Online Review: Rihanna @ Wembley Arena

Arriving on stage at around 9.30, in knee length boots, tutu and bra made out of PVC, Rihanna looked illegally stunning and the 19 year-old soon had audiences mesmerized with her syrupy sweet vocals.

She brought the Carnival to the packed largely female Wembley Arena crowd opening up with ? ? ? Break it Off? ? !” whilst whining like a true Dancehall queen. Her curly crop moved energetically as she tore through hits like ? ? ? Rehab? ? !” ? ? ? SOS? ? !” and ? ? !” Breakin Dishes? ? !” sounding much like the record despite the fact she was singing live. Even her unnecessary tampering with the Bob Marley classic ? ? ? Is this Love? ? !” was carried out with equal gusto by the Bajan beauty who by then was jumping around the stage with one hand and foot in the air like a reincarnated Marley.

A brief outfit change to even less then she had on before brought with it the slower numbers like the smaltzy ballad ? ? ? Unfaithful? ? !” and ? ? ? Hate that I Love you? ? ? . Though these songs highlight the formidable song writing talents of NeYo, having seen Rihanna perform them elsewhere, I can wholeheartedly say she gave her best renditions of both.

Her smouldering looks grew more and more captivating as she belted through her impressive multitude of hits from 3 albums in 2 years. ? ? !” Shut up and Drive? ? !” was imaginably choreographed with huge steel trolleys and ? ? ? Please Don? ? !” t Stop The Music? ? !” began with Rihanna scratching the record with her elbow. The house track proved to be hugely popular and had everyone in the crowd up on their feet as if they were raving in a discarded warehouse.

Having 1,2 stepped on the scene first with Goodies back in 2004, it must be bitter pill to swallow for Ciara who was brought in as a mere prop to flatter Rihanna? ? !” s superstar - woman of the year - status owing to Umbrella. The ode to friendship that stood at the top of the UK charts for 10 weeks and led to many proclaiming her as a bad luck omen to the UK? ? !” s horrible weather conditions. As Rihanna performed it for her encore at the end of her lengthy 75 minute set, the packed stadium was awash with brollies. So too were her scantily clad female dancers though even the superstitious among you would be hard pressed to see anything unlucky about it.

Rihanna? ? !” s performance was dazzling and the Bajan bombshell has come on in leaps and bounds since her debut album ? ? ? Music of the Sun? ? !” in 2005.She had the audience at her high heeled boots and gave a performance worthy of her fame.(EE)
Source: RWDMag

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