Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 11,174
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Quote:
Niki Minaj Saddledome show "plenty of style but little substance"
No brawls please ... we’re Canadian.
Besides, maybe the violent, pepper-spraying patrons at the Nicki Minaj show at the Concord Pavilion in San Francisco last week were just trying to leave. In what was the third major arena show at the Scotiabank Saddledome in the past six days, one does not wish to comparison shop, but the uninspired, lacklustre and largely uninteresting fashion show set to dance music here last night would indicate that the Foo Fighters and, even, Mumford & Sons really have nothing to worry about.
Hell, if the biggest hype point is “just as many wigs as songs” then no touring act has anything to worry about.
Demonstrating plenty of style but little substance, the 32-year-old Trinidad-born, Queens-bred R&B and hip-hip-infused pop star finally appeared to her adoring Calgary masses a full 45 minutes after her scheduled start time by launching into All Things Go amid all of the pomp and circumstance you would expect.
As her giant engagement ring was held up and blown up on the giant video screens, all you could ask was ... really? This is it? This is what we were waiting for? Not the ring ... the show.
The stage production, ramps, laser lights and video screens were semi-spectacular, but not overkill (wardrobe changes were) and the skilled, sexy and scantily-clad dancing troupe was actually a larger focus point. There was a lot of exposed skin on that stage — oh yes, and they could dance!
The smallish crowd of only 8,000 (mostly teens, tweens, 20-somethings and even a few parents) went bananas for what was clearly a first concert experience for many of them, but Minaj stuck to some basic raps and R&B balladry early on with The Crying Game, Feeling Myself and Only.
“I can’t hear you, Calgary-eeeeee — I’m honoured to be here with you tonight,” she smiled and greeted the crowd politely. “Let’s hear from you independent women ... if you’re not here to pick up a god-damn man, make some mother (effin) noise,” she added not so politely ... but to huge cheers nonetheless.
Never meeting a body fishnet, sheer material or a cup-size-too-small brassiere she didn’t like, the glamourous pop-tart marched the stage and addressed the crowd through Truffle Butter and Moment 4 Life.
While numerous parents continued to wait in line for over-priced T-shirts and concert merchandise, the kids inside continued to lap it up through Beez In The Trap, a cover of Beyonce’s ***Flawless, the admittedly ultra-catchy club and radio number, Anaconda, and the appropriately titled Super Bass.
Opening the dance-fest showcased at the PinkPrint Tour were bit performances from Atlanta-based hip-hopping brothers Rae Stremmurd, and R&B singers Tinashe and Dej Loaf.
The latter pair were merely “performing” and “singing” by use of a live microphone over top of a pre-recorded track, with no band in sight. The guy spinning wax for Dej Loaf was more side show Carney than DJ, but ... whatever. After all, this how Minaj got her start.
Rae Stremmurd was slightly more redeeming and the crowd seemed to dig the pair, and some decent raps, which included No Flex Zone, My X and No Type. For older rappers (and moms) in attendance they kind of remind of Kriss Kross ... except for they were wearing their pants on front ways.
Before Minaj, and with Twitter-spouting, Drake-hating boy toy (and fiancée), Meek Mill nowhere in sight up to that point, A DJ dance party was arguably the most entertaining part of the evening. The crowd was on its feet dancing and cheering for a guy with a computer, busting out dance club nuggets. Uh ... okay.
It was that kind of night.
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Lol.
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