News Tidbits
--An after-party following Mariah's concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada, has been scheduled at PURE Nightclub. Click here to RSVP! Below is an online advertisement for the event. Click on the thumbnail for an enlarged view.


--According to MTV News, Mariah is among the artists collaborating with rapper Paul Wall on his forthcoming album, "Get Money, Stay True." Wall's LP is expected to drop early next year.

--Sinvino, Mariah's official sponsor in Hong Kong, China, is holding a contest, offering chances to win tickets to MC's concert at the Tamar site on Saturday, October 28, 2006. Click here for more details! Below is a scan of an advertisement featured in various local newspapers and magazines. Click on the thumbnail for an enlarged view.


Mariah Mentions
--In a new interview featured on MTV Overdrive, singer/songwriter Nelly Furtado mentions Mariah. Below is a transcription of her remarks.

"The first singer I really got into was Mariah Carey when I was about 12. She kind of taught me how to sing 'cause, you know, couldn't really afford singing lessons. So, I would just listen to Mariah Carey's CD over and over again, and learn all her lyrics."

--From Southern Voice Online: The song isn’t on the version of “20 Y.O.” released this week, but is coming on a future re-release, along with a possible duet with Mariah Carey, which [Janet] Jackson says is still in the works.

--From SOHH Soulful: Mariah Carey wrote "Hero" for Gloria Estefan but later pulled it back when everyone realized how good of a song it was.

--From Newsday.com: The 10,000-square-foot estate has been featured in Architectural Digest, having been decorated by Mario Buatta, who also decorated the New York City apartments of Barbara Walters and Mariah Carey. (Greenlawn native Carey's "Moroccan room," Buatta says, was a lot of fun for him.)

Fans' Corner
--Raymundo has recorded a Spanish version of "We Belong Together." Recently, he performed it on 107.1 FM Super Estrella in Los Angeles, California, and received positive responses from callers. You can hear the version, "Te Necesito A Mi Lado," on his MySpace music page.

--Stéphanie has acquired a new URL for her French fansite, Monde Mariah Carey. Check it out!

Video Download

CCTV-10 (China Central Television) recently aired Mariah's 2005 interview with Paula Zahn from CNN's "People In The News." The Chinese version of this interview can be downloaded here or streamed online here.

"Glitter" wasn't a box-office success, and now Mariah Carey is pleased that at least one person missed the film. Producer Lee Daniels cast Carey in the upcoming "Tennessee" after catching her performance in the 2002 independent drama "WiseGirls." "I don't know if he's seen ["Glitter"] since then," Carey told MTV News, "but the great thing is, he's in the independent film world and that's where 'WiseGirls' was such a great validating moment for me — even though it was totally overshadowed by the debacle of 'Glitter.' " The singer, who plays a waitress in "Tennessee" — as she did in "WiseGirls" — said the role is a real departure. "The character is so not what you would think. This is not about hairdos and ensembles. The girl's in the trenches."

Yep. She’s still got it! MC, that is, as her fans call her. The rest of the world knows her as Mariah Carey.

Carey performed on Wednesday, Sept. 27 at Arco Arena for her “Adventures of Mimi” tour and her fans loved every bit of it. She sang a mixture of songs, old and new. She performed her classics including, “Hero,” “Butterfly,” “Vision of Love,” “One Sweet Day,” as well as a compilation of tracks from her new album, “The Emancipation of Mimi.”

Mimi, as she refers to herself, started the show in a skimpy black two-piece outfit and a cape. Even though she is 36 years old , she still looks beautiful and sexy.

Her voice started out raspy in the beginning, but ten minutes into the show, she was sounding like her commanding diva self, belting out lyrics and hitting the high notes.

Mimi kept what looked like a sold out crowd on their feet the entire night, with flashy stage of lights and videos, along with her background dancers and her powerful and mighty voice.

A gigantic “Mimi” light sign centered the stage, as well as background videos that filled in for hip hop artists such as Jay-Z and Ol' Dirty Bastard, for her wildly popular duets.

Although she is one of the greatest selling female artists of all times, Carey is still un-diva-like and was very personable with fans. At one point during the show, she asked the crowd if anyone would mind if she took a sip of her water to prepare for the next song.

“This ain’t ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Carey said.

While Mimi was busy with costume changes, a DJ kept the crowd pumped while playing snippets of classic hip hop songs. With each change of song, audience members would waved their hands in their air.

She gave several shout outs to the crowd, thanked them repeatedly and told the audience how much fun she was having. She has come full circle and knows who she is as an artist and as a person.

Fans of Mariah love her no matter what. Her concert was all glitz and glam, sometimes with the makings of a Vegas style show. Carey can hit ear-shattering notes, and still flirt with the crowd, as if she’s been your best friend for years. It’s her combination of diva and legend status combined with her down to earth home girl presence that keep fans loving her throughout her career.

Why I love Mariah Carey
By Heart 106.2 DJ Jamie Theakston

MARIAH CAREY IS THE PERFECT MODERN CELEBRITY - larger than life, glamorous and totally over the top. I think some women disagree with her diva-like behaviour, but without her, the world of entertainment would be a much duller place.

I first met her in 1997 when she was promoting her album Butterfly and we hit it off immediately. With everything that had been written about her I had no idea what to expect, but she was smart, warm and very funny. She's a lot of fun to be around and unlike a lot of celebrities, can really laugh at herself. When she performed on Top Of The Pops we started a rumour she'd demanded puppies in her dressing room and it became instant Mariah folklore. But she loved it because it was all harmless fun, and that's what she's all about.

So what is it that women don't like about Mariah? She embodies a lot of extremes. She's incredibly talented (with a voice that goes so high that only dogs can hear it) but she's also massively ambitious and not afraid to wear what the hell she wants. And I think the qualities that some people, particularly women, don't like about Mariah are exactly the qualities that others love.

