We made the hike up to Casinorama, about 1.5 hours outside of Toronto to see Kelly Clarkson. It was a very strange venue choice because the venue is “over 19″ so no kids could go, you would think that many of her core fans would be under 19!

The arena is plain, so I wasn’t expecting a lavish production, and it is a good thing my expectations weren’t set to high. What you got was Kelly and her amazing voice and a bunch of songs that everyone knows and can sing along to. I wasn’t complaining. I have heard she has had some disagreements with her label over songs and singles, but it is pretty ridiculous that they booked her all the way up there. Those that made the hike were loyal fans but we were far from the majority. When I looked around the stands most of the people were sitting there pretty much motionless. I’m assuming that many of the tickets were comp tickets given to frequent gamblers at the casino, those that are nearing retirement and  those that have English as a second language. (I can say that, I’m half Asian).

I really felt bad for Kelly because she deserves so much better than a bunch of losers that don’t appreciate her work. Her voice was amazing. I had seen her before so I was expecting nothing less, but the friend I went with was blown away from the notes this girl was belting out. Her voice was pretty flawless and all of the music was so enjoyable to listen to. It is rare that you go to a concert where you actually can hear the true talent. And unlike Britney, she had two screens up which worked out perfectly for seeing her close up.

Now my only criticism would be her outfit. I know she is a curvy girl, there is definitely nothing wrong with that, but she has to pick some more flattering clothes. I don’t know who her stylist is, but she definitely needs some help! And this isn’t the first time. I haven’t seen her once during this recent media tour where I have thought that she looked fabulous. It is almost like she has given up, you can be bigger and beautiful!

So if you have a chance, and you enjoy her music, go see her play. You won’t be disappointed. Don’t expect a big glitzy production but do expect some amazing vocals from a truly talented girl, and of course, the first American Idol.

Last night I opened up iTunes on my iPhone and who do I see? My friend Melissa McClelland and her new album! Looking forward to listening to it.

Well we are walking home from the Britney concert and I’m feeling a little robbed. No Gimme More, no mind blowing visuals.

I have to say I was very disappointed. I was at the last Brit concert and I was blown away a lot more then I was tonight. Read that as you will.

The music was great, I loved Circus, fantastic album, but going into the concert knowing that she was lip syncing just ruined it for me. Plus the fact that there was not one close up of the ex Pop Princess just added to the coldness of the concert. When you can see the performer on the live camera feed on some screen from miles away you at least feel connected. I felt zero connection to BritBrit. There was not 1 close up, not one visiual of her lip syncing, not 1 video of her dancing live.

I think she could have been talking about how much she misses Colin Farell or how much she loves Paparazzi because event the front row could tell if her lips were matching the words. I think I was more entertained by the Perez Hilton video at the beginning of the concert than the concert itself! I felt disconnected, like I was watching a video with a little Barbie doll dancing in the middle without her elbows pretending to be Britney. I was disappointed. I have always given Britney the benefit of the doubt, supported her, knowing she would come back from her shaved head, psycho ward days…but I think this concert was just a shallow view of her. No depth, no connection.I know they didn’t want to show closeups of her singing because she wasn’t, but at least try.

Britney couldn’t even name off her dancers live! They had to have their names come up on screen… again…. very impersonal. I’m just glad she knew she was in Toronto cause she said it exactly once… But I guess when you aren’t singing and you can repeat the name of the city in your mind over and over again, it is pretty hard to forget.

I’m glad I went, since I do love the album, but Alen, she didn’t even sing Unusual You. Sad I know. I should have been at home watching America’s Next Top Model. I feel more warmth from Tyra’s smiling eyes.

Just got home from the Britney Spears concert and guess what? She walked off the stage for 45 min. b/c there was too much smoke for her to perform.  An announcement came on and said that everyone had to stop smoking or the show would be cancelled.  Steve, I didn’t see ONE person smoke around us.  There were 12 year olds everywhere.  She made us sit for 45 min. that BITCH.  She eventually came back on.  Her show sucked so bad.  She couldn’t dance, she wasn’t into it at all, people were lined up at Guest Services to get their money back and as she walked off the stage she said: “Vancouver…you shouldn’t smoke weed…”  I HATE HER.  Waste of money and time.  AND, no big screen or close ups.  She lip synced the ENTIRE time.  ENTIRE time.  Cow.  I hate her.
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The people a this concert sure skew older than Spice Girls! I managed to pick up a single ticket a couple of weeks ago so I’m placed on the floor 34 rows back.

It is a little odd being at the concert alone but I have my headphones in so it looks like I’m talking to someone, or listening to my pre Tina playlist. Which I’m not.

My seat is actually pretty good, I’m at the end of the row and in from of the control booth. Hopefully some big hair from the burbs doesn’t sit in front of me.

Tina has a lot of overweight fans with big hair and saggy boobs. So slim pickins on good looking people to look at!

Well I just got home from the Madonna concert in Toronto. It was my 3rd Madonna concert I have been to. I have to say the novelty has sort of worn off, the concert was great, but I didn't have the butterflies like the first couple of times.

