Cristina Aguilera’s concert in Manila: Was it worth it?

The ticket prices where a bit too much, but certainly Cristina Aguilera’s performance here in Manila was a rare scene for us considering that she’s a certified Hollywood A-lister. So, was the money worth it with the concert experience? Let’s read a review by an Inquirer writer:

REVIEW

What 'Back to Basics' means

By Pocholo Concepcion
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines - The music sounded almost like an orchestra and there were theatrical attempts to recreate bygone periods. But above all was an overwhelming presence whose voice redefined what basic talent meant.

Christina Aguilera, reportedly in the early months of pregnancy, performed tirelessly in a one-night concert on Friday at the Fort Bonifacio Global City Open Field in Taguig. Although there were empty seats in the VIP section and a wider, unfilled space at the back, the organizers (Globe Telecom and MTV) said the gig drew about 18,000 people.

Anxiety was high as the show started late, but all misgivings were wiped out the moment the 13-piece band erupted in a big, fat, brassy sound. On the video wall appeared snapshots of Donny Hathaway, Gladys Knight, Otis Redding, James Brown, Billie Holliday, Marvin Gaye and other great black artists.

It was Aguilera's way of leading the audience to appreciate her current preoccupation with black music, which comprises the material of her latest album, "Back to Basics" (Sony BMG), and in fact what inspired her, as a child, to sing and dance.

All dressed in white, Aguilera opened with "Ain't No Other Man," one of the hits off the double-disc album. It didn't matter if one was familiar with the song or the album; Aguilera's voice alone was a joy to hear.

Urban soul

It had depth and texture. Apparently, its power didn't take much effort to summon, although Aguilera had this habit of bending forward and slightly bouncing on her feet when she reached for the high notes. The crowd cheered each time.

"I want you to take a journey with me and use your imagination," Aguilera said.

What she really wanted was for the people to listen, and listen well, to the rhythms and melodies. It was music from another time and age, jazz and the blues, the music of our grandparents, updated with modern influences that Aguilera calls "urban soul."

Complementing the music were authentic recreations of period costumes and props. In the 1920s showgirls routine, Aguilera and her dancers acted like cabaret fixtures. "Come on over," she cooed.

There was a bit of R&B and hip hop in "Slow Down, Baby," but only for a short while. Because in the next several songs, Aguilera began to assume a character that had her slipping into revealing costumes.

(She once posed a question to the Western media: Why is it okay for male pop and rap stars to flaunt their bodies and machismo, while women who act aggressively are labeled whores?)

On Friday night, pushing the point once more, Aguilera dedicated some songs to the women in the audience. The songs spoke of empowerment and freedom to do what is otherwise regarded as taboo. The numbers were delivered with such incredible lung power, it was hard not to heed her rallying call.

"Oh, Mother," which Aguilera said she wrote for her own mom, was next. She recalled the domestic violence she witnessed as a child. It was the most difficult time of her life, she stressed, but also where she drew her strength from. Singing that song, with some lines chanted like a mantra, helped her get over the emotional scars, she said.

Spectacle unfolded with a circus act, with the star assuming another character named Baby Jane, the central figure among fire-eaters, tightrope walkers and all sorts of freaks.

By this time, even when the songs tended to bore, Aguilera's vocals managed to distract us from so much onstage action.

More legs and cleavage were exposed in succeeding numbers. But more than these eye-popping visuals, what mattered was the music that came on loud but didn't hurt the ears, and a voice that soared without screeching.

The loudest applause came when a drunken sailor character staggered onstage, signaling the start of "Candy Man." The crowd was familiar with its music video that recreated the boogie-woogie era of the 1940s. Aguilera was caught laughing at herself towards the song's end.

After a particularly emotional torch number, Aguilera's energy went one notch higher still, as she strutted like a peacock in "Lady Marmalade," a raucous cover of the Patty LaBelle original and a cut from the "Moulin Rouge!" film soundtrack that won a Grammy for Aguilera and co-singers Li'l Kim, Mya and Pink.

Aguilera has actually been winning Grammys since 2000, but her stint in "Lady Marmalade" introduced her to a wider audience and perhaps goaded her to further explore the sexually explicit image.

Three encore numbers starting with an old hit, "Beautiful," had the crowd scampering to get closer to Aguilera and snapping away with their cameras, a very common incident, by the way, which should remind organizers never to impose silly restrictions on the press, especially photographers.

And then it drizzled on the last song. The audience didn't mind of course, and even welcomed its cooling effect after a hot night with a daring, gifted performer.

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