Tainted love for the Dolls

Friday 28 July 2006

T6 Music STARTWO

Tainted love for the Dolls After weeks of hype, NIKI CHEONG was really looking forward to watching the Pussycat Dolls perform at the Sunway Lagoon Surf Beach only to leave the concert somewhat disappointed.

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T IS an unfortunate state of the pop industry these days that artistes – both locally and internationally – are cashing in on their popularity based on form and style. The comment may seem a little harsh, yet the Pussycat Dolls concert at Sunway Lagoon Surf Beach, in Selangor, on Wednesday night is testament to that. The fact is there was much hype over the girl-group. After all, the Pussycat Dolls were coming to a concert-starved nation – well, concerts involving international acts, that is – and a group that looks like that (read: sexy) is bound to have a fan or two. Add that to their high profile history – their first album churned out four hits featuring such big names as Timbaland, Big Snoop Dogg and Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas. Yet, on the stage in Sunway Lagoon as part of the Pussycat Dolls World Tour 2006 Live In Concert series, presented by Hotlink, the fur didn’t fly and initially the Dolls even appeared a little awkward. It is even more annoying to me that this happened because it looked like the Dolls had the pop-concert formula down to a pat – start off with hits to get the party started, then a couple of less popular songs, a hyped-up number in between and ending with their biggest song. Indeed, after almost 30 minutes of getting all revved up by opening act Reshmonu, the almost 10,000-large crowd looked like it was ready to lap up all the Pussycats it could. In sauntered the Dolls, one at a time, and as lead singer Nicole Scherzinger walked in and the opening lines of latest hit Buttons was sung, the crowd just went wild. Even those in the VIP areas let all inhibitions go and started gyrating on the seats. Then came another hit Beep and an exciting night seemed to be on the cards.

From left: Melody Thornton, Nicole Scherzinger and Carmit Bachar performing at the Sunway Lagoon Surf Beach during the Pussycat Dolls World Tour 2006 concert on Wednesday. “Apa khabar, Malaysia?” Scherzinger shouted at that point. Cliché but it always works. “Are you ready for some hot, raw, freaky fun tonight?” The irony is, from that point, the energy levels wavered and things started to slow down. It was definitely not something you’d expect from a group known for their fastpaced dance-y music. In retrospect though, this should have been expected. After all, how much can one expect from a group that – two songs into the concert – introduced each member one at a time and spent some time talking about the history of the band. “The Pussycat Dolls started 10 years ago,” Scherzinger said. “But we got together separately about two and a half years ago and came out with our album (last year).” Not that there’s anything wrong with introducing the group but one cannot help but wonder if this group got more than they bargained for. To engage in a world tour so soon after only one album and a few hits is indeed tricky. Granted, half the world probably knows the lyrics to their biggest hit Don’t Cha; but do the Pussycat Dolls have a large enough portfolio

of songs to substantiate the 45 minutes they were on stage (which by concert standards was already on the short side)? It is a shame that this was put to the test on Wednesday night. And the energy started dropping after the third song, their upcoming single I Don’t Need A Man. As the group started on their risqué performance to Old School, and then momentary solos from Carmit Bachar and Melody Thornton, it felt like a Michael Buble concert instead (although it has to be said that Buble could never look that good). What brought the crowd back to reality though, was the opening sequence of another hit Stickwitu. However, much to everyone’s surprise, the playback ended as fast as it started with Scherzinger (right on cue) going, “Just playing!” (Yep, there was a glitch). To the Dolls’ credit, however, they succeeded in pumping up the energy back in halfway through the show with the cheeky song Stomp. The song, which gave them all the opportunity to show off some dance moves, was a nice tribute to their history – after all, the Pussycat Dolls did start off in 1995 as a dance troupe. This was, perhaps, one of the highlights of

the show. While their dance moves were nothing new (especially if you’ve watched all their music videos), it was what everyone had come to the concert for – to watch these “sexy mamas” shake their “booty”. And at that point it was good to see the Dolls so comfortable in their own skin because they appeared a little awkward dancing on stage in the earlier numbers. But everyone knows that the Pussycat Dolls can dance. Critics are aplenty, however, when it comes to their singing. The most popular comment would probably be that only Scherzinger can sing; but, for those who couldn’t recognise anyone else’s voice on the album, so can Thornton and Bachar (who was one of the original Pussycats). The other members of the Pussycat Dolls are Ashley Roberts, Kimberly Wyatt and Jessica Sutta. Sure, they’re both not the strongest singers but Thornton really packs a punch when she hits the high notes ala Mariah Carey. It is at these moments that she is in her element. But even that wasn’t enough hold the attention of the crowd through the last few songs – Wait A Minute, Hot Stuff and Bite The Dust. While the question of why they didn’t choose more upbeat songs on their album such as the raunchy Flirt or campy Right Now was left unanswered, it wasn’t surprising they didn’t sing the upbeat Tainted Love as it probably would have reflected the love affair with their fans too much after such a “tame” night. Needless to say, it was a great welcome when the group sang their last song and biggest hit. However, the problem with anthemic songs, like Don’t Cha for example, is that so many people know it, and want to sing along with it, that changing the song’s arrangement just throws everybody off. While that song coming on last was no doubt a wake up call and a neat trick to let everyone leave on a high, having some people go “Huh?” midway through took away from the big bang of an ending the Pussycat Dolls were surely hoping for. But let’s take nothing away from the Dolls. To their credit, they have never gone out to claim themselves as the best performers in the world. After all, they have never had a problem with being a brand. And docile show or not – these Dolls will continue selling like the hot cats they are.