Jingle Bell Bash mixes pop, power-punk for a smashing show

Christmas came early for the thousands that crammed into the Tacoma Dome Sunday night for a little pre-holiday party.

The occasion: the sixth annual Jingle Bell Bash, featuring a pastiche of pop and power-punk groups assembled together by Seattle radio station KISS-FM (106.1).

The bill was eclectic, with Simple Plan and All American Rejects filling out the pop-punk card, Sean Paul providing the reggae, Black Eyed Peas the funk, Clay Aiken ballads of the lovelorn and Michelle Branch and Stacie Orrico the girl power.

The five-plus hour show consisted mostly of relatively short sets of the artists' most popular hits.

Jamaican star Sean Paul turned up the heat and created a dance-party atmosphere that had the ladies squealing with delight. The swelling mass of bodies on the floor moved and grooved to "Gimme the Light" and "Shake That Thing," and the party continued with "Baby Boy," with the audience singing Beyoncé's part in the catchy song.

Canadian punk-pop band Simple Plan proved to be capable musicians and gracious performers, as they consistently thanked the crowd.

"It's always good to play in Seattle," frontman Pierre Bouvier told the audience, before cutting loose on "a song about being stupid," the aggressive "Grow Up." Other highlights included "Addicted" and the moody "Perfect."

Those in the near sellout house were treated not only to an evening of shiny pop music but a visit from television's current "it" couple, "Newlyweds" Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, who served as the event's guest emcees.

The photogenic pair's first duty was to introduce hip-hop/funk outfit Black Eyed Peas.

The stylish group featuring a trio of principle vocalists and a live band were on the mark with a tight set that mixed old-school funk with urban rhythms and body-rocking beats that got the crowd pulsating. When Black Eyed Peas brought the funk, with "Smells Like Funk," the house was shakin' and the euphoria continued when the group launched into the rousing "break-up" song, "Shut Up." The song, written from a female's point of view, was loud and lively, and many of the ladies in the house sang along with delight.

Black Eyed Peas' performance reached fever pitch when the band launched into its big hit, "Where Is the Love," with the audience — a mix of children, tweens and adults — providing the back-up vocals.

One artist who got plenty of love was Clay Aiken.

Aiken, the ubiquitous "American Idol" runner-up, flexed his ability to carry off pop-rock just as he does swooning ballads during a very brief set that featured songs from his smash debut, "Measure of a Man."

Wearing casual Friday attire and sporting wire-rimmed glasses, affable Aiken thanked Seattle fans for making his album and the single, "Invisible," a hit, before performing that song and other worthy singles, "I Will Carry You" and "Run To Me."

Aiken's boy-next-door charm and slight Southern drawl makes him likable, and though there's a certain sameness to the material — namely tackling relationships and issues of the heart — it's really about the voice. And Aiken's voice, though at times almost overpowering against the recorded music, was rich and hearty, powerful enough that even Simon Cowell would find it hard to fault.

Rounding out the night was folk-pop, guitar-strumming singer Michelle Branch, whose mature sound translated well in the Dome. Branch delivered a fine set that included cuts from her latest offering, "Hotel Paper," including the lush "Breathe" and the poppy "Find My Way Back," which showed off her vocals as much as her musicianship.

Tina Potterf: 206-464-8214 or tpotterf@seattletimes.com