opening act, but he proved he's become a major star in is own right. With a full band and light show, Ne-Yo was the consummate showman, a role model for some of the evening's earlier performers.
James Reed can be reached at jreed@globe.com. 