MANILA, Philippines - Maroon 5 played it short and sweet Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Just 10 songs, plus the obligatory encore, and the show was over. The crowd of about 10,000 wanted more?not that they felt shortchanged, but because they loved every minute of the gig that was promoted by Viva Concerts.

Most noticeable was the band?s solid, powerful sound, loud but perfectly mixed. Matt Fynn?s drumming was simple, yet heavy on the back beat, providing a rhythmic punch that could outdo any drum machine.

Lead vocalist Adam Levine had the females in the audience swooning like crazy. His matinee idol features couldn?t hide beneath the roughed-up look?unshaven face, Army buzz cut hair, heavily tattooed left arm, black sleeveless sweatshirt. More importantly, he had a voice that could seamlessly switch to falsetto.

Flanking Levine and contrasting with his punk/hip hop image were bassist Mickey Madden and lead guitarist James Valentine?both sporting shoulder-length locks like ?70s metal heads. The latter?s solos, ringing like a rushing fire truck, bordered on psychedelia.

But the Maroon 5 sound, which has apparently changed since its 2002 debut, seemed anchored on funk. That?s what we heard in ?Makes Me Wonder,? ?Can?t Stop Thinking About You,? and ?A Little of Your Time,? among other tracks from the band?s recent recording, ?It Won?t Be Soon Before Long.?

Where there?s funk

And if there?s funk, there?s got to be dancing. Levine, though not so demonstrative on stage, still looked engaging and reminded us of Prince. He picked up a guitar at certain points?and played it with aplomb.

In several instances, Valentine and Levine engaged in playful guitar duels. And, in at least one segment, the latter soloed like a combined grunge and metal hero, his axe crying out loud?kerrrannnggg!

When things slowed down to a bluesy ballad, the band had a surprise?extending the melody and Levine segueing into the lyrics of Phil Collins? ?In the Air Tonight.?

Later, Levine confessed to feeling a certain kind of energy in the air, for which he would express gratitude by breaking into a wide smile. How the crowd loved it, since he rarely showed that emotion while performing.

The swooning escalated when the band played an early hit, ?Sunday Morning,? whose easygoing melody had couples hugging each other while chiming in with the lyrics, and Viva Hotbabe Andrea del Rosario dancing like she was about to jump onstage and seduce Levine.

A very intense roar accompanied the next song, ?I Won?t Go Home Without You,? with the crowd taking over the chorus. Here Levine?s falsetto was reminiscent of Sting?s, and the song?s bass lines almost like those of ?Every Breath You Take.?

As the video screen focused on Levine, it seemed like no woman in the Big Dome would mind getting marooned with him on a deserted island. Ever.