Beyoncé,
Missy Elliot and Alicia Keys in one night: It's Lilith Fair gone wild.When the
three Grammy-winning superwomen performed their first concert on a nationwide
tour at the Office Depot Center on Friday, it was nothing short of vocal fireworks
-- with added sparks that included topless men sliding down poles for Elliott
and a line of dancers flanking Beyoncé who seemingly stepped out of a
naughty Victoria's Secret catalogue. The Ladies First tour kicked off its 22-city
stint Friday with a five-hour-plus show including opening act Tamia that came
with a few first-night snags. There was an hour delay between Elliott and Keys,
then about another hour between Keys and Beyoncé. There was even a near-wardrobe
malfunction, but Beyoncé grabbed on to the gold mini skirt that didn't
want to stay put as she danced. Beyoncé entered in true diva fashion,
stunningly beautiful, waving at the audience princess-style as she was carried
onto stage in a bed with a canopy. She sang hits from her Destiny's Child days
and ballads from her first solo album, Dangerously in Love. But in true diva
fashion, she didn't finish all the songs. Survivor died down and '03 Bonnie
& Clyde was stopped short. Maybe that's why men were able to steal the show.
There was her DJ, who got the audience rowdy, spinning hip-hop tracks while
Beyoncé went to change clothes. And nothing turns on women like the surprise
appearance of a leading man after midnight. Beyoncé's boyfriend, Jay-Z,
strolled on stage in the final act for his part in the duet, Crazy in Love.
In an unforgettable moment, he had the microphone in one arm and dipped Beyoncé
in the other. Keys also had her trouble with men. A very short man dancing wildly
with her distracted from her music. So did her efforts to energize her act Beyoncé-style.
Keys was best when she stuck to the powerful basics -- seated at the piano.
The super-busy stage complete with women in underoos and men in skull masks
worked with Elliott's wacky personality. At
32, she is the oldest of the three (Beyoncé is 22, and Keys is 23) and
her confidence as a seasoned member of hip-hop's elite came through.
By Rochelle Brenner,
Palm Beach