If it was a spectacular performance you were seeking, Beyoncé's Vegas-like outing fit the bill. From her Cleopatra-like entrance in the middle of the capacity crowd — tossing out rose petals — to her confetti-sprinkled closer, "Crazy In Love," with rapper boyfriend Jay-Z, this year's multiple Grammy winner lived up to all of her hype.

Two songs into her hour-long spectacle she surely won Atlantans over when she invited local R&B singer Usher onstage during "Naughty Girl," duplicating their dance in the music video. Then OutKast's Antwan "Big Boi" Patton performed his rhyme in "Hip-Hop Star." And most importantly alone, revealing her often underestimated vocal heft on "Dangerously in Love 2," asking the heavily female audience to join her in"I Love Myself" or just tossing that golden mane like a rock star, she was always interesting.

If musicianship and artistry are what you require, Alicia Keys was the one to provide it. The balladeer incorporated a little shoulder shimmy into her performance and was quite convincing as a bandleader, guiding her seven-piece band with James Brown confidence through her two multimillion-selling albums, as well as an operatic take on hip-hop classic "Apache," a bluesy vamp, and the Jackson 5's "Never Can Say Goodbye." But the showstoppers happened when her four dancers took a break, she sat behind the piano and belted "If I Ain't Got You," first hit single "Fallin' " and her closer "You Don't Know My Name."

Or is a near nonstop flurry of the hits more your speed? Then you had something in common with the people who were cheering artist-producer Missy Elliott. Though nothing in her 30-minute show was comparable to her dynamic videos, merely hearing bits of her party catalog of singles ("Work It," "Get Ur Freak On," "I'm Really Hot") seemed to rouse the crowd. And the mostly adult audience was offered the extra treat of both male and female dancers whipping suggestively down a pole. Arguably the most enthused response came, however, when Elliott just ran through the arena. Perhaps being such an infrequent live performer made her really want to get acquainted with the people who've made her a multi-media phenomenon.

Finally, if simple timeliness is something you can appreciate, then opener Tamia hitting the stage 10 minutes before the start time on the ticket had to delight. Not content to stop there, the brave soul singer roared through her 15-minute set like people weren't walking in. And her Philips-engulfing ballad "Stranger In My House" proved she had more in common with the others on the ticket than color and gender.

By SONIA MURRAY,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution