Concert Review: Rihanna earns diva status

Here’s a prediction: Rihanna’s transformation from bashful island girl to pop superstar will be complete by the time she wraps up the 2011 edition of her Loud tour later this year. How come? Because Wednesday’s concert at Scotiabank Place, just four shows into the worldwide excursion, was a spectacle worthy of a true diva.

After a futuristic opening segment that involved four large circular screens, the leggy Rihanna emerged from a sphere in a bright blue mini coat that provided a striking contrast against her mane of red curls. The first song, Only Girl (In the World), isn’t her strongest but with all the activity on stage, it hardly mattered. The four round screens were like highly engineered moons rising over the stage, plus there was a vast screen backdrop, a conveyor belt across the front of the stage, and a hole that swallowed her up for costume changes. Beneath the ridiculous amount of staging were the musicians and singers of her band.

The Barbados-born singer cruised through the songs Disturbia, Shut Up and Drive and Man Down, which didn’t have nearly as much of an impact as the controversial video in which Rihanna murders the man who assaulted her. The proceedings took a masculine edge when Rihanna emerged in trousers and tux, prodding her dancers with a cane. That led to the raunchy choreography of S&M, a tune so catchy that you can’t help but sing along to the line, “Whips and chains excite me.”

Things got even steamier during the slow jam of Skin, first because of Rihanna’s solo pelvic thrusting, but then she invited a female fan from one of the special sections of seats on stage to join her in the spotlight. It must have been a surprise to the woman when Rihanna straddled her and started humping.

Reappearing on a pink tank with dancers in combat gear, the singer was the commander of a military invasion for the next couple of songs, Raining Men and Hard. There was no discernible social message to the army theme; it looked like Rihanna was simply having fun.

Of course, when the artist has fun, so does the crowd. There were close to 12,000 fans in the stadium, mostly young, female and dressed in short shorts. For them, Rihanna’s concert was pure escapism, a hands-in-theair party on a hot summer night.

The fast-rising crossover rapper B. O. B delivered a generous opening set that found him working hard to entertain the crowd, and his efforts paid off. Backed by a full rock band and three backing vocalists, the Atlanta-based artist fired out his rhymes and bounced back and forth across the stage, keeping the energy level high. The crowd lapped up his mix of rock, rap, soul, funk and R&B, squealing appreciation and singing along, especially for an extended version of his big single, Airplanes. No doubt, Bobby Ray Simmons, Jr. definitely made some fans in Ottawa.
© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW

bodacious

She Has Great Stage Persona, Great Band, Back Up Singers
Dncers And The Visuals, And Stage Set Ups And Her Vocals R On Point!!!
bodacious

Confidence, Poise And Good And Ready To Entertain The Masses!!
Shows Her Audiences That She Came To Entertain All Of Them!!!
She Loves Entertaining, And It Shows When Shes On Any Stage Around The World!!!
Natalie

The whole show is totally on point :) I cantw ait to see ittt! I couldnt stop myself from watching one video on youtube and she's killing it with the dancing! It looks just like such a great party! I want to be there asap!! Ha!
bodacious

RiRi Has Turned The Heat All The Way Up, Shes Proving
To Be The Baddest In The Game, By Turning The Tables Showing Her EXQUSITIVE Entertaining Skills!!!
ThatRihannareign

REQUEST AND BUY !https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0ArcIVtEyyn6NdGplb0ctNXNudmRaVjRUQk9iWnJ5anc&hl=en#gid=2
MD and CKB are decreasing on i.tunes!
I.TUNES UK CKB: #13
- ThatRihannareign
  
  https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0ArcIVtEy…
bodacious

THANKS FOR A GREAT ARTICLE "RD" VERY WELL WRITTEN AND STRAIGHT
TO THE POINT. RIHANNA HAS PERFECTED, STAGE PERSONA, THAT CUTE POUT
AND HER TRADEMARK "INCREDIBLY DISTINCTIVE VOICE & HER OFF THE HOOK SWAGGER!!!!!!!
HER TEAM IS ONE OF THE BEST WELL OILED MACHINES IN THE INDUSTRY I SEE WHERE MANY R
MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT HOW GREAT RIHANNA AND HER TEAM WORKS SO WELL TOGETHER ENTERTAINING THE MASSES!
voinko

YAP…SHE'S BEEN DIVA 4 A VERY LONG TIME :)
voinko

RIHANNA – Man Down: 20.750 (+ 0.556),
RIHANNA – CKB 12.200 (+ 0.482)
- ThatRihannareign
  
