Post by Moderator on Jul 15, 2008 2:58:35 GMT 1
09.Jul.2008 20:00
Bell Center
Montreal, Quebec
A great review on the show
Triple bill has fans hoppin'
Akon, Wyclef Jean, Sean Paul. Local teen sensation makes surprise appearance
T'CHA DUNLEVY, The Gazette
Published: Thursday, July 10
It was a hip-hop summit last night at the Bell Centre, as three of the genre's heavyweights - Akon, Wyclef Jean and Sean Paul - touched down for a chart-topping triple bill before 11,800 fans.
Each reaches a slightly different crowd. Akon is the smooth-crooning R&B singer with a gangsta lean; former Fugee Jean is a crossover king who has teamed up with everyone from Shakira to Carlos Santana, Paul Simon and T-Pain; and Sean Paul is the don of dancehall reggae.
Even a Bell Centre gig isn't enough to stop a hip-hop show from running late, apparently. Toronto rapper Kardinal Offishall took the stage 35 minutes behind schedule, in the opening slot, but wasted no time in getting the crowd on-board.
Backed by a live band and backup dancers, Paul gave the proceedings the first major injection of star power, just after 8:30 p.m. His rapid-fire lyrical delivery, combined with an endless flurry of thumping rhythms, got the party started.
People sang along to Give It Up to Me, and reacted warmly to some new songs from Paul's forthcoming album, The Next Thing. But they wanted hits. And when he unveiled old favourites Like Glue, Gimme the Light, and Baby Boy, things really took off.
Lighters came out for the love song Never Gonna Be the Same; and the vibe lightened considerably with the swaying I'm Still in Love With You. He took it home in the encore with Get Busy and Temperature. Paul is kind of a one-trick pony, but that trick worked its magic last night.
A half-hour break put the beginning of Jean's set to 10:05 (a full hour off-course) - but first, a surprise. Montreal teen sensation Nikki Yanofsky came out to sing God Bless the Child.
Jean then spared no extravagance in getting the audience hyped up. First, he marched through the crowd. Once on stage, he changed into a Canadiens jersey and hockey helmet. There were fireworks.
''Levez la main! Levez la main!'' he prodded. When the island groove of his breakthrough cover of Guantanamera came on, the entire arena belonged to him. His rendition of No Woman No Cry followed, with singalong in full swing.
Jean can work a crowd. Just a few months after selling out Metropolis two nights in a row, he tamed the Bell Centre with a mix of showmanship, unbridled bravado, guitar licks and infectious hooks. He sang Fast Car, his team-up with Simon, and If I Was President (giving a shout-out to ''Obama!''), plus old Fugees smashes Ready or Not and Fugee-La.
''Are you ready to get crazy in this stadium?'' he asked. He certainly was. And his energy would not be denied. He made his way to the back, then the middle of the arena, atop a security guard's shoulders, to a pumping carnival beat. Cue the confetti. Mayhem. That, folks, is how you steal a show.
Akon finally came out at 11:30 p.m., making this the latest start this critic has ever witnessed at the Bell Centre. Descending form the rafters on a parachute (attached to cables), he launched into Shake Down, but was plagued by microphone problems. The crowd cheered anyway, and as deadline beckoned, things got sorted out and he began his hit parade.
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008
If anyone is interested in seeing Wyclef's performance, you can follow these links.
Wyclef Ready Or Not -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAREJoL9uio&feature=related
Wyclef freestyle -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXkQE2fAPiM&feature=related
Wyclef No Woman, No Cry -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP8-nUUd3fI&feature=related
Another video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=d18VqctN3zA&feature=related
Bell Center
Montreal, Quebec
A great review on the show
Triple bill has fans hoppin'
Akon, Wyclef Jean, Sean Paul. Local teen sensation makes surprise appearance
T'CHA DUNLEVY, The Gazette
Published: Thursday, July 10
It was a hip-hop summit last night at the Bell Centre, as three of the genre's heavyweights - Akon, Wyclef Jean and Sean Paul - touched down for a chart-topping triple bill before 11,800 fans.
Each reaches a slightly different crowd. Akon is the smooth-crooning R&B singer with a gangsta lean; former Fugee Jean is a crossover king who has teamed up with everyone from Shakira to Carlos Santana, Paul Simon and T-Pain; and Sean Paul is the don of dancehall reggae.
Even a Bell Centre gig isn't enough to stop a hip-hop show from running late, apparently. Toronto rapper Kardinal Offishall took the stage 35 minutes behind schedule, in the opening slot, but wasted no time in getting the crowd on-board.
Backed by a live band and backup dancers, Paul gave the proceedings the first major injection of star power, just after 8:30 p.m. His rapid-fire lyrical delivery, combined with an endless flurry of thumping rhythms, got the party started.
People sang along to Give It Up to Me, and reacted warmly to some new songs from Paul's forthcoming album, The Next Thing. But they wanted hits. And when he unveiled old favourites Like Glue, Gimme the Light, and Baby Boy, things really took off.
Lighters came out for the love song Never Gonna Be the Same; and the vibe lightened considerably with the swaying I'm Still in Love With You. He took it home in the encore with Get Busy and Temperature. Paul is kind of a one-trick pony, but that trick worked its magic last night.
A half-hour break put the beginning of Jean's set to 10:05 (a full hour off-course) - but first, a surprise. Montreal teen sensation Nikki Yanofsky came out to sing God Bless the Child.
Jean then spared no extravagance in getting the audience hyped up. First, he marched through the crowd. Once on stage, he changed into a Canadiens jersey and hockey helmet. There were fireworks.
''Levez la main! Levez la main!'' he prodded. When the island groove of his breakthrough cover of Guantanamera came on, the entire arena belonged to him. His rendition of No Woman No Cry followed, with singalong in full swing.
Jean can work a crowd. Just a few months after selling out Metropolis two nights in a row, he tamed the Bell Centre with a mix of showmanship, unbridled bravado, guitar licks and infectious hooks. He sang Fast Car, his team-up with Simon, and If I Was President (giving a shout-out to ''Obama!''), plus old Fugees smashes Ready or Not and Fugee-La.
''Are you ready to get crazy in this stadium?'' he asked. He certainly was. And his energy would not be denied. He made his way to the back, then the middle of the arena, atop a security guard's shoulders, to a pumping carnival beat. Cue the confetti. Mayhem. That, folks, is how you steal a show.
Akon finally came out at 11:30 p.m., making this the latest start this critic has ever witnessed at the Bell Centre. Descending form the rafters on a parachute (attached to cables), he launched into Shake Down, but was plagued by microphone problems. The crowd cheered anyway, and as deadline beckoned, things got sorted out and he began his hit parade.
© The Gazette (Montreal) 2008
If anyone is interested in seeing Wyclef's performance, you can follow these links.
Wyclef Ready Or Not -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAREJoL9uio&feature=related
Wyclef freestyle -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXkQE2fAPiM&feature=related
Wyclef No Woman, No Cry -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP8-nUUd3fI&feature=related
Another video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=d18VqctN3zA&feature=related
