BIEBER FEVER
Believe tour gets underway with screaming girls, a tender dedication and a case of the heaves
Visibly ill as he kicked off his Believe tour in Arizona — he had to leave the stage twice — Justin Bieber vowed to hang in and give fans the best show ever. The Star was there,
GLENDALE, AZ— It is unlikely Justin Bieber has put on a tougher, more professional show than the Believe tour opener he pulled off in the desert on the weekend.
The teen idol from Stratford, Ont., showed the poise of an entertainment veteran beyond his years when he fought through a stomach illness that halfway through the concert saw him vomit twice on stage, forcing him to run off for several minutes both times. He returned the second time with his face in a towel, spilling apologies to the worried and mostly female audience who kept on singing in his absence.
“Right now this is really hard because I’m feeling really sick,” Bieber told the cheering crowd. “It’s not a great feeling when you’re throwing up in front of a bunch of people. But you know, I feel comfortable enough with you, that I can be myself and you don’t judge me.”
The only judgment likely to come on this sold-out tour that brings Bieber to the Rogers Centre in To- ronto on Dec. 1 is adulation, and after Saturday night at Jobing.com Arena it appears well deserved.
It would have been easy enough for the 18-year-old to cut short the scheduled 20-song set. He may have the most forgiving, loving fans in show business. The more than 18,000 who watched him throw up the other night seemed to care only about his well-being, as Bieber’s discomfort was etched on his face.
He ran into trouble shortly after “Beautiful,” the sweet duet performed with fellow Canadian and tour opening act Carly Rae Jepsen. But just a few minutes after being sick he and his guitar climbed onto a crane that extended over the floor for two ballads, “Be Alright” and “Fall,” from Believe. He threw up again during his hit “Never Say Never,” but came back pledging to give the audience the best concert they’ve ever seen.
And he wasn’t a note or dance step off as he powered through the rest of the show.
Last week, his mother, Pattie Mallette, told the Toronto Star that her son has “really come a long way as a performer” and that it would be evident upon seeing the concert. She was not boasting. Bieber drafted a top-notch crew, including director John M. Chu, magician David Blaine and lighting wizard Chris Kuroda (Phish) to craft a slick spectacle that was as entertaining as the music and nudged Bieber a little closer to the Michael Jackson comparisons he’s been working for. A three-level stage, disappearing acts, short films mixed with familiar old videos, a dozen dancers and an eye-popping light show signalled that, however big you thought Bieber was, he’s bigger. And still he plays as sweet as ad- vertised, forgoing this time his usual routine of choosing a fan to serenade during “One Less Lonely Girl.” Instead, he dedicated the song to 6-year-old Avalanna Routh, the Massachusetts girl who died from a rare brain cancer last week and was Bieber’s friend and biggest fan. He sang to a video montage of her, coming to tears, leaving the roses he normally presents to a crying girl untouched to the side. It was as genuine a moment as you see in entertainment, and many in the audience wiped their own tears. Bieber, who puts on an intensely physical performance, focused mostly on the dance hits and R&B infected material from Believe, giving the songs fresh but true ar- rangements in the live environment. He performed a medley of his earlier hits, but pulled out the smash and fan favourite “Baby” on its own near the end, sending the crowd into delirium.
There’s little doubt Bieber is maturing as an entertainer. His voice has deepened since the My World 2.0 tour two years ago, and is more suited to the beats he favours. He was set to play the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday night, and has two packed shows at the Staples Center in Los Angeles this week. Only Madison Square Garden will be a bigger deal. He’s clearly ready. He has been for a long time now. He was up against it Saturday night, but proved he’s a serious professional unwilling to compromise.
And a few hours after it was all over, Bieber tweeted a photo of himself looking sick in bed with the message: “Great show, getting better for tomorrow’s show!!!! Love u.” Later he followed up: “And . . . milk was a bad choice. LOL.”
He’s rapidly maturing, but he hasn’t lost the touch that got him here.