Hope you all had a great weekend. Anyone up to anything exciting?
Johnny and I spent the weekend at Mohegan Sun... for you non-northeasterners, Mohegan is a major casino/hotel/resort in Connecticut. It's a gorgeous place... and while I'm not a gambler, I am big fan of Red Bull, vodka, and flashing lights :) haha.
The roulette tables and slot machines stole some of our money, but the main reason we were there was to see the current reigning Prince of Pop: Justin Timberlake. His "FutureSex/LoveShow" tour was in town, and we checked it out. The seats were awesome (they were comps from a "high roller" we know, so naturally they were going to be good ones!)... only a few rows back from the stage. Better that than the floor, where we wouldn't have seen a damn thing! Mr. JT performed "in the round," which was kind of an odd choice. He's the kind of performer that would probably benefit from the added spectacle of an elaborate set and effects, which you can't really have when you're performing in the round.
Pink opened the show... and she was awesome. She's got quite a voice, I was pretty impressed! She went through most of her big hits, like "Don't Let Me Get Me," "Stupid Girls," "Family Portrait," "Get This Party Started," and the song that's remixed version is making some waves in clubs, "U + Ur Hand." Love that one ;) I have to say I was a little bit disappointed that she left out the stuff from her first album. Y'know, singles like "There You Go," "Most Girls," and "You Make Me Sick." That was back when she was first being billed a more R&B sound... it's also back when she actually had pink hair! Haha. Anyway, I guess she wants us to forget that she ever did something other than the rock sound. She closed her set with this wild Cirque du Soleil style gymnastic routine in mid-air... y'know, twirling around on this long ribbon suspended from the ceiling. Can't say I was aware she was a gymnast! Haha. Here's a YouTube clip from that grand finale... I didn't take it, but I'm glad someone else captured it!:
I only wish I could say that Justin was just as good... but actually, I was pretty disappointed. Bear in mind that this is the guy who just took home a Grammy for "Best Dance Album." So where was the dancing?? Every now and then he'd break out with a couple seconds of his trademark Michael-Jackson-meets-NSync style of dancing. But for the most part, he pretty much alternated between walking around the stage in a different shade of grey vest, or sitting behind the piano and channeling Elton John for a "serious songwriter" moment. I'm sorry, I just personally wasn't impressed.
I like Justin - I wouldn't have bothered going to the concert, otherwise! But it's not the first time I've been underwhelmed by him as a live performer. I saw the "Justified and Stripped" tour a few years ago, when he toured with Christina Aguilera. I remember being bowled over by her part of the show; the spectacle, the voice, the attitude and the dancing all together. And then he was kind of tacked on at the end. He was good enough, but following her show, it seemed like a lame way to end the concert.
Here's a clip I found on YouTube of the Mohegan Show. It's not mine, and it's not great quality, but at least you can see how the stage was set up and whatnot!:
I just don't feel like he commands a stage the way other performers do... he certainly doesn't have the kind of presence that you need to do a show "in the round," without the benefit of an ornate set and visual distractions. In fact, to be honest... this was the first concert where I ever left before the end. It was about 2 hours long, which means - considering that he only has 2 solo CDs so far - he sang just about everything he's ever done. We kept waiting for "SexyBack," naturally assuming that would be the big closer of the evening. So we waited. And waited. Waited some more.
FINALLY, it came. And it didn't even finish the show with a bang! It was pretty by the numbers, and then it was almost immediately followed by the encore. A ballad. Wow, way to close the show with a whimper! So that's when we decided that playing some slots sounded more fun ;)
Between the curtain scrims that wrapped around the stage all night long (to serve as projection screen) that totally blocked a clear view of him, and the fact that he performed every song exactly the same way (strut, five-second dance, strut, sit at piano, strut...) it just wasn't a great show.
Why can't we give someone like Kristine W the kind of production values that a concert like this gets... so many of our favorite dance artists could command a stage with greater presence and vocal ability. Then we might get a "Best Dance Album" Grammy winner that makes sense.
Anyway, sorry Justin fans. I still like his music, but this was the second time he let me down in concert. Go back to NSync!
Love to all,
JADE
I totally agree!
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