Carey delivers top-notch performance
The past two years may have been shaky ones for Mariah Carey but in front of a packed Dodge Theatre Saturday night, the sultry diva was nothing short of solid. Surrounded by dancers and a circle of beefy bodyguards, Carey hit a confident stride as she walked down one of the theater's aisles to take the stage. The noise level from her adoring, supportive fans was deafening throughout the night.
Despite a lavish stage production which included nine dancers, video snippets, oversized lounge chairs, eight costume changes, circus props and city street scene, the show never failed to showcase Carey's famous five-octave voice first and foremost. The pop princess sounded like her hit making self of the '90s as she wrapped herself around one self-motivating ballad after the other.
Carey's voice was in top-notch form throughout the 100-minute plus performance. While the setlist included a healthy number of tracks from her new album, Charmbracelet, she didn't disappoint fans who wanted to hear her hits. "Dreamlover", "My All", "Make It Happen" and "Heartbreaker", were just some of the songs that had the crowd singing along to every word.
One thing that was undeniable about the show was the dedication and love that Carey's fans have for the artist. The audience ranged from toddlers to seniors, but Carey's most passionate fan base seemed to be those in their early twenties to early thirties. Many in the crowd could hardly contain their excitement long before the show began and once it did, their level of enthusiasm was off the charts.
While Carey had the crowd grooving to her dance friendly hits like "Honey" and the infectious "Fantasy", it was on the ballads where she really seemed to connect with the crowd. She sang one self-empowering song after the other with the sincerity of someone who really lived and believed in the words she was singing. "Can't Take That Away" moved Carey to fall to her knees as she sang the song's personal lyrics. On "Subtle Invitation", she was lowered from the ceiling on a white silken swing and gently placed atop a grand piano.
Carey's banter seemed mostly staged, but she seemed genuinely sincere as she showered the crowd with "thank you's" and "I love you too's". It was evident that she is aware of the fact that while she took a beating in the media during her trials and tribulations of the past two years, her fans never failed to support the beauty with the big voice. Carey seemed to relish in the intimacy of the smaller venue. She would get a shocked look on her face when the audience would roar in approval as she sang. Mariah flashed her million dollar smile and waved continually to her adoring following.
Mariah's four back up singers were phenomenal, especially the charismatic and uber-talented Trey Lorenz. Just as he did 11 years before on "MTV Unplugged", Lorenz joined Carey during a stunning rendition of "I'll Be There". Carey tapped into the emotional soul of Def Leppard's power ballad, "Bringing On The Heartbreak", and unleashed an achingly beautiful version of the song.
Finishing out the night with "Hero", Carey stood confidently and belted out the song, which reinforces the ideas of loving and believing in yourself. While it may be a personal anthem to many of those who were in attendance Saturday night, it seemed as though the song's theme has hit home for no one more so than its singer herself. (The Arizona Republic)
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