Anyway, before you read any further I have some questions:

1. She takes requests half way through the concert. She did a bit of Express Yourself and Holiday. Are these the same in every concert? If you went, what songs did she do?
2. Where are all the kids? Do they travel with her? Where is her adopted child? Did she adopt and then go on tour leaving him with the nanny?
3. How do you think she looked? For her age I thought she looked fabulous. And she can still move although she does play a lot of guitar in the show. Maybe doesn't have the stamina that she used to have.
4. Where did her British accent go? I guess she doesn't need it now that Guy is out of the picture.

The concert was full of remixes which I thought was fabulous. None of the songs are as you would hear them on the CD so it made the concert that much more fun. She did some remixes, samples and different arrangements. Her vocals were so-so. I'm sure she had help at times, but I would too if I was dancing around the stage and jumping rope. The concert lasted for 2 hours and she came on around 9:30.

There was no encore, but you know, I didn't miss it. After the last song I said to Brad that I think she sang everything I expected her to from the new album. I think encores are lame anyway. Just finish the damn concert, don't make people beg.

The visual were amazing. I won't go into too much detail, but whoever does those graphics on all the screen should get a medal. I think I was more mesmerized with the graphics than the performance. (And I loved the Britney cameo.)

So here is a video, if you are going to the show and don't want it ruined for you, maybe don't watch it. The sound is awful, but what do you expect from a point and shoot. And they are just short clips at different parts of the show. A lot of it is the visuals from the screens.

I don’t know if I’m more amused by the lyrics of this song or amazing effects and graphics. Regardless, it is kind of fun. I guess this is one of Katy Perry’s earlier singles from her current CD. I guess her breakthrough hit was I Kissed a Girl, before that song I had never heard of her. Now it is impossible not to hear her.  Maybe I’m just out of the loop. Scary.

Tonight (July 18, 2008) was George Michael’s concert in Toronto. Now let me start by saying, I wasn’t overly enthused when I we first got the tickets, but you know what? It was a great concert and I’m really glad I went.

So we get into the ACC to our seats, section 104 near the back, but at least in the bottom half of the concert so we had a straight on view. He got on stage at about 8:55 (didn’t his tickets say 8:00 sharp?), after one too many clapping outbursts from the crowd.

I guess for his age he is looking pretty good. Still the rough growth and poofy hair. We did notice the line on his neck was overly accentuated. Isn’t that where they go in to do a little skin pulling? I know he is a shy guy so that camera wasn’t on him that much during the concert. They had two screens but it would only show him once in a while. So maybe he just didn’t want people analyzing his facial features too much so he asked for very little camera time.

The sound was actually really good. He sounded fantastic. Maybe a little too fantastic? I always, always give the artist the benefit of the doubt that they are singing, but he isn’t Celine Dion. We did see him on American Idol not sounding too good. But even if he had help from a backup track at times, we still enjoyed the concert since we knew most of the songs. So my second theory is that they don’t show him on the screens too often because they don’t want to give too many hints that he may be getting some vocal help.

Now the stage. Fantastic. I could have sat there and stared at it all night. Now I have been to many pop concerts, and his stage was simple. Very simple. Just an LED screen that was stories high that came down and curved onto the stage and poured into the crowd. The visuals would come all the way down and George (if I may be so bold as to call him by his first name) and the back up singers would be standing on it. It actually made some really cool effects and some wonderful visuals. Like the film reel that came up from the crowd and slid up into the ceiling while playing clips of old footage. So simple. But I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. I want one in our living room.

And now the people. There were people. And many annoying people. The girl next to Brad had an overly loud clap and she was really really into it. Some woman three rows up had a screechy scream and was yelling things like "Take of your jacket", "You are hot", "I love you George". Yes. We were very far away and he probably didn’t hear her. And I don’t think she is his type. I hope she can’t talk tomorrow and no, we don’t want to see him with his clothes off. This isn’t 1990. And lastly there is the guy in the picture on the right. We don’t know where his wife went. And we don’t know if he was there until the cleaners came to clean up his mess. But I couldn’t help but take a picture. Alas, George Michael’s biggest fan.

So I took some videos, they are kind of shakey, but it was hard not to dance while taking them. The first one is Too Funky, which I loved because I love models. And the second one is Freedom which I loved because I love models.

Okay, some sweet listening. Funny how I don’t like Kanye songs unless he is featured in it… (i.e. Beat Goes On feat. Kanye West with Madonna). It is just my taste, since I’m not the blockarama type guy like Alen.

So we went to see Mel C perform at one of the stages in Toronto Pride. It was a long set, maybe a little too long, 1 hour. This is my fav song though of hers… that she played last.

[Updated] For all you Mel C Super fans out there who are somehow offended by my comments, please take note. I like Mel C. I think she is the best thing to come out of the Spice Girls, I enjoy the songs I do know, the more popular songs and I think she is a great performer. Many of the songs she played, I did not know… I’m not dissing her or saying she is a bad performer… but I wanted to just hear the songs that were familiar to me since standing in the hot sweaty sun for over an hour is not the most fun.