Britney's Back!
Filed under: Personally Perez > Britney Spears
This is a bullshit-free review!
Britney Spears descended from the sky at the New Orleans Arena on Tuesday night to rightfully reclaim her role as the Princess of Pop. And Perez was lucky enough to be there!
One of the reasons we decided to go to New Orleans was because we weren't sure if Britney would make it without quitting through to the middle of April, when her Circus tour is scheduled to hit Los Angeles. Heck, we weren't even sure she could pull off opening night.
And she did! Quite well. Much better than we had expected!
Here's how it all went down: The Pussycat Dolls went on at 8:00 P.M. sharp and put on an energetic 40-minute set of hits. Robin Antin, the group's founder, told us that they had just one day and only two hours on stage to reconfigure their arena show to be in-the-round, as is the case with Britney's 3-stage circus.
Backstage we ran into K-Fat and Spears' newly rehired assistant, Felicia Culotta. There was no sense of chaos or panic behind the scenes before Britney went on, which surprised us.
There was a pre-show featuring clowns, martial arts and acrobatics, and Britney went on at approximately 9:20 P.M, playing for about an hour and forty minutes.
A video featuring none other than yours truly, Perez, opened the show, and - we are pleased to say - it was very warmly received!
Spears descended from the roof on an apparatus and kicked things off with the appropriately-themed Circus. And she looked great! The outfits were fab and her body was bangin! Her leg muscles are ridic!
Now, let's get our biggest gripe/problem with the show out of the way. Yes, she lipsynchs during the entire concert. There is no live singing. None!. She recorded vocals to "sound like" live, but they were all canned, pre-taped.
However, it's a Britney Spears show. You expect that!
Even though you expect it, though, it would be nice if at least a handful of the almost 20 song set were live. But, that's not gonna happen.
In exchange for the miming, you do get Spears doing what she does best, dancing. And she's got the moves again!
We were a bit underwhelmed by her live TV appearances performing Womanizer. She seemed drugged and lethargic. She'd walk around from point A to point B, just walking - without much (if any) confidence.
Well, we are pleased to say that Britney has her confidence back! And she seemed to be having a great time throughout the whole show. You could tell by the huge grin that appeared on her face throughout the evening.
She didn't say much. In fact, she didn't speak at all to the audience until after the very last song! We do wish she would have said something earlier, but she didn't have to. She spoke through her body and that infectious smile.
When you see Britney smile, you can't help but smile back!
Her only words the whole night were, "Thank you New Orleans, I love u guys. Did y'all have a good time? Thank you so much," which she said after the final encore, Womanizer.
The show is a non-stop, exhilarating assault on the eyes, a visual extravaganza. And there is a LOT that Britney does. To her credit, she pulled it off! She did it!
She danced like she hasn't danced in a very long time. And, one of the best parts of the evening was that Spears seemed to be clear-headed. She did not appear heavily-sedated or lethargic at all. She was on point!
It being the very first show of the tour, you could tell she was wasn't 100% tight with the choreography yet, but she was more than just going through the motions. She was feeling it and into it!
We had never seen a show in-the-round before and it was a thrilling experience. There is no bad seat in the house! And director Jamie King did an exquisite job of filling the space and being inventive.
The show was fun and fresh and dazzling! There were definitely many more "moving pieces" than in Madonna's recent Sticky & Sweet tour, which King also directed.
There were a few missteps on the production-front, a misguided heavy metal segment and some empty space with two background vocalists that could be filled or tightened after Spears sings lipsynchs the ballad Everytime.
But, those moments were definitely very few and far between. If you are a Britney fan - or someone who appreciates a big spectacle - then you will love the show. Jamie did an amazing job of giving the concert a true Circus-like feel, incorporating magic, aerialists, clowns, tons of dancers and lots of razzle dazzle.
The most jaw-dropping moment of the show was when Spears performed Breath On Me accompanied by two aerialists, who turned their bodies into a bed and sent Britney flying into the sky with them! But, not just that, she totally was fearless in the air and did some amazing moves herself in the air!
Other highlights include the super-playful If You Seek Amy - with boys and hammers - and an amped up version of …Baby One More Time, which still kills.
From flying sets, smoke, wind, pyro, this concert has it all. But it's biggest asset is definitely Spears herself.
There is something about Britney that makes her truly special. She has that indescribable "it" factor. People are always rooting for her, even when she was at her lowest lows. We genuinely want to see her succeed! We've seen her grow up in front of our eyes, and we love her - shortcomings and all. She may not be perfect, but that's okay. She's our Britney.
And she's back, bitches!
We can't wait to see the show again in Atlanta and Miami and see it get better and better.
Perez, your faithful and honest critic, over and out!
P.S. We do feel confident now that Britney is going to finish out the tour, so we are uber excited we'll see it in Los Angeles too.
Enjoy the Circus!
[Images via WENN.]
She still looks like hell. Those costumes are awful. Why would anyone pay to see this lip syncing twat?
WTF Perez???? You were total dick to her before she pulled herself together. Now that you were asked to be in her show your all BFF's????? Your just as big of a fame whore as everyone you make fun of. hypocrite
I'm SO proud of Britney! Yay her!
just one question who the hell is we?????
you mean you… alone stop acting like you have a team you i and me dumb ass
You sure are pissy with this review Preze. If i was her u wouldnt open my next show.
How sad that she can't even sing one song live! Just shows that she has no talent whatsoever.
