Concert review: Britney Spears at Allstate Arena
Britney Spears has had a rough couple of years, if you keep up with the tabloids: multiple divorces, child-custody battles, public meltdowns, a potentially career-busting performance on the MTV Video Music Awards in 2007.
So her “Circus” tour is designed to restore faith in the franchise, which has sold more than 80 million records in the last decade. The Britney brand was trotted out Tuesday in the first of two sold-out concerts at the Allstate Arena, and it was choreographed to kinky perfection.
Dressed as a whip-wielding lion tamer, a baton-waving cop, a drill sergeant (do we detect a theme here?), Spears flitted on and off a three-ring stage with a cylindrical curtain in the center of the arena. Her face was often obscured by her copious hair, sunglasses, caps. She frequently turned away from the audience when it came time to actually sing, to make it less obvious that she really wasn’t. The voice coming out of the speakers was processed into a chipmunk chirp.
As for the dancing, Spears did a lot of it, but more as part of an ensemble rather than as a featured star. She was a remote, almost robotic presence throughout the show, kept at considerable distance from her fans as if she were some exotic species of entertainer that needs its privacy; she merely had to be in the building --- and occasionally remove some clothing --- to elicit cheers.
All the rest was distraction: showers of sparks and confetti, shooting flames, bondage-clad slaves, gymnasts, trapeze artists, clowns, a guitar-playing midget. It was a lot of … something.
Yet this audience was rooting for the person hiding behind all that entertainment make-up. Many fans were twentyish women who undoubtedly grew up with her songs. But Spears gave them little reason to embrace her. There was no banter, no smiles, not even any close-ups on the video screen. It was as if Spears’ handlers wanted to keep her a safe distance from anything resembling a spontaneous encounter, an unexpected turn of events. God help her if Spears actually had to improvise.
By that play-it-safe standard, mission accomplished, I suppose. But if fans go to concerts seeking a closer connection to their heroes and heroines, this missed the mark by a mile. Frankly, I wasn’t so much appalled as bored. This for tickets as expensive as $750?
Music? Oh, yes, almost forgot about that. It was more of a soundtrack for all the dancing, play-acting and three-ring tomfoolery on stage. Those tracks pounding out of the speakers (an actual band was tucked out of view from most of the audience in an orchestra pit) sounded just fine. Whatever one thinks of Spears as a singer (she isn’t) or a songwriter (ditto), she puts a face on some thumping, well-produced hooks that would energize any dance club: “Toxic,” the Bollywood mix of “Me Against the Music,” “Womanizer” and especially “… Baby One More Time.”
But Spears is a disappointing performer. She’s a prop, used to sell tickets. This may be a Britney-approved event, but Britney herself is barely there.
greg@gregkot.com
Here’s the set list for the 90-minute show:
1. Circus
2. Piece of Me
3. Radar
4. Ooh Ooh Baby/Hot as Ice
5. Boys
6. If U Seek Amy
7. Me Against the Music
8. Freakshow
9. Get Naked
10. Breathe on Me/Touch of My Hand
11. Do Something
12. Slave
13. Toxic
14. Baby One More Time
ENCORE
15. Womanizer
Photo: Britney Spears performs at Allstate Arena on Tuesday. (Dave Shields/Photo for the Tribune)
It's obvious you know very, very little about Britney's professional career.
Then again, I shouldn't be surprised. After all, it's easier to write negative reviews coaxed with personal failures, alluded shortcomings, and "witty" jabs.
Here's a tip the next time you write about Britney: there's more to her than you will ever (care to) know.
Posted by: Adrian | April 29, 2009 at 01:35 AM
does no one want to seem to give her a break if u dont think shes a singer or wotever dont go
Posted by: paul | April 29, 2009 at 04:22 AM
Eeeew, you had to go to a Brittany show? What did you listen to afterwards to cleanse yourself of THAT...
Posted by: Swampy | April 29, 2009 at 08:24 AM
I was at the concert last night and i thought it was AWESOME!!!!! britney made a great come back. Next time i will get FRONT ROW for sure! Britneys hot and a great performer...she put on a GREAT show!
Posted by: Kerri | April 29, 2009 at 08:51 AM
Personally I think it's disgraceful that her entourage is taking such advantage of her. She clearly has some real issues that need to be addressed, and her money-grabbing father and advisors are obviously more concerned with the $s than her welfare. I hope people will think twice before donating to this charade in the future.
Posted by: Jennifer | April 29, 2009 at 08:58 AM
People think being a music critic is all fun. But then you read a review like this and remember that it's still hard work. I'm not sure I could be paid to sit through a Britney concert. Especially if I had to keep track of the set list. I would feel so... dirty.
Posted by: Jason F. | April 29, 2009 at 09:06 AM
I completely agree! I took my wife (it was her Xmas Present) and although it was a well choreographed spectacle, it was little else. She wasn't there. It was like she had no desire to be there at all! A COLD performance. The way she hurried off the stage...that was her highlight of the night. Pretty sad.
Posted by: Shap | April 29, 2009 at 09:10 AM
Oh come on, everyone knows that Britney never sings live so to show up expecting that is ridiculous. People went to see her because we're all rooting for her and wishing her the best. If you like her songs then you enjoyed singing and dancing along and enjoying the spectacle. The show was amazingly choreographed and did its best to show her off in the best light. That was enough for me, I had a great time.
Posted by: HED | April 29, 2009 at 09:16 AM
I didn't bother reading the entire review, due to mystrong sense of disinterest in the writing. What I will discuss is my respect for Britney as a performer, and overall human being. She's showcased a large amount of dedication to her profession, but most of all she seems to be using her children for inspiration. Best wishes to Britney and may she gain freedom from those who may be taking advantage of her.
