Alicia Keys Live Review @ M.E.N Arena 09/07/2008
A semi full arena always leaves your average gig goer slightly weary over the evening’s forthcoming proceedings and Alicia’s Keys’ rescheduled February date had a good few empty seats knocking around.
Could a piano ballad fuelled set really be the answer to a notably undersold MEN Arena?
Well that didn’t matter as she came on guns-a-blazin’ with an un-stereotypical (and unexpected) cacophonic, yet controlled entrance. Her first four songs were something one would expect to hear her more lively female American counterparts of the Beyonce ilk take the stage too. Furthermore she even included her two female backing singers to such a degree that during one track she was in serious danger of being upstaged by the sass and vocal prowess of the supposed ’supporting’ duo.
But then it all went dark and voila; the grand piano had made its entrance and Miss Keys showed us why she’s worth the entrance fee.
It’s her simple piano only ballads (albeit with a pinch of twinkly percussion) that make the songstress so appealing. With a beautiful, booming voice that accentuate her lyrics about love, loss and desperation; Alicia Keys had her young crowd listening to her every word with genuine intent.
There will always be a market for simplicity and Alicia should strive to make it hers as she has the genuine song writing talent to do so, but as moments showed tonight; she is in danger of slipping into a genre in which there are people far more entertaining than her.
More ballads, less booty. Simple.
4 out of 5