If she hadn't put you in the show you'd be dogging her now…
From People: Don't call it a comeback quite yet. Britney Spears still isn't all the way there. At least not from the standpoint of the kickoff concert of her much-anticipated Circus tour. While she avoided the train wreck that was her 2007 MTV Video Music Awards appearance, a visibly nervous Spears, performing in front of enthusiastic fans near her Kentwood, La., hometown, never really hit her old stride. Descending from above in a red ringmaster-meets-dominatrix outfit to sing her hit "Circus," she showed that her body was tight, even if her dancing always wasn't. Indeed,there was a lot more strutting than real choreographic feats from Spears. And there was a decided lack of joy in her performance, which felt labored at times. Lack of Engagement It didn't help that she hardly engaged the audience, not addressing them at all until after her lone encore, "Womanizer," performed in sexed-up cop uniforms. Given that Spears probably doesn't do much live singing either, it left a definite chill in the air.
There was one major miscue, when Spears didn't join two backup singers for a rendition of Duffy's "I'm Scared" – apparently because the lyric sheet went missing onstage.
When she wrapped the concert about 90 minutes after emerging, she seemed more relieved than anything that it was all over.
A bullshit free review, my arse.
Re: Reginald Perrin –
People magazine is the only review saying that. 9 out 10 reviews are commending her show. Your really believe People? I didn't think anyone took that magazine seriously.
Re: RubyM –
How about the Daily Mail:
The Louisiana performance, the first of her 44-date Circus tour, was widely deemed a success by fans, but critics were less enthusiastic, citing her lip-syncing as a notable disappointment.
In between sets, there was little interaction with the crowd, but Britney did say 'thank you New Orleans, you have a good night' after her encore.
While admitting the show was quite the spectacular, critics said they were expecting more from the singer vocally and from her dance moves.
Los Angeles Times critic Ann Powers wrote: 'Her singing was dominated by a backing track.
'Her moves were nothing special - defined by much strutting and stripper-like shimmying, with the minimum amount of acrobatics to prove her mettle as a dance-pop queen.'
I'm not trying to bash Britney, though her brown nosing of Perez makes me nauseous. Perez's "review" is bullshit, that's my point.
Re: Squished – Your even dumber than a empty glass of water!
SHE'S HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUST AS FAT AS THAT APPEARANCE ON THE AWARDS SHOW 2 YEARS AGO - AND THE COSTUMES MAKE HER LOOK OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - LIKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER DOING A BAD POLE DANCE FOR THE NEIGHBORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - SHE NEEDS TO KEEP HER VAGINA AND MOUTH CLOSED FOR A LONG TIME, TAKE SINGING LESSONS, AND GO BACK TO SCHOOL - YOU CAN ONLY BE A SMALL TOWN, WHITE TRASH, TRAILER PARK HO-BAG, VAGINA DRIPPING, SKANK SLUT FOR SO LONG - IN OTHER WORDS BRIT - YO SHELF LIFE IS OVER. TIME TO RETIRE
LOOKS LIKE YOUR GRANDMOTHER DOING A POLE DANCE FOR THE NEIGHBORS
I would be sooo f*cking pised if i paid big money to see a show and she is lipsyncing, ow my god so fake……. I like her music but she is not a real artist.. Pink or Christina on the other hand the are f*cking great…… Pink her show was amazing 100% live and her voice was cristal clear the entire show….. it was awsome.. To britney i would never pay a lot of money to see her put on a playback show… Her songs ar good but the rest……..
Thanks for that awesome review Perez…it gave me goosebumps reading it!!
Counting down the days till March 20th in Montreal!!
Ps. Montreal is the only city she's doing a promo event at a club…never felt so lucky to live here!!!!
Re: Quenepa – madonna dances more than shitney and she didnt playback
lots of newspapers said her tour is so so.not that good.thats why she doesnt sell.she sucks
from the people"dont call it a comeback .britney spears still isnt all the way there" hahahaha
can't stand britney but for some reason i wanna see her go back to the pop princess she was. keep up the good work britney!!!
can't stand britney but for some reason i wanna see her go back to the pop princess she was so i can stop feeling bad for her and start hating her again j/k… but for real. keep up the good work and don't let us down.. AGAIN!
wow
omg i love her i want to cry.
"People are always rooting for her, even when she was at her lowest lows." HA!!!!!! You exploited her at her worst moments and even commented to the effect that you missed Britney's antics when she started to pull her life together again. You thrived on her misery and depression, because it offered you a good story. You cashed in on her breakdown by selling merchandise that mocked her poor mental state. Do not lump yourself in the same category as those who were genuinely concerned about her while she was struggling.
Re: Reginald Perrin –
Okay… and the Daily Mail then.
SHITTNY LIP SYNC NO WAY… LOL of course she does she is a madonna wanna be soo 100%…. im not sure how much her tickets run but if she is going to lip sync then its not a show…..
I love the way she wears a mike to lipsynch.
Man… what happened to old Perez Hilton who would criticize every fucking celebrity out there? What this is turning into is a real curiosity… now you are a "celebrity" too… or are you?
It's britney, bitch!
OMG IM SO EXCITED I ALREADY GOT MY TICKET FOR THE APRIL 24 AZ CONCERT
We were in the ATL and loved PCD, PEREZ and BRITNEY….They all rocked the house!
Love you Perez.
I would've loved to be there.
Sounds like an experience of a life time.
All you lucky american bastards
I just saw the show in Tampa and Britney was AMAZING. The set design was very creative and her dancers were so good. I loved every minute of it. I am proud of her.