June 18th: ALICIA KEYS at Madison Square Garden - In sharp contrast to the intimate performance by My Brightest Diamond the night before, was Alicia Keys' Vegas-styled extravaganza tonight at Madison Square Garden. Four background singers and six dancers complemented a full band behind Alicia, wearing tight jeans that showed off her bountiful thighs, as she alternated between pop star and pianist, at times performing moves with her dancers or just letting her piano and voice be the show without any distractions. The huge stage was adorned with massive screens across the top (the center sometimes split into two images) and below, a semi-dome that parted in the middle for Alicia to enter and exit the backstage. The glitz began with a short film featuring Cedric The Entertainer as a preacher instructing Alicia to go out and share her gifts with the world followed by the whirlwind combo of "Ghetto Love" (originally recorded with dancehall artist Cham) and "Waiting For Your Love" (a bonus track on the digital version of the 'As I Am' album). Amidst the flurry of movement, the music seemed to get a little lost and was a bit muddy to the point where I could hardly tell what songs were being played. There was some improvement afterward which could very well be due to the songs being more familiar to me, but the pace slowed a little also. In fact, the best songs of the night were ones that Alicia sang at her piano with very little excess. The dancers and background singers all got their time in the spotlight though, the girls performing "Lady Marmalade" and male vocalist Jermaine Paul covering Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up" while the dancers showed their moves. Jermaine also won the approval of the arena singing three duets with Alicia including taking Usher's place for the #1 duet "My Boo". The excess all came together on "Karma" which got a James Bond makeover with her dancers as faux Bond girls. The night ended on a high note literally as Alicia's piano rose out of the end of the stage near the center of the floor for the second encore so she could deliver a passionate version of "If I Ain't Got You". Both she and piano ascended above the floor seats as the song reached its zenith as if being called to heaven. The bombast was befitting of a local girl that after months of touring had finally come home.
Set list:
As I Am (intro)
Ghetto Story
Waiting For Your Love
Where Do We Go From Here
You Don't Know My Name
Teenage Love Affair
Lady Marmalade (Labelle) (background singers only)
Heartburn
Sure Looks Good To Me
How Come You Don't Call Me (Prince)
Butterflyz
Prelude To A Kiss
Superwoman
I Need You
Wreckless Love
Diary (duet with Jermaine Paul)
Tender Love (Force MDs) (duet with Jermaine Paul)
My Boo (duet with Jermaine Paul)
Unbreakable
Like You'll Never See Me Again
Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1) (Marvin Gaye) (Jermaine Paul solo)
Feeling U, Feeling Me
Go Ahead
A Woman's Worth
Karma
The Thing About Love
Fallin' / It's A Man's Man's Man's World (James Brown) (medley)
Encore one:
No One
Encore two:
If I Ain't Got You
120 minutes
(read more concert reviews at http://blog.myspace.com/sextonseven)
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6 comments:
Nice. Was it worth the money in your opinion? Should I go to see her if she comes to TO?
I don't know. I think I would be distracted by her "bountiful thighs". I'm already distracted when I look at the picture you posted. Alecia shouldn't let herself be shown up by Madonna, who is pushing 50 and has great thighs in her video "4 Minutes To Save The World".
Jay, it cost me around $100 for floor seats. I think it was worth it. You should definitely go if you don't mind cheaper seats and bringing binoculars.
Madonna is a little too muscular for me.
Are you saying you like a little fat and grissle on your meat?
"Are you saying you like a little fat and grissle on your meat?"
Werd...
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