Mariah Carey at the Air Canada Centre, Toronto
Mariah Carey has started to dust herself off from the tremendous fall of the last few years. After having her contract bought out, the ensuing breakdown and the horror that was Glitter, the diva is trying to reclaim her spot with new album Charmbracelet.
But the tour, which touched down last night at the Air Canada Centre, showed she still has a way to go. And making loyal fans wait for 50 minutes doesn't help much. With no opening act and the upper tier fashionably curtained off to give a more intimate feel, Carey opened the more than 100-minute set with Heartbreaker from her 1999 Rainbow album.
Walking from the back of the floor to the stage and flanked by several security guards, Carey and five dancers ran through the song as the crowd stood and cheered. She also managed to hit most of the five-octave range early on prior to Dream Lover, which featured a house-party atmosphere as she worked the stage in a glittery pink dress. Can't Take That Away was another highlight for her.
"Thank you so much Toronto, I am so happy to be here tonight," Carey said, seated in an oversized chair before Through The Rain, one of two songs chosen from an Internet fan poll. The concert also had a theatrical, musical feeling to it, with nearly a dozen dancers amid four backing vocalists and band. Clown had Carey singing behind vaudeville-like scenery as stiltwalkers and clowns danced in the background.
At other times, videos played between set changes, resulting in brief but tedious lulls in the show. And unlike Madonna or Janet Jackson, who can easily manage to wrap these productions around songs, the diva on this night had a harder time of it.
I Know What You Want was such an example, as dancers performed while the song's video was played. Carey, wearing a sun visor, uttered a few lyrics as she walked across the stage, then left just as quickly. But Carey showed she can still deliver the goods with the one-two punch of Subtle Invitation and My Saving Grace. Both songs earned the loudest ovations as she dug deep to hit some notes. A duet with backup singer Trey Lorenz on I'll Be There was another shining moment with the crowd singing along.
The homestretch of the show featured Carey, by now on her seventh or eighth outfit, dishing out favourites such as Hero and Vision Of Love, the latter from her 1991 self-titled album. When Carey's tour was initially announced, arena dates were relocated to smaller theatres due to slow ticket sales. The crowd and Carey would have been better served in a theatre setting. Although the floor and some side sections were nearly full, the back of the arena, sprinkled with people, told another story. (Jam Showbiz) Many thanks to Mariah Hero.
|