Sometimes people don't see humour in what she does, and don't realise that she's actually having fun. I did an interview with her once when she suddenly said, "Wait a minute - I'm going to do this in a bikini." It was hilarious. I know that would seem tacky to some people, but the way in which she did it, coupled with her personality just made it funny.

Mariah isn't the most beautiful woman in the world, she's not the most fashionable and she's one of the worst actresses we've ever seen, but she just doesn't care. I think if a woman were to come up to her in the street and say, "Mariah, you're disrespecting what it means to be a woman," she'd just tell them to sod off. And in a world where a celebrity's every move is monitored, it's great to meet someone who genuinely doesn't give a damn. Mariah, you're one of a kind and for that I love you.

Last night, Mariah performed at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. The concert marked Mariah's first time visiting Sacramento and performing in the city. Below is the concert's setlist as well as various tidbits regarding the show.

Setlist:

01. It's Like That 02. Heartbreaker 03. Dreamlover 04. My All 05. Shake It Off 06. Vision of Love 07. Fly Like a Bird 08. I'll Be There ---"B" Stage: 09. Fantasy 10. Don't Forget About Us 11. Always Be My Baby ---End "B" Stage 12. Honey 13. I Wish You Knew (Snippet) 14. Can't Let Go (Snippet) 15. Joy Ride (A Cappella Snippet) 16. Thank God I Found You/Make It Last (Snippet) 17. One Sweet Day (Snippet) 18. Hero ---Encore: 19. We Belong Together 20. Butterfly Reprise

Tidbits:
--Mariah acknowledged the Sacramento area as the first in the country to play "Vision of Love."

--When introducing Trey Lorenz, MC commented that his new album sold more copies last week than any other independent label release.

--Mariah suffered a slight wardrobe malfunction when her bra started coming out during "Fantasy." One of the dancers alerted her and she laughed while attempting to fix it herself. Following the performance, a stylist assisted MC. When the lights were turned on for a brief moment, Mariah told the crew to turn them down again. Later on, MC thanked her "friend backstage" and laughed that the night truly was "The Adventures of Mimi."

--An employee of Mariah's, who was celebrating a birthday, was brought onto the "B" stage (possibly by Jasmine Dotiwala). The ladies drank some champagne, which MC poured, accidentally spilling some.

--Mariah performed a snippet of "Joy Ride" a cappella for a couple in the crowd who had recently gotten engaged. MC also thanked a couple who held a sign declaring plans to name their daughter Mimi.

Five octaves. Four costume changes. Three back-up singers. Two stages.

One Mariah.

When Mariah Carey's "Adventures of Mimi: the Voice, the Hits, the Tour" rolled into Sacramento for a sold-out stop at Arco Arena, the 36-year-old singer proved that, despite a very public 2001 emotional breakdown, she's currently at the top of her game.

The show kicked off with a video clip of a rollercoaster with Carey's voice-over declaration that "whatever doesn't kill you, just makes you stronger."

Amen, sister.

When the singer finally took the stage (wearing a barely-there top, boy shorts and cape), breaking into "It's Like That," the first single from 2005's "The Emancipation of Mimi," there was little doubt that Carey has more than weathered the rocky rollercoaster ride of public taste.

(Question: What's more ear-piecing -- the sound of Carey's impressive voice reaching for that final octave or the glass-shattering shrieks of her fans? We may never know.)

With a giant KISS-worthy "Mimi" sign, a medley that condensed several hit singles into 10 minutes and an elaborate two-tiered stage (complete with several video screens, wind machines, two sweeping staircases and a giant "MC" logo), the night often ventured into Vegas revue territory. That effect was further emphasized when Carey used video clips to stand in for actual guest vocals. Jay-Z, for example, was represented MTV-style on "Heartbreaker."

But even those not normally fans of such theatrics or Carey's brand of hand-wringing vocal gymnastics (particularly on mawkish power ballads such as "Hero" and "Fly Like a Bird") would find it difficult to dismiss her charasmatic showmanship.

Throughout the set, which came in at just under two hours, the Long Island native exuded a poised charm. Basking in the love of her audience -- tossing off coy waves, flirtations and no fewer than two dozen Sacramento shout-outs -- Carey was at once a seasoned diva and the homegirl next door. You admire her star power and awe-inducing voice but can still imagine that, just for kicks, Mariah might want to hang out with you at the mall on a Saturday afternoon.

It's a heady charm and it makes it easy to understand the fierce devotion Carey elicits. When she took to the main floor's catwalk stage for three numbers, bringing her that much closer to a throng of delighted fans, the excited energy was infectiously giddy.

Highlights of the evening included a saucy rendition of "Always Be My Baby" and an in-the-flesh duet with longtime collaborator Trey Lorenz on "I'll Be There."

The show ended with a short encore featuring "Butterfly" and a drift of pink and purple butterfly-shaped confetti. As Carey disappeared from the stage, her voice still echoing throughout Arco, fans dived to the floor to grab for the tiny, glittery souvenirs.

It was a fitting end that seemed to embody the rise and fall and rise of Carey's career. We imagine that if she'd taken one final look back over her shoulder, the Queen of Comebacks would've appreciated the scene.

Billboard has published the box scores for Mariah's concerts in D.C., Houston, Dallas, and Winnipeg.

