It's a rare night when Mariah Carey brings her talents to Indianapolis, and the five-time Grammy Award winner used Saturday's show at Old National Centre to make a positive impression that will last. As a classic New York diva - someone who's collaborated with Jay-Z, Nas and Ol' Dirty Bastard - Carey showed off winning Big Apple traits.
She brought excellence to the task of singing, with her five-octave voice flowing easily amid zero hints of backing tracks, computer-enhanced tones or lip-synching.
And she was assertive, boldly warning a lover she will hunt him down if he brags "about this secret rendezvous" in the lyrics of "Touch My Body". The 2008 chart-topper is also a playful bedroom jam, one that allowed Carey to commune with her audience that appeared to be 80 percent women.
As evidence of female dominance, DJ Suss One modified a call-and-response chant that traditionally applies to men and women before Carey arrived onstage. He dropped guys from the equation and asked the following question twice: "Do my ladies love Mariah Carey?"
Check our four ways Carey proved to be bold and bubbly in Indianapolis:
1. The voice
Carey wasted little time unleashing show-stopping high notes in her whistle register, performing 1993's "Dreamlover" as the second song of the show. With Ferris wheel and fireworks imagery on video screens behind her, Carey embraced the the song's hopeful theme. The effervescent "Emotions" arrived two songs later to display Carey's skill at belting her highest and low tones within the space of a few measures.
Although "stunt singing" on televised talent competitions has been influenced by Carey's wide-spectrum voice, she wasn't overly showy Saturday night. To the contrary, she fed off the crowd's energy and invited her devoted "lambs" to strive for those high notes with her.
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2. The beats
Seemingly every tune before 2018 album "Caution" adopted a disco sheen, reminiscent of Cher's commitment to '70s grooves when she played Bankers Life Fieldhouse last month. Bass player and Fort Wayne native Lance Tolbert helped to push a dance-friendly pace for Carey on songs such as "You Don't Know What to Do" and a cover of Cherrelle's "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On".
Fortunately, the modern production of the "Caution" material works for Carey, who released her debut album in 1990. Uncluttered arrangements and quirky percussion accents don't come across as trying too hard. The songs simply make way for Carey's confident statements on what she needs ("Caution's title track) and what she doesn't ("GTFO").
3. The laughs
Carey winked at her diva reputation by bringing out two male assistants as a mid-show "pit crew" to attend to her hair and makeup. "It's what we'd be doing backstage," Carey said, implying time was being saved. She wore five different outfits across the show, including a dress boasting two vertical lines of LED lights.
It's unclear if Carey's complaints about being served too-cold tea were a gag, but she clearly rallied around her fandom's "Justice for Glitter" social-media campaign. Saturday's show featured a medley of songs from the film and album that tanked commercially in 2001. Two of her dancers ran across the stage waving "#JusticeForGlitter" flags.
4. The setting
Although Carey is a performer with arena credentials, this show at the 2,500-capacity Murat Theatre in Old National Centre fell short of sold-out status. Meanwhile, attendees in the room were among the loudest supporters in the venue's recent history. Five onstage video screens made it a great-looking concert, and Carey rocked the R&B framework of her 1990 debut single, "Vision of Love". Submit Saturday's rendition to the Aretha Franklin Memorial Office for Soulful Certification.
(Indianapolis Star)
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