Friday, September 3, 2010

Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus And Usher Drive Tweens Crazy At Madison Square Garden Concert

It’s Justin Bieber‘s world, we’re just living in it.

At least that holds true if you’re a girl between the ages of 6 and 16 and happened to be at the Garden Tuesday night for Bieber’s “My World” tour.

They’re going to have find a new way to measure decibels to calculate the shrieks that greeted the Bieb when he took the stage. Both the intensity and the pitch of it threatened to overwhelm anything that happened on stage.

Of course, that’s as it should be with teen idols. It’s their job to provide the cleanest possible slate for the fans to project their fantasies upon.

As it turns out, Bieber presents a cleaner slate than any teen star has in decades. He tipped off his awareness of it right in last night’s wardrobe.

He appeared in pure white.

Similarly, the 16 year old shunned the more informed bumps and grinds of the last generation of teen idols: the ‘N Syncs and Backstreet Boys. They seem like Chippendale hunks compared with him.

With his apple-cheeked visage, pageboy bangs, and doe-like eyes, Bieber represents the most androgynous teen idol since the ’70s heyday of David Cassidy and Donny Osmond. His vocals follow suit, showing only the faintest sign that puberty may be on the horizon.

Bieber’s voice has been the subject of some controversy in his career, due to his apparent use of auto-tune in the studio.

Certainly, in the more fiercely choreographed numbers last night he seemed enhanced by machine. Not that it proved flattering. The contraptions made him sound like an electrified chipmunk.

Bieber may be sensitive to the issue. By the third number he brought out a ballad, “U Smile,” showcasing a creamy and clearly live instrument.

He also brought on the first of many guests – Boyz II Men, whose harmonies meshed easily with his.

Bieber’s guests didn’t just show up just to cheer him on. An appearance earned them a spot in a live, 3-D movie being filmed for future release. That inspired cameos from Bieber’s mentor Usher on “Somebody To Love,” Jaden Smith (son of Will) on “Never Say Never,” and fellow teen star Miley Cyrus on “Overboard.”

While the last-named pairing had the most vocal power, the stars hardly delivered on the song’s romantic yearning. It seemed like Bieber was singing to an older sister rather than a love interest.

Then again, that’s much in keeping with the whole Bieber gestalt. Right now, he’s puppy love personified.

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