Venue: Verizon Center
City/State: Washington, D.C.
Event Dates: September 7, 2006
Gross Sales: $839,643
Attend / Capacity: 12,121 / 14,199 (85.4%)
Prices: $125 - $19.50

Venue: Toyota Center
City/State: Houston, Texas
Event Dates: September 14, 2006
Gross Sales: $828,293
Attend / Capacity: 11,252 / 11,830 (95.1%)
Prices: $129.50 - $19.50

Venue: American Airlines Center
City/State: Dallas, Texas
Event Dates: September 16, 2006
Gross Sales: $806,096
Attend / Capacity: 10,521 / 11,494 (91.5%)
Prices: $129.50 - $19.50

Venue: MTS Centre
City/State: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Event Dates: September 19, 2006
Gross Sales: $611,223
Attend / Capacity: 8,915 / 9,557 (93.3%)
Prices: $129.50 - $19

Totals Reported To Date:
Dates: 18
Gross: $15,929,521
Attend / Capacity: 218,595 / 232,936 (93.8%)
Average Gross Per Date: $884,973

Visit the Box Scores page of our "The Adventures of Mimi" Tour Section for previously reported box score figures.

Trey Lorenz, Mariah's longtime backup singer and friend, took time from his busy schedule to leave Mariah Daily visitors an exclusive message!

[Download: Voice Message from Trey Lorenz]
Make sure you pick up Mr. Mista, available on Amazon.com. You can check out a preview of the album on his Official MySpace Page.

Costume changes can't hide average vocals

When she finally hit the stage, close to an hour after her opening act had left it, 36-year-old Mariah Carey came out in revealing black lingerie to her hip-hop single It's Like That, and you couldn't help but wonder why she was trying so hard to be young and sexy when her audience is so, well, middle-aged and female.

And while we're griping, when did the word "diva" become a good thing? When did we collectively decide to pay this much respect (and hard earned money) to an entitled princess with one talent? Why did 12,000 dedicated fans wait an hour for Mariah?

Don't get me wrong. Carey -- who composes her own material, has a five-octave voice and had a No. 1 single in every year of the '90s -- deserves to be a star.

I respect her talent and like her on CD.

But her live show is a lesson in excess, a calvacade of smoke and mirrors meant to distract from her tiny presence on a grand stage, a five-course place setting for gazpacho. Any momentum she wrung from her pipes was constantly disrupted by unnecessary costume changes, and instead of more material, we were treated to silhouetted dance routines and snippets of '80s pop from DJ Clue.

And those pipes, which sound as honeyed as her skin on record, sounded fairly average here, nothing you wouldn't hear on American Idol.

When she tried vocal gymnastics to hit those high shrieks, they sounded like wet fingerprints on clean glass, a mosquito stuck in a belljar.

Carey did have some decent versions of A Vision Of Love, Fly Like A Bird and Fantasy, and because she came out late, I couldn't see or hear, but know that she also performed Hero, Make It Happen and We Belong Together. But mostly The Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, The Hits, The Tour was as bloated as the title and is in need of a few tweaks to become a much better show.

Divas, please. How about you ladies all stay in that one costume you started the concert in and maybe sing us a couple of extra songs instead?

No one's going, "Well, for $109.50, I better see her in five different looks" (or maybe you are, in which case, stop ruining it for fans of music).

Opener Busta Rhymes was his usual killer self, treating the audience to his mile-a-minute gruff rhymes on tracks such as Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See, Break Ya Neck, Fire It Up and Pass The Courvasier.

The fact that he managed to squeeze out a standing ovation from an audience of mostly unfamiliar Mariah Carey fans is a testament to the Brooklyn rapper's talent.

Attendance: About 12,000

Mariah Daily is pleased to bring fans Part II of our exclusive interview with Mariah's backup singer and longtime friend Trey Lorenz. A week after his sophomore album Mr. Mista hit stores, fans are already raving about the soulful tone evident on the CD and flooding his MySpace with support. If you missed Part I of our interview with Trey, make sure you check out the interview to read about his experiences recording the CD, his early music career, and inside jokes with Mariah.

A JOKESTER
 
As evident from their onstage quips and frequent giggles during "I'll Be There," Trey and Mariah share a lot of inside jokes.  "It's just honestly [about] being silly," he says of their good-natured ribbing.  He often tells Mariah that they need to explain their jokes to people, or else "they're gonna think we're crazy!"  Laughing, he explains two of the jokes that Mariah fans remember from the Charmbracelet Tour.  
 
"The 'we met as teenagers' line comes from Aretha Franklin's gospel CD One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism," he says.  He stops the interview for a moment and plays the Aretha track where she tells the audience "Mavis and I grew up as teenagers.... and we met on a Mississippi road!"  Trey bursts into laughter "If [Mariah] busts that one out backstage, I just can't keep it together!"
 
Trey also brings to the stage his smooth talking alter ego, "Big Nasty," which comes from an incident at the gym.  He and his friend Trina Broussard (a singer and fellow friend of Mariah's who is helping her develop a southern accent for "Tennessee") were constantly having run-ins with a grumpy receptionist at their gym.  According to Trey, the woman was "just being difficult."  One day the receptionist wouldn't let Trina into the gym and, despite the fact that he always had a smile for her; she looked Trey up and down and said "Oh it's YOU.  Big Nasty," before rolling her eyes.  
 
The nickname stuck.  "When I call up Mariah on the phone just being stupid, and I go 'What's happening baby?' (he lowers his voice into a throaty whisper) and she's like 'You know, I'm in a meeting right now, I'll call you back' and I'm like 'Yeah baby, call me back' So we had to figure out a name for that character!"

ON TOUR WITH MARIAH
 
Going on tour with Mariah tends to be a grueling experience. There is a lot of downtime, but even backup singers need to rest their voices.  Mariah spends most evenings sleeping and resting her voice, but last week Mariah joined Trey and the other backup singers and dancers on the tour bus to watch a video from the Madison Square Garden show.  Trey explains that they have been recording Mariah's show almost every night of the tour but they hadn't had a chance to see the footage from a spectator's point of view.  "I'm almost positive they're gonna put out a DVD for her," he says, "and of course it's gonna be really nice, Mariah doesn't half-step when it comes to that kind of stuff!'  

Despite their hectic schedule, Trey says he still loves touring and connecting with the fans.  "I think I can speak for [Mariah] as well, the best part of being on tour is when you're actually with the audience, and you kind of make a connection." 
 
On the subject of Mariah, he comes to her defense concerning negativity and haters.  As her friend, he wishes people could see her offstage because he feels they would "love her just that much more."  But some people are just grumpy. "At the end of the day, I think some people just want to be mad at the world.  No matter what you do, you're not going to be able to please them."  
 
ONE LAST WORD

Trey Lorenz has come a long way from the shy singer on his 1992 debut.  Mr. Mista shows a mature, soulful Trey with an underlying good-natured spirit that shines in everything he does.  He is already working on his next release, writing songs while on tour.  "Mariah and I have plans to do another duet," he says, which will appear on his next CD.  Besides Mariah, "I would love to do a song with Beyonce!" he laughs.  
 
Make sure you pick up Mr. Mista, available on Amazon.com. You can check out a preview of the album on his Official MySpace Page.

WIN A PHONE CALL FROM TREY

In honor of Trey's new release, he's inviting you to get to know him better by offering fans the chance to receive a personal phone call from him! Purchase a copy of Mr. Mista and scan a copy of your receipt (or send in a copy of your order confirmation from an online retailer). Send in your receipt to trey@mariahdaily.com. The winner will be selected randomly to win a personal phone call from Trey Lorenz!

News Tidbits
--MariahCarey.com has added two exclusive videos to its Virtual Ticket page. Members can log in and take a peek at Trey Lorenz and Sherry Tatum (Mariah's friends/backup singers) backstage giving behind-the-scenes information about "The Adventures of Mimi."

--"All I Want For Christmas Is You" has been certified 2x Platinum by RIAJ in Japan for digital downloads (over 500,000 sold).

--This week, "The Remixes" re-entered the UK Top 200 albums chart at #187. Last week, the album sold 966 copies, bringing its total to 39,487 copies sold in the UK.

Mariah Mentions
--From FOXNews.com: Oprah had a pretty good interview with Janet Jackson yesterday. But Michael’s one sane sister told Winfrey she’d gained 60 pounds to play a character in the movie “Tennessee.” However, insiders from that movie claim that no one ever asked Janet to gain that weight, and it wasn’t called for in the script. A very fit Mariah Carey will play the role now when the movie shoots in January …

--From New York Post: Mariah Carey can't walk barefoot without walking on her tippy toes. She says she doesn't understand why, but she's done it since age 4. She does not say how she was sufficiently savvy to have recorded this oddity at age 4.

--From SPIEGEL ONLINE: Mariah Carey recorded the US's top-selling album last year, which sold 5 million copies, but didn't go on tour. As a result, she wasn't even ranked among the 30 highest-earning music stars.

--From Reuters.com: Young singer JoJo set a new Hot 100 record with the biggest jump into the top three, as "Too Little Too Late" zoomed 63 places to No. 3, fueled by digital sales; Mariah Carey's "Loverboy" held the previous record, with a 60-2 move in August 2001.

--From ESPN.com: [Alex] Rodriguez shouldn't feel that bad, really. [Derek] Jeter apparently did the same to Mariah Carey a decade ago, cutting off their relationship so abruptly -- and remaining so determined not to let the singer back into his good graces -- that kids created the slang-verb "Jeter-ed" to mean getting forever dumped.

Fans' Corner
--Jenny created a tribute video in honor of Mariah's film, "Glitter." The video illustrates the turbulent relationship between Billie and Dice. You can view it here!

--Can and Murat have opened a new website, MariahTürkiye.net, for Turkish Mariah fans. Check it out!

--Jay is selling some of his rare Mariah items on eBay. Click here to view his auctions!

Mariah Carey certainly loves herself. Or, at least, she desperately wants the world to think she does.

How else could you explain the over-the-top diva screaming “Look at me! Look at me! Oh, pleeeease look at me!”) at the ‘Dome Sept. 25?

It was not a concert, but rather a Vegas-style circus, opening with a short film in which Mariah talks about, you guessed it, herself.

Comparing her life to a roller coaster, Carey declared: “If you don’t get on the ride, you won’t experience the adventure.”

The aging pop princess made her grand entrance on a rising platform, dressed only in a black bra, matching panties, stilettos and a cape draped around her shoulders before breaking into It’s Like That.

Yes, it was apparent from the very start, this was going to be an evening less about Carey’s massive catalogue of hits and more about creating a spectacle only Madonna could best.

The M-shaped stage followed the gaudy theme with silver beads hanging from the second tier, a ramp and staircases down both sides, giant video screens (which depicted real and cartoon images of the main attraction — Mariah) and a massive, shining Mimi marquee.

Then there were the dancers, band members and backup singers — all convenient distractions when the superstar needed to take a vocal break or change into one of her famous, barely-there costumes.

But, unfortunately, they also overshadowed Carey’s best attribute — her pipes.

It is almost impossible to find a singer in today’s world of manufactured Idols who compares to the 36-year-old in terms of her vocal range, power and technical abilities.

As Carey belted out the high notes during her performances of Heartbreaker and Dreamlover, even the most cynical of those in attendance (A.K.A. husbands dragged there by their wives) had to be impressed.

These were the moments that made the glitter and glitz tolerable. These were the moments when the star of the show was truly shining.

For the most part, Carey looked comfortable and confident, a feeling no doubt bolstered by the near-capacity crowd and she really seemed to connect with her audience.

“The shows I’ve been doing in Canada have been some of the most fun shows on the tour,” she told her screaming fans.

In true diva fashion, Carey hit the stage late, but according to her set list, the rest of the show was to include a number of her radio hits such as Fantasy, Always Be My Baby, Honey and We Belong Together.

Regardless of which of her famous songs she belted out Sept. 25, it appeared her die-hard fans would have been ecstatic with just about anything she gave them.

As for the rest of us, we can only hope next time Carey makes a pit stop in Calgary, she leaves the bells, whistles and porn-star duds at home and gives her fans what they deserve — a great concert highlighting her incredible vocal skills and career.

