But instead, with each delivering a strong set with a style of its own, the four-hour jam at America West Arena ended up a friendly showcase of three of R&B and rap's strongest female stars.
There was something for any fan of urban music, between Elliott's good-natured rapping, Keys' neo-soul and Beyonce's dance-crazy R&B.
Most concertgoers, who filled only three-quarters of the arena, seemed to leave happy and perhaps a bit drained after taking in such a wide musical landscape.
Beyonce's final set carried the most glitz and spectacle, but she found herself following a powerful and sensual performance by Keys as well as a get-up-and-shake-it opening set by Elliott. (Up-and-coming singer Tamia was onstage before much of the crowd was seated.)
The Virginia-born Elliott let the young audience know it was time to "Get Ur Freak On" early on, working the stage surrounded by hyperactive dancers wearing skull masks as she performed that 2001 hit.
Elliott, wearing her trademark sideways baseball cap and jogging suit early on, was dressed for comfort and speed as she made her way into the crowd during an extended, over-the-top version of her hit "Work It." She made her way all the way around the arena floor, going far up a few stairways to the delight of stunned fans.
One of MTV's favorite artists, Elliott -- who later would add some sparkle to her street-smart wardrobe -- had her dancers outfitted in cowboy hats as they did their take on "Riverdancing" during a booming version of her recent hit "Pass That Dutch," from her "This Is Not a test" album. She even did some magic, disappearing into a glass box near the end of her set.
Keys, known for her classy, piano-driven catalog, chose to lay on the old-school soul influences thick, which was fine with the audience.
After a dramatic intro of simulated thunder and lightning, Keys appeared in red fedora, red shirt and skin-tight black slacks to perform a funked-up take on "Karma," from her second album, "The Diary of Alicia Keys."
She then kicked her tight band into a take on the new "Heartburn" that would have made James Brown proud. All the while, Keys was shaking her body in sexy dance moves that were part Prince and part Tina Turner.
Keys burned things up further with 2001's "Rock Wit U," before letting the crowd catch its breath. Taking off her hat to show her famous braids, she moved over to her grand piano to play "A Woman's Worth."
That featured Keys and her own group of talented dancers doing flamenco-style moves over a horn-and-conga jam.
Keys turned the heat up a few more notches during the new lovemaking theme, "Slow Down," crawling up on and reclining on her piano to shouts from the men in attendance.
A hypnotic treatment of her early hit, "Fallin'," set the bar extremely high for Beyonce.
However, the bootylicious Beyonce wasted no time in trying to up the ante, making an entrance like a queen in ancient Egypt, carried in on a reclining throne from a hiding spot near the rear of the arena and throwing rose petals on the crowd.
Taking a sleek stage, helped by two men covered from head to toe in gold Spandex, Beyonce looked like R&B royalty in a shimmering micro-mini and high heels as she lit into "Baby Boy," from her solo debut CD, "Dangerously In Love."
Her flowing hair half up and half down and her eyelids glittering, Beyonce and her posse wasted no time in getting to the butt-shaking dance move she's made famous.
Beyonce and the dancers impressed with more precision moves during "Naughty Girl," which also featured the fashion-model-quality dancers striking various poses.
Beyonce drew heavily from her one and only solo album, offering hope to those who are in "unhealthy relationships" with "Me, Myself and I" and ramping up the glitz with flashing images on floating video screens during the rocking "Hip Hop Star."
She paid homage to her still-on-hiatus group Destiny's Child with a medley that included "Say My Name" and "Independent Women" as well as a full-length version of her remake of "Dangerously in Love."
Through it all, Beyonce changed costumes at a pace approaching Cher's, ranging from a yellow baby-doll outfit to a flowing white gown that rivaled something J-Lo might wear to the Oscars.
Beyonce left no doubt that she's the best dancer of the three, a point driven home by her booty-shaking encore on her huge hit "Crazy In Love." She also showed off a soaring voice that she pushed a little too far at times.
Beyonce's encore was only one song, but by that time this triple-threat show had delivered more than enough ear and eye candy.
By Larry Rodgers,
The Arizona Republic