Posted by: John | April 29, 2009 at 09:22 AM
Britney Spears is an entertainer and that is what she did last night entertain. She danced her ass off. How many people can say that they can do that, night after night? I've been to most of her other tours and she is an excellent and amazing performer.I was at her show yesterday and i would proudly go again tonight. People that criticizer her lyrics and show as a "sex " image, know what the lyrics are about, Going to her concert you should expect that. Britney Spears is a survivor.
Posted by: Rachel A | April 29, 2009 at 09:26 AM
I went to the Britney Spears concert last night and i thought it was awesome! I never expected her to sing nor will i ever. If she sings live then people will talk about how awful she is..if she lip syncs people talk about how awful that is...she can never win...I would have liked to see more dancing from her but i really enjoyed the Chicago fans ....they were really loud and supportive. YAY!
Posted by: anna | April 29, 2009 at 09:30 AM
i'd rather watch her producers work on a song in the studio than see britney.
Posted by: j | April 29, 2009 at 09:35 AM
Aaaay, it hurts, it hurts to be Britney, it hurts to be a center of shameful attention everytime you make an ass of yourself in public and blame the media for putting pictures of your tragic moments, it hurts to make millions lipsynching onstage because you don't have sufficient talent to actually sing and need your voice processed into pop perfection pabulum... then again I suspect most Britney fans don't know the meaning of the word. Nuff said.
Posted by: Urso | April 29, 2009 at 09:37 AM
I saw her 5 years ago at the top of her game and she lip synced...what makes people think that would change? The voice on her songs is so manufactured...no one could ever actually sound like that!
Posted by: KLT | April 29, 2009 at 09:37 AM
a well written review; i was there and couldn't have said it better myself. britney was not there mentally or physically. too many people making too much money to stop the train.
Posted by: Lauren | April 29, 2009 at 09:39 AM
Why does Britney Spears need "rooting for"? She is a performer, not an accidental celebrity. She was cute at one time, even if she was never talented. The show last night was ridiculous. The 8 people I went with wanted to leave as soon as the beer ran out. She didn't sing a note and she didn't even attempt to dance or lip sync. If she needs time off, fine, but cancel the show next time. Pathetic.
Posted by: Bryan | April 29, 2009 at 09:52 AM
Many fans were twentyish women who undoubtedly grew up with her songs.
I think the writer was too kind to say that these 20-something girls haven't actually grown-up. Why anyone would pay to see this untalented train wreck is beyond. But then fools and their parents money....
Posted by: Nunya | April 29, 2009 at 09:53 AM
Obviously you're not a Britney fan, and that's fine. But, coming from one who is a fan...I thought her concert was amazing. She looked awesome, perfromed well and all around put on an entertaining show. And, while I am not going to defend her lipsynching (because she does, we all know that) she did open up "Circus" not lip synching.
Is she the Britney that she was when she was 16...no. But, that is to be expected. She has been through a lot these past few years and through it all she remains a staple in the pop music industry.
Posted by: Rebecca | April 29, 2009 at 10:14 AM
I totally agree. I saw her in LA and she just wasn't "there." She went through the motions, but the emotion and energy just wasn't there. If you'd ever been to a Britney show before, this paled in comparison. All of the circus shenanigans and awesome dancing by her back-up dancers couldn't hide the fact that the old Britney is gone and the new Britney is just phoning it in.
Posted by: Jen | April 29, 2009 at 10:22 AM
My girlfriends and I were at this show last night and could not agree more with everything you said Greg. There was no connection with her audience, she has no passion for her own music. I don't think she even broke a sweat during her routine. All the circus acts and dancers were arround to deflect from that fact that she is a crappy performer. Her performance last night was just one notch better than what she did at the VMA's. Either she is not trying very hard (to devote herself to dancing like she used to) or she views her own self as a sex object - if she comes out on stage with a bikini outfit and struts the stage - this is enough for the audience.
Myself and 4 others were surprised that everyone seemed to be raving about the show afterwards. I suppose the trick of distraction works in their favor. I think Britney Spears is touring out of boredom.
Posted by: Jenibee | April 29, 2009 at 10:24 AM
I've always been impressed with the depth of her lack of talent
Posted by: Rufus | April 29, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Try singing live - and on key - while dancing. It's much harder than it looks. That aside, I find it interesting that Gimme More is never included in her set no matter what city she's in. Apparently her handlers want the episode in Vegas to be forgotten. But the smart money would be for her to do it now and do it better. We all have bad stuff to overcome. Pretending something didn't happen is never a good way to recover - if they think she'll ever recover. Quite frankly, I think Britney should adapt a re-mix of the old Kenny Rogers song, I Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Is In. Yeah, yeah, oooh yeah....
Posted by: Pearl | April 29, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Is this really what today's "music" has come to? I really don't think so -- what do you call something like this? I'd rather contract Swine flu than have to sit through a Spears "concert". Greg, I hope you got paid time-and-a-half for this assignment.
Posted by: Steak | April 29, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Greg -- do you know if Brit has any songwriting credits?
And will you be at Tinted Windows tomorrow?
Posted by: brian | April 29, 2009 at 10:52 AM
"Here's a tip the next time you write about Britney: there's more to her than you will ever (care to) know."
--Adrian
No Adrian, there's less. There's a LOT less. My dad once asked me if she had any real talent other than prancing around in skimpy clothing. I said "no dad, that IS her talent."
She can't even do that very well anymore.
Two words that no Britney fan can defend: lip synching.
Posted by: Wally | April 29, 2009 at 11:07 AM