Carey's talent shines
The first one was too big. The second one was too small. Third time was the charm. Maybe there is something to this whole career comeback of Mariah Carey, who pumped up the Chronicle Pavilion at Concord Wednesday night by simply reminding people why she became one of the most successful female recording artists in pop history.
It wasn't so easy. After over-reaching by booking arenas earlier in the summer, Carey announced she wanted to get intimate with her fans, re-booking at the much smaller Paramount Theatre in Oakland. That's showbiz language for "I can't sell enough tickets and need to save face."
But just a few weeks later, Carey apparently decided she didn't want to get that intimate, re-booking at the larger Chronicle Pavilion, meaning that brisk ticket sales pointed the way to a more profitable venue. Changing locations twice could easily be seen as just another symptom of career sickness for Carey, who had a seemingly infallible chart presence until dropping the stink bomb that was 2001's "Glitter".
In this case, the venue change worked out pretty well. The house was stuffed with rabid fans, and Carey provided a big production that somehow managed to avoid going overboard ... and she did nothing to embarrass herself in the process. That might have been an issue a couple years ago, when Carey unsuccessfully forayed into movies in the midst of displaying some career-harming and very bizarre behavior. But she seemed comfortably back in her diva skin Wednesday, belting out five octaves' worth of her trademark ballad-heavy R&B.
Even the "poor me" syrup of "Through the Rain" came off about as well as could be expected. Better actually, thanks to screaming fans going nuts over whatever she did, especially those gratuitous high-pitched squeals that so many take as proof of her ability.
The thing is, whether you like her or not, she could pop light bulbs in the parking lot with that voice. It's sometimes just enough to sit and listen, despite the occasional repetitiveness. Carey has been usurped on the charts by pseudo-singers such as Jennifer Lopez, but few can touch her talent. Instead of trying to compete with the Beyonces of the world by assuming a more urban feel, as she did pretty successfully to a degree in the late '90s, she's back to letting the singing -- and her looks -- lead the way.
Of her multiple costume changes Wednesday -- and for a while it got as dizzy as a Cher concert -- hardly any outfit extended lower than upper thigh. It used to be irritating, but considering everything that's happened to her the past couple years, it's not so bad anymore. Who else can wear purple short-shorts and look that natural?
And her show wasn't a straight ballad thing, though she did toe the Celine Dion line a few times, especially on "Can't Take That Away". She had the requisite number of dancers to keep things moving, stalling during faster songs so she could sneak away to change for the umpteenth time.
Though heavy on new stuff, the show's peak came, not surprisingly, with "Honey", during which Carey ran a good three minutes of the action-movie video that once dropped so many male jaws to the floor. It was a reminder of the good ol' days, as was the next song, her hit cover of the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There".
But while reminders of the good times aptly connected the fans to the reasons they love Carey, the show finally and inevitably teetered over the edge into maddening self-indulgence, with video clip after video clip of newspaper headlines and the singer winning awards. It was an overt and desperate attempt for validation.
It also was completely unnecessary. Carey was preaching to the choir: an amphitheater full of loving fans. She looked perfectly comfortable up to that late point in the show, a feeling that returned when she belted out big ballad "Hero". Finally booking the right venue and playing to her strengths was just enough to convince some that maybe Mariah Carey is really on her way back. (Contra Costa Times) Many thanks to Mariah-Carey.org.
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