Jonas Brothers Scale Pianos, Deliver the Hits at New York Club

Yesterday morning the Jonas Brothers caused a mini-panic by announcing a free surprise show at New York's Irving Plaza. By 4 p.m., when fans were permitted to line up outside the venue — after school hours, by design — the scene was hectic and the excited squeals audible. The band, in town to promote their upcoming Lines, Vines and Trying Times with Good Morning America and Late Show With David Letterman appearances, dashed into the building just before showtime and treated the crowd (mostly young, mostly shrieking females) to a full set featuring new tunes "Paranoid," "Poison Ivy" and standout "Much Better," as well as hits like "Lovebug" and "Be Be Good."

Kevin Jonas climbed on the baby grand for a guitar solo, and Nick revealed the first time they ever played the club he scaled a column of speakers. Of course, he was just 13 then. "We're all getting older" he murmured while seated at the piano, playing mash-up of "Black Keys" and "A Little Bit Longer."

The trio were eager to talk about how their sound and their live show have evolved backstage while running through practice sessions for their World Tour 2009. Check out Rolling Stone's sneak peek — a first look at the new stage, video and a chat with the band — in our Jonas Brothers tour rehearsal package. "We really tried to step it up this time," Kevin told us. "You might have to come more than once to see it all because you might not catch it all."

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

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