LADY KILLERS BEYONCE, MISSY AND ALICIA PACK PUNCH.Byline: Story by Jocelyn Cahir-Rangel Staff Writer What does it mean to be an independent woman in 2004? Chart-toppers Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Missy Elliott provided a potent demonstration during their Ladies First tour stop Saturday night at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim. They will perform again Wednesday at the same venue. Hip-hop often doesn't translate well to the stage. Too much bass, unheard vocals - those are a couple common problems. But Elliott got things off to a promising start, melting about 20 songs into one set, singing and dancing to hits including ``The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly),'' from 1997, and ``Work It,'' off her 2002 album ``Under Construction.'' No stranger to costume changes, Elliott went from '70s retro to square dance wrangler wran·gler n. 1. One who wrangles or quarrels. 2. A cowboy or cowgirl, especially one who tends saddle horses. Noun 1. during her show-opening set. Next, Alicia Keys, performing with a band, proved all those years of piano lessons really paid off, opening her set with ``Karma karma or karman (kär`mə, kär`mən), [Skt.,=action, work, or ritual], basic concept common to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. ,'' off 2003's ``Diary of Alicia Keys.'' She was beaming on songs including ``Woman's Worth,'' ``Butterflyz'' and ``Fallin'.'' Atop her baby grand piano, Keys at one point recalled images of Michelle Pfeiffer in the movie ``The Fabulous Baker Boys,'' writhing and taunting as she sang ``Slow Down.'' Another time, she brought down the house when she ``conducted'' her band with a baton. After performing crowd favorites such as ``Diary,'' ``If I Ain't Got You'' and ``Goodbye,'' Keys ended things on an especially high note with ``You Don't Know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. My Name,'' from 2003. Charioted to the stage on what looked like fluffy white clouds, Beyonce made a grand entrance, throwing roses to her fans. This night of sisterly love was just beginning, with a colorful rendition of her hit ``Baby Boy.'' Later, curtains were drawn to reveal a half-dozen oversize o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. Adj. 1. television images of Beyonce during ``Me, Myself & I.'' As the headliner, several costume changes were a must, and Beyonce didn't disappoint. She also pleased fans with most of her hits, including a medley of ``Say My Name,'' ``Independent Women Part I,'' ``Bonnie bon·ny also bon·nie adj. bon·ni·er, bon·ni·est Scots 1. Physically attractive or appealing; pretty. 2. Excellent. and Clyde'' and ``Survivor.'' Beyonce and her dancers sexed things up a bit during ``Hip Hop hip-hop or hip hop n. 1. A popular urban youth culture, closely associated with rap music and with the style and fashions of African-American inner-city residents. 2. Rap music. adj. Star.'' Then, wearing a pretty yellow number, she sat in a high-flying swing against a starlit star·lit adj. Illuminated by starlight. starlit Adjective lit by starlight Adj. 1. backdrop and sang ``Speechless'' to the crowd. Perhaps to show a more serious side, Beyonce donned an evening gown evening gown n. A woman's formal dress. Also called evening dress. Noun 1. evening gown - a gown for evening wear dinner dress, dinner gown, formal during ``Dangerously in Love,'' the song she performed at the Grammys. She closed the evening with ``Crazy in Love,'' and unfortunately her boyfriend Jay-Z wasn't on hand to rap his part, but that didn't keep the audience from falling crazy in love with the solo songstress song·stress n. 1. A woman who performs songs, especially ballads or popular songs. 2. A woman who writes songs. See Usage Note at -ess. . VERIZON LADIES FIRST TOUR Verizon Ladies First Tour is a 2004 joint concert tour by American R&B/soul singers Beyoncé and Alicia Keys and American rapper Missy Elliott. Tour's guest was Tamia. It was co-sponsored by Steve Madden and L'Oréal. : BEYONCE, ALICIA KEYS AND MISSY ELLIOTT Where: Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim. When: 7 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets: $50.50 to $90.50. Call (213) 480-3232 or www.ticketmaster.com. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) Headliner Beyonce, center, performs the song ``Baby Boy'' at the show at Arrowhead Pond on Saturday night. (2) Missy Elliott laughs as she dances at the Ladies First show, which will be performed again on Wednesday. (3) Alicia Keys vamps as a gangster at the opening of her segment in the group concert in Anaheim. Photos by Jennifer Cappuccio/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion