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Fan Reviews
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Fan Reviews (Top)
Review by Andrew
Let me just say the amphitheatre was jampacked with a sould out crowd of 6,189 screaming fans the crowd was wild and so loud. The opining act was a dj the dj was off the hook people wer dancing it was tight. Then people wer standing aroun waiting fo mariah to come on stage the show was supposed to start at 8:15 but didnt. Around 9:20 mariah finnaly came out she enterd the venu frome the rigth side while heartbreaker she wasnt really singing i think it was because she had to walk down all these steps. Let me just say the show was amazing the highlight of the show was bringing on the heartebrak the crowd went wild the soud in that amphitheatre was so amzing. The last song was Make it happen ( so we thought )
All the people were screaming loud and it was so crazy people stod around for like one minute.
Then every one started claping slow and then started claping faster and faster the Mariah came back out she sang vision of love. Mariah brought down the house with that song it was awsome she hit every note just like the cd the last song was hero some people had lighters
It was cool. Overall the show was the best dam concert period and I can't wait to see her again at the same place on the 21st.
Journalist Reviews (Top)
Review by Gerry Gittelson (U-Redlands Daily Facts)
Mariah Carey in Concert
Mariah Carey, the '90s queen of pop who remains the best-selling female performer of all time, isn't quite ready to pass the crown.
Relatively inactive as a live performer over the past three years, Carey, like all of us, has seen Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson blossom in her wake.
Nevertheless, Carey proved vital as ever during a well-received, sold-out concert at Universal Amphitheatre on Monday, the first of a two-night engagement that concludes today.
The 32-year-old New Yorker, touring in support of her newest release, "Charmbracelet," tore through a 100-minute set featuring many of her No. 1 hits such as "Vision of Love" and "Fantasy."
And while there were lots of dancers, props and video displays, Carey provided a somber theme of perseverance and faith with such spiritual selections as "Through the Rain" and the touching '"My Saving Grace."
Yes, Carey's much-publicized emotional breakdown in 2001 hasn't been forgotten. But the fact is, Carey has never looked or sounded better. Perfectly fit, tanned and sexy, Carey proved ready for action, and she certainly doesn't seem intimidated by her supposed competitors, who might have surpassed her on the sales charts -- but certainly not on stage.
Carey hit her high notes beautifully, to the delight of the mostly young, female crowd. And her between-songs banter was warm, engaging and charismatic. Carey's growth as a concert performer is especially notable because in the past, her biggest weakness might have been a mild failure to connect with audiences.
However, such shyness has disappeared. Carey was in control of the room Monday -- and Spears and company should have been there taking notes.
While Carey's peaks were mighty impressive, there were a few valleys. The performance was bit ill-paced, partly because Carey allowed her backup musicians too much of the spotlight, as she occasionally disappeared off stage for five or 10 minutes at a time.
But things remained interesting because Carey always returned in a new, wildly revealing outfit, and it was never too long before another sing-along hit such as "Hero" arrived.
Among the best moments was a wonderful version of "Bringin' on the Heartbreak," a cover of British rock band Def Leppard's early hit -- proof positive Carey is certainly more than a balladeer.
Mariah Carey is back, big-time. And her adoring, loyal fans, many of whom carried large cardboard signs welcoming her return, couldn't be happier.
Review by Darryl Morden (Hollywood Reporter)
Concert Review: Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey herself best described Monday's first of two dates at the Universal when a hairdresser came onstage to tousle her mane of blonde hair. "Just a tad excessive," she said, joking with the crowd.
Unfortunately, the entire concert was filled with overkill. It was a bloated mess: dancers cluttering the stage and writhing about, over-the-top and often shrill arrangements, plus so many outfit changes for Carey that one lost track. Carey's hardly a showgirl, and the production numbers with a pseudo- "Moulin Rouge" French motif for most of the evening's songs were more cover-up than enhancement. She made a star's entrance from the rear of the venue, escorted down the stairs by bodyguards, wearing the kind of glittering mini-dress she favors most of the time.
Flashing the high-wattage smile of sparkling teeth and showing either legs or cleavage, Carey can certainly pull off the glamour, sex vixen and hot tramp looks, but isn't it really supposed to be all about her multi-octave voice?
Sure enough, she cooed and belted, and every time she went for that high-pitched range that could prick up a dog's ears, the audience went wild. But that's just a gimmick. Where was the true phrasing and the skill to get inside a song rather than simply show off vocal acrobatics over vacant pop/hip-hop blends?
Last year's "Charmbracelet" album was a comeback for Carey, after the disaster of her film "Glitter" and a very public breakdown. She introduced the ballad "Through the Rain" as a song about overcoming adversity, and while it's tough to feel sorry for a wealthy singer who simply can't cope with the pressures of fame and a busy schedule, it was clear that the song is a personal one. However, the arrangement was indicative of most of the night's numbers -- way overdone, especially her cover of Def Leppard's "Bringing on the Heartbreak," which was already wretched on its original go-round back in the '80s.
Songs from "Charmbracelet" included "Clown," rumored to be an attack on Eminem, and "Subtle Invitation," which was anything but subtle. And what is it with all these acts who feel compelled to screen their videos during a show? Carey's ran several times to set off performances, including the dopey secret agent clip of "Honey."
One of the few scaled-down moments came with a version of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There," performed with backing singer Trey Lorenz. The song from the year Carey was born has a more memorable melody than many of her own hits. She saved her biggest -- and catchiest -- songs for the end of the show, including the bouncy "Fantasy," lifted from Tom Tom Club's 1981 track, "Genius of Love," as well as other fan-pleasers.
Carey has spoken again and again -- often defensively -- about her songwriting and craft. Will she ever get away from the land of hacks and marketing, though? Now 33, she shouldn't have to compete on the same level as the Britneys and Christinas, but Carey doesn't seem to realize that artistry isn't about a gaggle of costumed dancers around you and silly production numbers. Try singing without 'em to really reveal what you're about.
Carey also plays Thursday at Universal.
Meet & Greet Reviews (Top)
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