Mariah Carey - Staples Center, Los Angeles
If Mariah Carey's target demographic audience isn't apparent from her style of syrupy R&B pop, it certainly is from her live show. When the top-selling female artist of the '90s jump-started her U.S. tour at the new Staples Center in Los Angeles on March 16, teary-eyed female pubescents came out in droves, donning matching Mariah get-ups and all. Mariah's two-hour show included plenty cutesy skits that one might expect from one of teen pop singers like Britney or Christina, starting with massive video screens playing cartoon and video footage of Mariah feuding with alter-ego Bianca, the villainous brunette portrayed by Mariah in the "Heartbreaker" music video. The two ended up brawling in a boxing ring. At another point in the show, Mariah brought a couple of her pet lambs onto the stage, and another time, Mariah and her female dancers dressed up as beauty-pageant contestants. In all, the diva changed outfits a half a dozen times.
The real treat, of course, was hearing this vocal powerhouse belt out her endless string of hits, starting with "Emotions" and including several favorites, like "Heartbreaker," "Always Be My Baby," "Dream Lover," "Fantasy," "Honey," and "I Still Believe" featuring guest appearances from Krayzie Bone and opening act Da Brat. Mariah took her time, prancing across the stage, waving to fans, and standing still when a song called for one of her near-screeching, high-octave runs.
She kept the show personal by speaking to the fans in attendance as if they were her girlfriends. She explained that she continuously pulled up her jeans because she lost weight while on her European tour, citing bad food as the reason. She showed off the butterfly tattoo on her back. She said that her slim-fitting beauty-pageant dress was so tight that it forced her to walk like Morticia Addams. And naturally, she also brought a couple female fans onstage.
The overall tone of the show was fun and lively, right through to the strong encore of "Vision Of Love" and "Hero," during which bright stagelights helped add sparkle to the million pieces of silver confetti that fluttered down from the ceiling. Mariah was quite comfortable onstage and while participating in the well-choreographed dance routines, though she was probably a bit too comfortable during her performance of "Fantasy": seeing Mariah bending over in one sexually suggestive dance move was a bit much for the kiddies.
Da Brat opened up the night with a 30-minute set, covering all her big hits, such as "Funkdafied," "Sittin' On Top Of The World," "Give It 2 You," and "What I'm Looking For," the current single from her forthcoming Unrestricted album. Though her recent publicity shots have featured her styling a more feminine look, she wore her hair in poofy braided pigtails, athletic jersey and matching shorts - a stark contrast to Mariah's look this evening. (Launch)
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