Nick Jonas gets loose in Minneapolis.

Star Tribune photos by Jeff Wheeler

By Jon Bream
Nick Jonas talked more onstage Thursday at the State Theatre than he probably has at all the other shows combined on his first solo tour.

What was it? Having two members of the Jonas Brothers band (guitarist John Taylor and Twin Cities keyboardist Ryan Liestman) in the house? Being in the hometown of his new (side project) band, the Administration? Or bowling at Gameworks in Block E before the show?

Whatever it was, the 17-year-old star was looser than usual onstage and more fun than at a JoBros gig. He was even exchanging laughs with the members of the Administration. And he yakked and yakked about everything from how his hair always stays the same even when he sleeps (he's not growing an Afro, he insisted) to bassist John Fields' uncle (Steven Greenberg) having written "Funkytown" and being at the concert. For a full review, click here.

One complaint: By adding an extra, unadvertised opening act (Liestman’s cool band the Rule), the 7 p.m. show did not end until after 10 p.m. That’s too late on a school-night for Nick’s youthful audience. (Early exits by Moms and daughters weren’t uncommon.) Putting the Rule on before 7 p.m. would have been advisable because most of the fans were already in their seats anyway.

Nick Jonas & the Administration played all but one of the songs from their forthcoming CD, “Who I Am,” plus a couple of numbers (Stay, While the World Is Spinning) written since the disc was recorded, a few covers and, of course, some JoBros tunes.

Here is the set list:

Rose Garden/ State of Emergency/ Olive and an Arrow/ Last Time Around/ Inseparable (Jo Bros)/ While the World Is Spinning/ Black Keys w A Little Bit Longer (JoBros on piano)/ Vespers Goodbye/ acoustic covers of Owl City’s Fireflies, Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody, Taylor Swift’s You Belong with Me/ Stay/ Conspiracy Theory/ Stronger/ Tonight (old JoBros song redone on new CD) ENCORE Who I Am

The Administration's rhythm section: drummer Michael Bland and bassist John Fields.