Mariah Carey closed the American leg of the superb Adventures of Mimi tour at the US Airways Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. There was huge expectation due to the importance and magnitude of this sold-out concert. The stage, which had the shape of a giant "M", showed different colors in accordance to the song. Outside, a giant poster announced the thrilling concert.
The show started at 7:45 when Busta Rhymes took the microphone to perform his fun Hip-Hop. The opening show had its ups, presenting songs such as "I Know What You Want" and others from his long recording career; however, there were moments when people from the audience seemed tired. Rhymes reminded the audience that it was the last concert in the U.S from the Adventures of Mimi tour, which excited fans even more.
Mariah Carey took the stage at 9:30 as she was received by a hectic audience. The entire arena stood up to catch a gaze of the superstar. The opening started with Mariah Carey's voice giving the "rollercoaster" speech in which she states that "if you don't get on the ride, you won't experience the adventure". In the huge screens, we could see Mariah Carey falling from the sky until she appeared in the center of the stage.
The first track, "It's Like That", described exactly Mariah's feeling of "emancipation" being transmitted to the audience. This moment was perhaps the climax of the night. Mariah wore a sexy black bikini and a cape. Mariah looked astonishing and certainly impressive. Later, Carey continued with a medley of "Heartbreaker", presenting something different from previous tours. "Dreamlover" ignited the concert because of the closeness between Mariah and the crowd.
During the performance of "My All", Mariah joked with the audience as she included "Phoenix" in the lyrics. Once again, her voice sounded even better than in the album. She left the stage while the David Morales remix was being played, and the stage was taken over by Mariah's incredible dancers. Minutes later, the Mimi sign went down, and Mariah sang "Shake it Off"; she even danced, which was surprising for many. She left the stage at the time the DJ played old R&B and Hip-Hop hits; despite reports from some journalists, these short segments did not break the excitement of the concert.
"Vision of Love" was introduced by Mariah saying, "This is my first song." She surprised us by hitting such high notes that, at moments, it was all we could hear. In fact, Mariah Carey's voice has not changed; it is powerful and expressive! MC continued with "Fly Like a Bird"; she pointed out the importance of the song as it is based on spirituality. Mariah used a strong voice that reminded us the days when she debuted.
Before leaving the stage for Trey Lorenz, Mariah talked about the story behind "I'll Be There". MC said she needed to sing a cover during the MTV Unplugged concert and that they decided to do the song a day before the show. "I'll Be There" was another highlight as people sincerely responded to the song and Mariah asked the audience to join her. Trey took the microphone and sang a song from his new album, as well as a song by Michael Jackson and the hit "Crazy".
When Trey finished, the arena was completely dark. Mariah later appeared on the "B" stage to continue with the show. This mini stage was surrounded by fans who got the opportunity to be closer to Mariah. The first song in this new stage was the remix to "Fantasy", which was enthusiastically received by the crowd. At the end of the song, the moving messages "O.D.B - rest in peace" and "we'll miss you" appeared in the screens.
Carey thanked her audience for making "Don't Forget about Us" her seventeenth #1 single and later performed the song while the arena was completely illuminated by a disco ball. MC continued with "Always Be My Baby", which was introduced by Mariah as the first song she ever wrote with Jermaine Dupri. She also read some posters and walked through the crowd until she hit the main stage. At this point, Mariah was so close to the audience that it seemed as if we were one.
She thanked the audience and said: "You guys are some of the best audiences I've had"; she continued saying "I really mean it!" Obviously, fans were even more excited at this point. She also remarked the importance of the concert because it was the final stop for The Adventures of Mimi in North America. She also said that the show was going to continue in Asia.
Mariah continued the show with a completely new performance of "Honey". The screen showed Mariah's silhouette as the "secret agent" she played in the video. During this performance, Mariah was actually part of the choreography without losing the "MC" style. She later abandoned the stage to wear something according to the following songs.
Minutes later, Mariah hit the stage again performing a snippet of "I Wish You Knew", which included the speech. She explained that this part of the show was "free" for her to sing anything from her catalog. She sang a part of "Can't Let Go", which was perfectly identified by the crowd. She continued with "Thank God I Found You/Make It Last", with Trey Lorenz, explaining that this remix was one of the most extraordinary remixes she's ever done. The latter was an insightful performance that touched many.
The most emotional moment of the night was "One Sweet Day", which Mariah dedicated to a fan and his brother who had passed away. The entire crowd joined Mariah to sing the lines, "Sorry, I never told you / All I wanted to say". When Mariah finished the song, many people from the audience were even crying; "One Sweet Day" definitely proved that Mariah and the crowd were one.
MC said, "Why can't life be festive all the time?" Mariah explained the story behind the hymn "Hero" and how that song was going to be sung by another artist. She explained how, according to fans, the song has changed their lives. It was another remarkable moment where it seemed Mariah was singing to every person individually. She left the stage, but we knew there was something else for us.
Mariah appeared again to perform her new signature song "We Belong Together"; it was astonishing to see thousands singing this song with Mariah. "We Belong Together" had a special importance because of the enormous success MC had with that song. The show was closed with the song "Butterfly" and confetti. The crowd experienced with Mariah an exceptional night that will be unforgettable.
The show was advertised as "The Voice, The Hits, The Tour", and attendants received that and more. Mariah's voice is extraordinary; one has to see Mariah Carey live to believe it. The concert gathered some of the biggest hits, as well as the most memorable songs from her #1 album The Emancipation of Mimi. During the show, Mariah Carey was confident and close to the audience.
After the show ended, one could hear people saying: "This is the best concert I've seen" or "That's why I love Mariah Carey so much!" Mariah looked happy and thankful; in a few words, the final stop for The Adventures of Mimi in America was terrific!
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