Live Review: Britney Spears @ The O2

04 June 2009

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Britney Spears’ UK tour is one that the whole world has been waiting for with baited breath for many a month; would she sing, would she mime? Has she still got that sparkle we saw when she was clad in a schoolgirl outfit with pigtails…?

The answer, is of course, yes. Proving that she is still the princess of pop during her opening night at the O2 Arena in London yesterday, good ol’ miss Spears mimed her way through her unashamedly pre-recorded set, but did we care? NO! It was Britney for God’s sake!

Although many a music critic would slam Britney for her complete disregarded of a ‘tour’ supposed to be a live show, she did at least try to make it look a little bit live, by pulling some of the local renegades onto stage to faff around with guitars and make her look a little bit honest.

So, she did seem to spent more time offstage than actually on it - due to the constant removal of garments to prove that she didn’t really deserve those ‘fat’ jibes she was given during her US stint of the tour - however, sadly the ‘show’ seems to be more focused on erotic, suggestive dancing, rather than the acrobatic teen we remember from the days when she was all ‘virginal and pure.’

In fact, the ‘Circus’ seems to be more about love, sex and magic rather than the energetic dance routines we’re used to seeing, maybe she should give her ex Justin Timberlake a call; he and Ciara could show her a thing or two about performance, and, er, Love, Sex and Magic.

The moment that stood out in my mind, as well as probably the many parents who were forced to cover their young children’s eyes, came during one of the endless costume changes, when shock rocker, Marylin Manson’s version of Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) blasted out of the speakers, whilst a rather bizarre video of Brit as a sex slave fills up the Arena’s gigantic screens.

So, in all, I imagine most of the fans would be quite disappointed to see Britney tumbling into the realms of ‘old pop star,’ I mean take Girls Aloud, Take That and Madonna - they sing, dance and put on a fantastic live show… has the time come when Britney should admit she needs to take a backseat? Or just stick to music videos?

What did you think?

FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison