Mariah fails to charm at LA Jingle Ball concert
While sponsoring station KIIS-FM plays mostly pop, hip-hop and dance hits, many of the young performers at this year's annual "Jingle Ball" holiday concert - hosted by Rick Dees - made a concerted effort to be seen as legitimate rock musicians rather than disposable pop acts. For some - Avril Lavigne, in particular - the move was successful. The Canadian teen singer displayed a spunky attitude and genuine affection for the energetic music that left the crowd on their feet cheering. Others - teen idols Nick Carter and Justin Timberlake - need to be told that tattoos and two guitar players do not a good rock band make.
Clearly the biggest letdown of the night, though, was the super-brief performance by de facto headliner Mariah Carey, whose two-song effort drew surprised gasps of disappointment from the mostly young female audience. Singing only "Make It Through the Rain" and "All I Want For Christmas", the embattled diva drew wild applause as she took the stage by walking through the sold-out crowd, but she exited soon thereafter to a very mixed response.
The members of Destiny's Child gave the most exciting performance of the evening, employing complicated dance numbers, lots of explosions and special effects and the trio's trademark vocal harmonies for a strong result. Singer Beyonce Knowles did one solo number over backing tracks, which is when that set lost its steam.
Australian pop star Kylie Minogue made a rare Stateside live appearance, but her choreographed dancers-in-drag routines and her flat, husky singing voice did little for the assembled youngsters. Minogue's hollow rendition of "Loco-Motion" - a big hit for her back home - was the point at which many chose to leave the arena.
Following a 10-minute DJ turn by Paul Oakenfold to open the 5-1/2-hour event, Kelly Osbourne kicked off the evening with her breathless style of pop-rock, backed by a group of hard-rock musicians. Osbourne still appears very awkward onstage, though it's that unpretentious approach that seems to appeal the most to her admirers.
Buffalo's Goo Goo Dolls, having completely shed any of the punk tendencies of their younger days, played the tightest, most impressive set of the night, though their syrupy, adult-alternative arena anthems do blend into one another. (Reuters)
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