  FINALLYYYYYYYY!!!!
  REQUEST AND BUY!
Cathyhi5

Wow. B.o.b was performing? I had no idea! Thats insane! Plus I dont think ppl been getting the memo about RiRi divadom. They need 2 get it.
TK-75523

Rihanna is SO hot and yummY :D <3
I LOVE RIHANNA <33333333333333333333333
truth

shakira is the best watch her new video she beats riri and b for sure

drake has big eyebrows i hope she is still with MK he is a beast
Dave

It was a good show! BOB was amazing!!! Rihanna.. was good.. a little too "same as everyone else madonna stage thing" over the top slu—tyness though. There were really young grls there and they don't need to see that. I thought she would be classier. Classier is hotter. Wear more!!!! : )
jorge ferreira

i love you robyn eu te amo muito
truth

the only thing they add in this tour is color i give that i wont waste my money in going

there is nothing new and people should stop tring to sell something and convincing people to go and see her really the only new thing is color thats it and the wig please save ur money and go see ADELE
truth

REALLY THEY CALL IT USA TOUR REALLY WHEN YOU ONLY DO 16 STATES THATS CONSIDERED A USA TOUR SHE CANT SELL

SHE ONLY HAS 16 STATES SCHEDULE FOR USA LAST TIME I RECALL THERE ARE 50 STATES AND SHE CAN SELL ONLY 16 THATS A SIGN OF TRING TO HARD

SHE CANT SELL HERE IN THE USA THATS A FACT
- liya
  
  Learn to read, moron! Rihanna's currently playing the NORTH AMERICAN leg of her tour. Canada is part of the North American continent, and thus the tour leg has been labeled properly. And while you're at it, @sswipe, learn to count! It's 20 dates, thus far, in the continental US and eleven dates in Canada.
  - lola
    
    wow 20 out of 50 40% pls that so little if she is going to be labeled a diva or superstar pls
    
    diva is mariah. madonna, b but riri pls she has a long way to go
    
    when is 40% good not in the business world
    
    go to business school to learn that
Roses

she should be the headliner for B lol
truth

they should call her tour foreign tour becasue the majority of the dates r in international territory

only 16 states here in the USA out of the 50 pls
voinko

Hot 100

#21 S&M
#65 California King Bed
#68 Man Down

Social Top 50

#2 Rihanna ( lw 4 )

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

#26 [34] – Man Down
http://www.pokec.sk Lenka a Dajo

Your bi obiatia gave me strength in your love life, I was bi shield your barefoot honey sweet.
http://www.pokec.sk Dajo

<3
Rose

I see you have a few visiting Trolls. Haters will come a dime a dozen. You can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time. Rihanna knows this well. It was taught to her from in Barbados- drilled in. She just has to keep doing 'her'. The whole idea is to bring down the moral of the "Navy" and give doubts about Rihanna and keep support down so their faves can rise. "Divide and rule" is their anthem but united we stand divided we fall. Lets stick together and work harder than even to help sheild her and protect her by giving our full support regardless of what these Hater come on here and say. They can't stand how strong the Navy really is. The best fan base ever!!!! RIHANNA NAVY stand up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yoyo

Now this is a sexy video for sure http://justjared.buzznet.com/2011/06/09/shakira-r…
bodacious

@rose cosigns
bodacious

my wrist and hands do not belong to me, i have been going strong off and on since i posted the first post over 8hours
ago, thats how strong the love is frommy camp for Ri.
on youtube
RI'S
Man Down 15,726.085 Views
CKB 22,238,439 Views
WMN 178,998,775 views
Ogirl 144,739,269 Views
DANG THIS LOOKS GOOD TO ME LETS GET "LOUD"?
francefc

I just saw Rihanna last night in Ottawa, Montreal you are in for a treat tonight :) She was fabulous, sexy, racy, fun and we loved how she came into the audience a few times and really acknowledged the fans that bought the tickets. Beautiful girl xx
Sandrah

