Austin Mahone fans gathered at the Target Center on Sunday, August 10.  Among them stood fans of Mahone’s opening acts, Shawn Mendes and The Vamps.  Personally,  I have been following Mendes and The Vamps and I went to the concert not knowing what to expect from Mahone.

I started the evening off at the KDWB live interview party at Huberts. The restaurant was crowded with teen girls hoping to get a glimpse of The Vamps and Shawn Mendes as they entered the room to speak on air with “Big D.” Other fans waited desperately outside of the tour bus, trying to catch the eye of Mahone. As The Vamps entered the packed venue, there was an uproar of frenzied excitement as girls shouted to the band.

Concert tip number one – arrive early. The entrance was so packed at the last concert I attended at Target Center, that I missed half of the opening act. This time, I was ready and was near the front of the line as the crowd started forming.

The concert started off when a mysterious boyband came on stage and performed  a few songs. The literal definition of boyband, Suite 44, danced and sang with entertaining charm. They were an added bonus I hadn’t known would be there.

Shawn Mendes was up next.  Mendes sang about 5 songs, including a cover of Lana Del Ray’s song Summertime Sadness.  I really enjoyed Mendes’ performance and wished he’d had more stage time. He has a soulful voice and pristine guitar playing.  His songs are catchy and stick with you when they are over.

The Vamps were the next group with half a dozen songs, including two covers- Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel and Trumpets by Jason Derulo. The Vamps were energetic, involving the audience in their song Somebody to You, which has gotten a lot of radio play and features Demi Lovato on the album and video. They ramped up the audience as lead singer Brad Simpson kept repeating, “Let’s go crazy, Minneapolis, ” to make the crowd roar with excitement. At one point he even threw a sweaty towel into the sea of fan girls. The energy mixed with good music made the performance enjoyable and fun.

Saving the headliner for last, Austin Mahone came out dancing and singing- very Justin Bieber-esque. I had no exposure to Mahone before the concert, so I went in with an open mind. I am not as fond of this type of music, but I can see why some are (the music is catchy and dancey). The rest of the audience seemed to love every moment of Mahone, including his cheesy allusions to finding a girlfriend in the crowd. Clearly he has a devoted fan base.

Later in the show Mahone brought out his acoustic guitar and played a few slow songs. I enjoyed the acoustic music more than the electronic stuff, as he seemed more real and less like he was putting on a personality.

The best thing about the concert was the variety of acts and music in one place. It’s always a rush to be surrounded by the sound of live performance and pumped up fans. Although the concert didn’t convert me into a Mahone fan, I was impressed by his stage show. For me, The Vamps and Shawn Mendes stole the show.