Travis Schneider
Maroon 5 performs Saturday, March 25, 2022, during its “M5LV: The Residency” at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The Los Angeles-based band continues its residency at 8 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday, and April 5, 7 and 8, along with eight additional dates in July and August.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 | 2 a.m.
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine waded into the audience Saturday at Dolby Live at Park MGM, climbed a few stairs in the center of the venue’s lower level, stopped and addressed the crowd.
Maroon 5 “M5LV: The Residency” setlist
Saturday at Dolby Live at Park MGM
“Animals”
“One More Night”
“Goodbye Anymore”
“Stereo Hearts” (Gym Class Heroes cover)
“Harder to Breathe”
“Sunday Morning”
“Payphone”
“What Lovers Do”
“Makes Me Wonder”
“I Wanna Be Your Lover” (Prince cover)
“Heavy” (sung by keyboardist PJ Morton)
“Maps”
“Memories”
“Don’t Wanna Know”
“Daylight”
“Love Somebody”
“Moves Like Jagger”
“Stayin’ Alive” (Bee Gees cover)
Encore
“She Will Be Loved”
“Girls Like You”
“Sugar”
This being his first time headlining an extended show on the Las Vegas Strip, “M5LV: The Residency,” Levine explained, he wanted to do something special during the show that the band’s fans might not otherwise ever get to witness. While Maroon 5 was rehearsing in the theater before the show opened, Levine said he happened upon the very spot where he now stood, and decided, “This will be the place where I stand and sing for the people.”
Unbeknownst to Levine until advised by a band manager, the spot he had chosen was specifically built for another artist’s residency at the Dolby Live theater — R&B sensation Usher.
The revelation didn’t deter Levine. Instead, he thanked Usher for having the same foresight. Then, he took out a Sharpie and decided to write a note on the stoop to his fellow Dolby Live headliner, who will return to the venue for a series of 17 more shows beginning April 14.
“Dear Usher,” Levine said, dictating to himself as he wrote. “You’re so, so, so, so, so sexy. Also, thanks for letting me use your little stumpy stair thing. I love you, and you’re sexy. Love … Justin Timberlake.”
“Perfect,” Levine exclaimed, clearly reveling in the moment as the audience chuckled along with him.
Then he stood tall on the perch and performed an exhilarating stripped-down version of Maroon 5’s 2004 Top-5 hit, “She Will Be Loved.”
It was a special moment in the residency, which opened Friday and will continue a run of shows at 8 p.m. today with dates into August. But it wasn’t the only one.
The evening included videos documenting the band’s beginnings 20 years or so ago. One voiceover had Levine remarking, “All the dreams we had, we never let up on. We were not going to fail!”
But perhaps the most special moment — poignant even — came with the band’s tribute to its former manager, Jordan Feldstein, who unexpectedly died of a pulmonary embolism in 2017 at age 40. As a heart appeared on a video board behind the band with the word “Jordi” inside it, Levine explained that “losing him was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through.”
After a video chronicled Levine’s longtime friendship with Feldstein, which dated to their childhood, Levine introduced the next song telling the audience, “This song is about that man right there.”
The band then launched into “Memories,” the lead single and No. 1 hit off of the 2019 album “Jordi.”
Beyond the highlighted special moments, Maroon 5 pulled from its deep catalog of hits throughout the night. “Animals” kicked off the concert and was followed by a bevy of the band’s familiar tunes, including “Stereo Hearts,” “Payphone,” “Don’t Wanna Know,” “Sunday Morning,” “Moves Like Jagger,” “What Lovers Do,” “Love Somebody” and “Sugar.”
The radio and streaming standards made for many a sing-along throughout the night, with a majority in the audience standing and dancing the entirety of the 90-minute show.
Throughout it all, Levine held court. Making his way around the stage, showing off his vocal skills and displaying his guitar chops. He pranced about in various degrees of dress. The much-tattooed and buff singer wore a variety of shirts and jackets throughout the evening, and — to the delight of many — shed his shirt entirely on a couple of occasions.
If the opening weekend of the residency is any indication, “M5LV: The Residency” will deliver many more special moments through its Park MGM run.
— “M5LV: The Residency” continues at 8 p.m. today, Friday and Saturday; April 5, 7 and 8; July 28 and 29; and Aug. 1, 4, 5, 9, 11 and 12. For ticket information, go to ticketmaster.com/maroon5vegas.