As for opener Busta Rhymes, the rapper seemed an odd fit for this concert.

Considering most of the people in attendance last night were obviously there for Carey and her special brand of pretty pop songs and slow ballads, Busta just didn’t seem to fit in.

But he did try, by performing a number of age-appropriate tunes including a cover of the Pussycat Dolls’ Don’t Cha and his past hit Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See.

Extra: Check out Mariah on today's cover of The Calgary Sun! Click on the thumbnail below for an enlarged view.

Last night, Mariah performed at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The concert marked Mariah's first time visiting Vancouver and performing in the city. MC sounded superb and the crowd was extremely enthusiastic. Below is the concert's setlist.

Setlist:

01. It's Like That 02. Heartbreaker 03. Dreamlover 04. My All 05. Shake It Off 06. Vision of Love 07. Fly Like a Bird 08. I'll Be There ---"B" Stage: 09. Fantasy 10. Don't Forget About Us 11. Always Be My Baby ---End "B" Stage 12. Honey 13. I Wish You Knew (Snippet) 14. Thank God I Found You/Make It Last (Snippet) 15. One Sweet Day (Snippet) 16. Hero ---Encore: 17. We Belong Together 18. Butterfly Reprise

From My All to Fly Like a Bird, Carey nailed every note

A Mariah Carey show is a big date night. Last night's near sell-out crowd at GM Place show boasted plenty of paired-up boys and girls. But girlfriend couples ruled.

Repping expensive clubbing ensembles, they left their b-boys at home to get all hard with their Fiddy CDs and headed out for some of that fine, five-octave range romantic R&B. It's the sound that made Carey the best-selling female performer of the '90s and the first act to chart in each year of the decade, breaking the Beatles' record as the artist with the most cumulative weeks spent in the Hot 100 singles chart.

That was almost 10 years ago. The screams filling GM Place when the lights went down and the seven-piece band kicked in made it seem like yesterday.

Rising up from under the stage, Carey appeared in the flesh, mostly, surrounded by six fully-attired dancers. Dancing is not her thing. Unless you call that body-rubbing manoeuvre choreography. Whatever. It looked great on the five big screens.

Her voice sounded fine as well. By "My All" from 1997's Butterfly, she appeared to be nailing the highs, lows and points in between. Plus, the tune's disco refrain that accompanied the dancers' backflips is totally retro cool.

New material such as The Emancipation of Mimi's "Fly Like a Bird" went over extremely well, if not quite as immediately as older hits. This song, in particular, showcased the vocal gymnastics that are a Carey signature and, sadly, have influenced a generation of Idol contestants to mimic. The thing they forget is you still need to strike a fine figure on stage and have some top-ranked material. She's got a lot of it, and the stage design was also tasty, particularly on the centre stage take on "Fantasy."

Toss in the cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There" and you might be wishing you had been.

Only when she’s on stage is Mariah Carey truly free.

As soon as the R&B diva unleashed her five-octave range and voluptous hips on Thursday’s crowd of 12,500 at Rexall, all the tabloid tales of Mimi’s controlling ex-husband and her fabulous meltdown vanished into thin air.

At least they did after the intro to her show, which featured a videotape of a roller coaster.

“I’ve had my ups and downs,” Carey’s disembodied voice boomed over the speakers.

“If you don’t get on the rollercoaster, you won’t experience the adventure.”

Indeed, Carey’s first show in Edmonton was an unforgettable ride of ego, acrobatic vocals and slinky costumes — including a glittery bikini and floor-length, mid-riff baring gown.

Sure, she was bolstered by an entourage of back-up musicians, singers and dancers to distract us during her costume changes — including one which involved Carey adding a pair of sunglasses and necklace to her bikini ‘n’ cape outfit — but the props kept reminding us of who we were there to see.

Not only was the stage enveloped with a huge M, a sign with her nickname, Mimi, in lights, was lowered to her feet. As she treated us to an airy rendition of Shake It Off from her comeback smash, The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey grabbed on to the sign, and sensually rolled along the bulbs.

In other words, she loves to be the centre of the attention — and unlike a lot of rock stars, isn’t afraid to revel in it.

You could tell she cherished every minute on stage and loved teasing the audience with her dramatic poses, hand flourishes and come-hither looks during My All and Dreamlover— even though there were more girls in the crowd.

Frippery and diva poses aside, there’s a reason why Carey has sold more than 100 million albums and notched 17 number one hits — the most of any female artist.

Her voice — ranging from husky to girlish to squealy to glass-shattering — is phenomenal.

At times, she was overpowered by her four musicians, three back-up vocalists and a DJ, but her somersaults on My All, Vision of Love and Heartbreaker, featuring Jay-Z’s pre-recorded rhymes, were loud and clear. And almost painful.

Carey was one of the first big-name artists to collaborate with rappers, so it only made sense for the diva to bring along Busta Rhymes as her opener.

(Though some of the older members of the audience probably didn’t appreciate the connection. At least one grey-haired Mariah fan fled the building during his set.)

Carey appeared on one of Busta’s tracks, 2002’s I Know What You Want, but she didn’t bother to grace the stage when the rapper also known as Trevor Smith performed it with help from his partner in rhyme, Spliff Star, DJ Scratch and the ladies in the crowd.

(Carey wouldn’t want to blow her grand entrance by dropping in on his 40-minute set, now would she?)

Busta also chose to make a big bang with an abbreviated version of one of his more recent collaborations — Don’t Cha minus the Pussycat Dolls — and his latest single, In the Ghetto, featuring the vocals of late, great funk star Rick James.

Despite his strings of hits, Busta isn’t as well-respected (or perhaps feared) as 50 Cent. It’s a shame, really, considering his rhymes are fast, fluid and funny.

Unfortunately, Busta’s set was bogged down by the endless repartee with Spliff Star about ladies, joints, alcohol and breaking out the classics.

“What could be better than Busta Rhymes and the Flipmode Movement and Mariah Carey on the same tour?” he shouted at the start of his set.

Uh, more rhymes.

Extra: Check out Mariah on the front page of yesterday's Edmonton Journal! Click on the thumbnail below for an enlarged view.

"If you don't get on the ride…you won't experience the adventure." These words were part of an opening vignette on Mariah Carey's "The Adventures of Mimi: The Voice, The Hits, The Tour." The past year and a half has certainly been an adventure for "Mimi" (as she is called by her close friends and now fans). This tour was produced for the highly anticipated and now celebrated six-time platinum CD, The Emancipation of Mimi, which was released in 2005. The album sold over 400,000 copies in its first week, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, won three Grammy awards, produced two No. 1 singles ("We Belong Together" and "Don't Forget About Us"), and was the best selling CD of 2005. The album moved the number of Carey's No. 1 hit singles to 16, which places her just behind Elvis (18) and The Beatles (20) for the most No. 1 singles ever.

On Sept. 9, a friend and I journeyed to Auburn Hills, Mich. to see Carey live in concert, and it was well worth the trip. Carey performed at the Palace, which is also home of the Detroit Pistons. Reggae artist Sean Paul energetically opened the concert singing all of his popular singles (including his latest "Give It Up to Me," featuring Keyshia Cole) and then some. While Paul's hip thrusting was annoying, his dancers were very entertaining; they moved their bodies in ways the average person cannot. Before I knew it, the concert started with footage of a rollercoaster and Carey's voice in the background saying: "Sometimes life can be kinda like a rollercoaster ride. It's like you're going along and everything seems cool…So, if whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, I guess I'm strong…"

Not surprisingly, Carey appeared on stage to "It's Like That," her first single from The Emancipation of Mimi. Clad in her signature skimpy shorts and top, Carey electrified the Palace and brought the crowd to its feet, dancing and singing along. Next, Carey performed "Heartbreaker," while portions of the music video played in the background. At one point during the concert, Carey took notice of a sign a fan was holding, asking her to sing "Melt Away," and acknowledged the request, singing it a cappella. Carey clearly knows that her fans are an important part of her success.

Carey's sets were very elaborate and visually appealing. One of the backdrops looked like a beautiful countrynight sky. Both the microphone and stand were completely adorned with Swarovski crystals. The stage was framed by a large white "M" shape which constantly changed colors. Perhaps in reference to her "Shake it Off" video, on the stage, "Mimi" was spelled out in huge block letters and illuminated by lights. Carey's elaborate wardrobe included two floor-length dresses complete with cutouts on the sides. Considering her "diva" status and the number of wardrobe changes Carey has previously employed in concerts, I was expecting her to change a lot more than she did.

As a longtime Mariah fan, I would have loved to hear her sing some of her less popular songs such as "Outside" from the album Butterfly, "Circles" from The Emancipation of Mimi or "Can't Let Go" from Emotions. Carey's voice was just as outstanding live (if not more so) as it is recorded.

Carey's tour is set to make stops in Sacramento, Las Vegas, Oakland, San Diego, Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Phoenix now through Oct. 10. If you ever have the opportunity to "get on the ride," you definitely should. It will be well worth your while.

This show was all about her

Seeing Mariah Carey's big show last night got me thinking about divas and their spectacular diva concerts.

No man can compare to the sheer scale of grandiosity and display of ego that is a diva working her trade - usually on a magnificent stage drawn from childhood fantasies of the ultimate Barbie Dream Tour.

Countless spectacular diva events from Madonna to Beyonce to Gwen Stefani to Tina Turner and back through the ages attest to that. Trends may change, but the full-blown diva spectacle remains a powerful draw. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger and more fabulous.

A respectable crowd of 12,500 turned up to witness the celebration of herself that is the Mariah Carey experience - the lights, the sounds, the dancers (great dancers), the costumes, the excitement! The closest comparison would have to be the farewell tour put on by Cher.

Consider the following:

WIGS:

Mariah: None needed.

Cher: Each more gravity-defying than the last.

HOTNESS:

Mariah: Plenty. Not many divas would perform in nothing but a cape, black bikini and high heels.

Cher: She was, once.

KNOWN BY ONE NAME:

Cher: Yes.

Mariah: Sort of.

GENERAL FABULOUSNESS:

Cher: Absolutely.

Mariah: Off the scale.

THE VOICE:

Cher: Braying donkey.

Mariah: Five-octave freak of nature as pure as the sweat of angels.

Other than that, they're exactly the same - divas through and through.

After an opening set from rapper Busta Rhymes - whose coarse yet charming ways threw the headliner into even sharper, more fabulous relief - this show was all about Mariah. The songs came second.

It opened with a film where she talked about herself, comparing her life to a roller-coaster and offering wisdom like "eventually you have to face your fears." No you don't, but let's move on.

The stage was as fabulous as we expected it to be: old-fashioned theatre curtains, sweeping ramps down the sides, the whole thing shaped like a giant "M" and the giant video screens, which, when not showing Mariah herself, would show a cartoon of Mariah or some other Mariah-related image.

And don't forget the rising platform where Mariah made her grand entrance. Divas must always enter the stage on a rising platform of some sort. Preferably shrouded in fog and dazzling colour. In this case, it was a number called It's Like That. She sang a few notes, shouted "whassup, Edmonton?" - not for the last time - and started to really sing as glittery dancers writhed around her.

The latest diva spectacle was underway.

Mariah hit the "Star Search" moment early, unleashing a barrage of high notes so sweet they brought tears to the eyes of the toughest security man. Those pipes really went into overdrive in the love ballads - the high diving act we had all come to see. Songs like Heartbreaker and My Own featured notes so high they could only be heard by dogs, others that shattered every piece of glass in the arena. Yes, I exaggerate, but the point is made: Mariah can sing.

