By Frank
Scheck
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Like a true gentleman, Marc
Anthony assumes the opening slot for his shows with wife Jennifer
Lopez, here embarking on her first-ever concert tour.
But the gracious gesture might not be doing her any favors.
Whereas the veteran Latin singer produced musical fireworks in his
galvanizing, mostly Spanish-language set, the ones set off in hers
were strictly literal.
Of course, the comparison isn't exactly fair. Lopez probably
would be the first to admit that she doesn't come close to
Anthony's voice or interpretive skills, not to mention his live
performing experience. But her dance-heavy material, leavened with
several songs from her Spanish-language release "Como Ama una
Mujer," is infectiously rhythmic, and her hourlong showcase
demonstrated that she's more than capable of headlining the sort of
theatrical extravaganza required on the pop diva arena circuit.
Heavily choreographed, lavishly costumed and featuring the
requisite pyrotechnics and video self-homage, her set -- featuring
such hit tunes as "Waiting for Tonight," "Jenny From the Block" and
"Let's Get Loud" -- kept the audience's cell phone cameras in
constant operation.
Wearing flowing garments and dancing in not particularly
athletic fashion, the singer did nothing to dispel the rumors of
her pregnancy. Her thin voice mostly is serviceable for the
material (with the ballads being notable exceptions), though there
were times when it seemed to be aided via electronic means.
Anthony, on the other hand, requires no such help in his
salsa-heavy set. His magnificent voice was beautifully showcased on
such numbers as "Aguanile" and "Hasta Que Te Conoci," and his years
of touring have made him a master of the dramatic gesture. When a
Puerto Rican flag was thrown to him by an audience member during
"Preciosa," he sang a verse while huddled underneath it to
rapturous cheers.
The show ended with exactly what the fans wanted: two numbers,
"Por Arriesgarnos" and "No Me Ames," performed as duets. Watching
these two intensely charismatic and successful performers cooing
lovingly to each other and kissing at the end of each song,
Bennifer seemed but a distant memory.
http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=2007-10-09T231248Z_01_N09449012_RTRIDST_0_ENTERTAINMENT-REVIEW-MUSIC-LOPEZ-COL.XML