Rihanna Diva don’t think so. You have to be considered the best to have that status and so far other artist has out shine her yr after yr after yr. King Bey was the #1 artist for several yrs then Gaga last year and this year Adele, now those top artist are Divas not Rihanna. Every year Rihanna release a album another artist out do her. Bey couple years, GGGB era Amy Winehouse outshile her and sold a lot more albums. She relase another album and Gaga, Bey and Alicia Keys sold more albums. Now she release Loud and Adele killin her in album sales and Gaga will 2. Adeke release a new song which u know will be her next #1. CKB and Man Down can’t even make to the top 30. Yet Katy new crappy song is entering the top 30. Adele album is predicted to be #1 next week over 6 mil sold and Rihanna can’t reach 5mil. Divas status don’t think so dream on Navy. In the words of King B What You Say She Aint No Dive! Don’t use that term if u don’t know what it mean. Rihanna and her Navy is a damn joke. All the contreversy and Man Down still flopping. She on tour and Loud still not selling and CKB flopping so Pathetic! Rihanna and ur Navy fall back. Watch the real Divas. Go Adele, Go Gaga, Go Bey.
- tracee
  
  sandra rose !!!! is dat u?
- tracee
  
  man down dropping?
  sry i must have read the story wrong.. u know the story headling yahoo
  the one that said highest drop in album sales
  such a huge drop!!!
  must read story wrong will go & read it to make sure
Sandrah

Some Diva they don’t even talk about her voice. Hwen will the world call her a great singer how about a good singer. The only thing they talk about his her skany outfits, the bright colors the dancers how sad. All she has to offer his those little whoring custumes to wear to get attention and take away from the fact she can’t sing to save her life. She is a no talent wannbe singer. She can’t she can’t sing so she must dress half naked to get attention. Now she giving lap dance she look like a nasty hoe like Niki. At least CB can dance, Rihanna trying to follow in her man’s foot step. GIVE IT UP GIRL WHEN PEOPLE MENTION CB they say how he can sing and dance., they say he is talent, they say he is a great entertainer/performer, they say he has a great voicee. When people mention Rihaana they say she dress nasty, she try to be sexy that’s it nothing about talent. So pathetic RiRi. Oh mu bad she has 1o #1s LMAO. She still flopping low tickets sales for her tour and album struggling.
- tracee
  
  sandra c'mon!
  i thought u kiss & made up?
Sandrah

Highest drop in albums ok but she still sold more than Rihanna and BTW will ousell Loud. Loud out 6 months and can’t reach 5mil yet. BTW will outsell Loud. Gaga will sell more album than Rihanna like she did last year. 10Mil+ sold for Gaga. Rihanna will never ever sell 10mil from one album. I’m sure don’t even know what a Diamond album is let me share its 10 million copies sold. Who did that Gaga. If Loud probably wont reach 6million before the end of the year. Oh well it might after reload, she may need to release to get 5mil. LOL. Go buy and req CKB and Man Down tthey flopping really hard. Rihanna should ask Adele what it feel like to be number1 and sell over 6 million without even trying.
- tracee
  
  question existing…
  y r u not on ur fav fansite?
  where i'm at is where i wanna b…
  u do know that haters r confused fans right?
  - MEAGAIN
    
    It's just a twisted fan with clearly too much time on their hands. Lol.
  - JungleDisturbia
    
    *plays opening of Fading* Amen! Haters are just fans in disguise. If they weren't fans, they wouldn't go to all the effort to go to Rihanna's site and comment on posts. And whats with "Sandrah"s nerve, saying that Rihanna can't sing? Someone hasn't been to the LOUDtour or seen LTWYLP2 performed live. Sandrah is just an unreasearched hater. And nothing more.
voinko

LOUD TOUR BEGIND THE SCENES
http://www.whosay.com/rihanna/videos/36443
tracee

thanx voinko
new post!!!
Nambé ú

She is the Only Girl in the World"!
Rose

I feel so sorry for SANDREH. She surely smacks of someone who craved for Rihanna's attention so bad and like a would be lover whose advances are rebuffed she has turned hateful, bitter and revenge is constantly on her brain taking over their life. She must eat , sleep and breathe Rihanna. That's so sad.In the words of one of her fave "Bad Romance", LMAO!!!! But she cannot stand that Rihanna just don't care, she is disregarding all the hate and in fact using it as a springboard to push her even further in her quest to conquer and win. The hatred is fodder for Rihanna. It's amusing to see how far people who thinks she is o insignificant become so threatened to the point of writing articles to constantly blast her. When someone is not imortant you don't talk about them,but people like Sandrarose aka "Sandrah" and "That grape Jice" prove ever day just how jealous and vindictive they are and call it good blogging. LMAO! They think they can turn the Navy against Rihanna but 'Get over it". RIHANNNA NAVY STAND UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jrex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEKdSUEizG4
Jess

Re Re is the best! Love her music…she's a great artist. Im super excited to see her in Ft. Lauderdale on July 14th with my best friend. We're both big fans of Rihanna. We got close up seats @ http://tinyurl.com/3wtfr7x if anyone is looking. :)