By the time the giant lighted "MIMI" was lowered - Mimi is Mariah's nickname, as made clear on her comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi - I was wondering whether any substance could get past all this diva dazzle. There were times when potential soul was lost in a sea of glitter and blithering talent demanding to be shown off. She ruined the ending of one ballad by pausing for cheers after flurries upon flurries of notes, all rendered meaningless, undone by her own ego. How ironic.

But do divas ever create meaningful music that is remembered after they're gone? Sometimes. For now, the diva spectacle seems to be the most important thing for Mariah.

BONUS DIVA ITEM: On Mariah's orders, security was hassling fans about the "no cameras" rule, despite the fact that every person here seemed to have a camera in their cellphone - none of which were capable of taking a good picture from 50 feet away in a darkened arena. Geez.

---

SOUND CHECK

MAIN EVENT:

MARIAH CAREY

IN THE SEATS:

12,500 IN REXALL

SYNOPSIS:

Mariah, Mariah, Mariah, Mariah, Mariah ... enough about Mariah. What do you think of Mariah?

RATING:

3 1/2 SUNS OUT OF 5

Last night, Mariah performed at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The concert marked Mariah's first time visiting Edmonton and performing in the city. The crowd was very enthusiastic and MC put on a fantastic show. Below is the concert's setlist.

Setlist:

01. It's Like That 02. Heartbreaker 03. Dreamlover 04. My All 05. Shake It Off 06. Vision of Love 07. Fly Like a Bird 08. I'll Be There ---"B" Stage: 09. Fantasy 10. Don't Forget About Us 11. Always Be My Baby ---End "B" Stage 12. Honey 13. I Wish You Knew (Snippet) 14. Can't Let Go (Snippet) 15. Thank God I Found You/Make It Last (Snippet) 16. One Sweet Day (Snippet) 17. Hero ---Encore: 18. We Belong Together 19. Butterfly Reprise

SUPERSTAR Mariah Carey showed off two of her biggest assets at the MTS Centre last night: her powerful vocals and her dancing skills.

The 36-year-old diva's first local appearance was a full-on spectacle of glitter and glamour as Carey dazzled a crowd of 10,000 fans -- covering a surprisingly wide demographic, male and female, young and old --on her comeback Adventures of Mimi Tour.

After suffering a very public breakdown following the flop of her debut movie Glitter, the most successful female artist of the 1990s roared back to the top of the pop world with last year's Emancipation of Mimi, the top-selling album of 2006 with over six-million units sold so far.

The crazy Carey days of 2001 -- when she famously pranced around MTV handing out popsicles dressed only in a T-shirt and posted bizarre messages on her website -- are over and these days the surgically enhanced diva with the fake tan is back prancing around stages all over the world dressed in other skimpy outfits.

She addressed the ebbs and flows of her 16-year career during an opening video featuring a roller coaster with a voice-over about life's ups and downs before Carey took the stage to the club-thumping sounds of the first track from the new album, It's Like That, dressed only in a sparkling black bra and panty combo, high heels and a cape. She was surrounded by four dancers with flashlights who whirled around her on the top of a two-tiered stage flanked by two winding staircases which led down to the main-tier where her four-piece band played.

Carey seemed comfortable in the lingerie -- she obviously wasn't hanging outside yesterday -- and remained nearly naked for the hit Heartbreaker off 1999's Rainbow. The disco-esque number was the first of many times Carey would show off her multi-octave range and vocal hysterics; she has an amazing voice, but sometimes the high-pitched squeal she belts out is simply annoying. Think of the sound a cat makes when its tail is stepped on and you have a good idea of the shrieks Carey is fond of making. She kept up the vocal gymnastics on Dreamlover, but through binoculars in the press box Carey's own backing vocals being played through the P.A. made it appear she was lip-synching at times.

She turned the microphone on to slow things down for the sultry R&B of 1997's My All before a giant Kiss-inspired lighted Mimi sign dropped from the rafters for the funky slow-burner Shake it Off with Carey prowling across the stage while her dance crew twisted around her.

Then she was gone to change and D.J. Clue kept the crowd interested with some old dance floor standards before the star returned dressed in a skin-tight diamond-studded full-length canary yellow gown with a sliver of fabric connecting the bodice to the bottom, still revealing the sides of her trim stomach and back, to deliver her 1990 breakthrough single Vision of Love, another ballad which showcased her outstanding range.

Because the show started almost half-an-hour late press time came in the middle of the Jackson 5 tear-jerker I'll Be There with Trey Lorenz. She had been following the setlist of her most recent shows, so fans could still expect three songs on a B-stage in the middle of the arena floor, a medley of old hits and at least two more costume changes.

Rapper Busta Rhymes started the night with a 45-minute set of commercially friendly hip-hop which included plenty of crowd interaction and a censored version of his hit I Love My B--h.

Rhymes, joined by fellow rapper Spliff Star and a DJ both wearing identical black and white shirts decorated with the name of his latest album, spoke almost as much as he rapped, spewing out gibberish about the hot girls in the crowd and other sexual innuendoes which got the audience screaming and shouting along.

Attendance: 10,000

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

News Tidbits
--After spending an impressive 74 consecutive weeks on The Billboard 200, "The Emancipation of Mimi" has fallen off the chart. Below is a look at Mariah's albums and the number of weeks each spent on Billboard's top 200 albums chart. Collectively, Mariah's albums total an astonishing 722 weeks on The Billboard 200. That's nearly the equivalent of 14 years spent on the chart!

Mariah Carey: 113 weeks Emotions: 54 weeks MTV Unplugged EP: 57 weeks Music Box: 128 weeks Merry Christmas: 13 weeks Daydream: 81 weeks Butterfly: 55 weeks #1s: 62 weeks Rainbow: 35 weeks Glitter: 12 weeks Greatest Hits: 11 weeks Charmbracelet: 22 weeks The Remixes: 5 weeks The Emancipation of Mimi: 74 weeks

--Below are Mariah's sales figures for the week ending Wednesday, September 20, 2006, as reported by Nielsen SoundScan. Sales for this week totaled 3,545 units (down roughly 22.75% from the previous week).

1. Greatest Hits: 1,575 (-37%) 2. #1s: 594 (-5%) 3. Glitter: 284 (-10%) 4. The Remixes: 275 (-12%) 5. Butterfly: 183 (-9%) 6. #1s (Video): 146 (+7%) 7. Charmbracelet: 123 (-13%) 8. Music Box: 122 (+15%) 9. Daydream: 120 (+22%) 10. Around the World (Video): 107 (+2%) 11. Mariah Carey: 98 (+24%) 11. Rainbow: 89 (-25%) 13. Merry Christmas: 35 (-5%) 14. Emotions: 28 (-36%) 15. MTV Unplugged: 19 (+6%) 16. Through the Rain: 19 (+27%)

--South Mississippi's home page, SunHerald.com, reports that Mariah is among 40 celebrities who have signed wooden "dog bones" for a charity auction benefiting the Mississippi Animal Rescue League. The celeb-signed bones will be auctioned off at the organization's second annual Fur Ball event. Proceeds will go to constructing a new animal shelter. MC signed the bone and added her pooch's name, Jack, as well. In related news, People.com has added a collection of photos of Mariah with Jack. Click here to view the gallery.

Mariah Mentions
--From New York Post: As for rumors that [Whitney] Houston has lost some of her vocal range, [Clive] Davis said, "She is talking enthusiastically and is articulate. We are going to make a great album. In my opinion, the best singers in the world are Aretha [Franklin] and Whitney. That's not to knock Mariah [Carey]. Mariah is a friend of mine, but I think Mariah would even say those two are the best."

--From Detroit Free Press: [Whitney] Houston, wants to get back to hit-making, but at age 43, what about Mariah Carey and Beyonce Knowles and other younger, less problematic voices? Producer David Foster told Us [Weekly] Houston "shouldn't try to sound 18 again." Maybe she should chat with Madonna.

--From The Honolulu Advertiser: Rihanna is still awed by famous people. "I'm star-struck every time. ... I met Mariah Carey at the BMI Awards about a week ago. ... We didn't talk or anything. We were just, like, 'Good meeting you.' But she was really sweet. She's someone that I always dreamed of meeting."

Trey Lorenz, best known for his Grammy-nominated performance in Mariah's "I'll Be There," released his sophomore album on Tuesday, September 19th. The album, entitled Mr. Mista, features a compilation of soulful, Jackson Five inspired tracks that Trey has collected over years of recording. Tracks like "Pisces," "Broke and Lonely" and "My Everything" will be sure to take listeners back to Motown days. Mr. Mista is in stores now and is available online through Amazon.com!

Trey takes the time out of his busy schedule to chat with Mariah Daily in the following exclusive interview. Get to know the good-natured boy from Florence, SC behind Mr. Mista.

A SOUTHERN BOY

Trey was born to parents Lloyd and Bernice in Florence, South Carolina, a small southern town "twelve hours from New York and twelve hours from Miami." With dreams of becoming involved in the music industry, Trey moved north to attend college. "I said to myself, I've got to get out of South Carolina." However, even after years of living in New York, he still finds time to embrace his roots. Mariah fans laughed when during one of his live performances of "I'll Be There" he raved to Mariah about "Florence, SC....home of the fish sandwich!" Trey spoke candidly about the meals on tour, and how the rest of the crew would tease him for his constant comments about how the food couldn't compare to the fish from Florence. "We put Florence on the map!" He laughed.

THE EARLY YEARS

"I've always been able to sing along with the radio," he says of his early singing years. His parents would play their old college records, mostly Motown and Soul, and he developed a distinct taste for music at a very young age. "The only thing that would keep me still when I was little was the Jackson Five's third album, which has 'I'll Be There.'" By the time he was in college, his passion for music lead him to play in various bands. One day a friend brought him to a recording session for a young girl he described as "a white girl that sings like Whitney Houston." Trey's interest was piqued and he went to check it out. "I honestly didn't go to the session as a singer, I was going as a spectator. I was humming along -- just my nature, singing along with the nice tune -- and she heard me and was like 'That's a stone winner!'" The two hit it off immediately and Mariah asked Trey to join her on her summer promotional tour. But Trey was in college over the summer and his parents refused to let him miss class for the then unknown Mariah Carey. However, fate caught up with him and Mariah talked Trey into joining her on her promo tour in the fall. He became part of her band and the rest is history. Now for the present…

MR. MISTA

Trey's fans have been asking him for a new record since his 1992 debut album. After years of recording the odd song here and there, Mr. Mista is finally here! Fans are responding with enthusiasm and excitement to the three-song sneak peek posted on his MySpace music page. "Honestly, it's been so long since I've had a record out, I didn't think people would really remember!" The CD is closer to his heart, he says, because it represents the "old-school" music he loves. Songs like "Pisces" were recorded several years ago but still remain a favorite of Trey's. "It's not the sales that I'm really going for with this," he explained. "I just want to put a release out there for the dedicated fans and to share my love for soulful R&B."

Also for the fans, Trey plans to do a small tour of clubs and local venues when he gets home from "The Adventures of Mimi" tour. He wants to keep them intimate because he enjoys connecting with the audience on a personal level. "I'm totally not the celebrity type. After seeing what Mariah goes through, I don't want to not be able to go the grocery store."

The first single from Mr. Mista will most likely be "My Everything," a favorite of Trey's and other members on tour with him. He notes that the song is especially close to his heart because of its positive message. "One of the reasons I like it so