Class act Beyonce does it for the girls (From St Helens Star)

Class act Beyonce does it for the girls

9:26am Thursday 18th June 2009

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FROM the moment Beyonce prowled out onto stage glistening in gold and unleashed an all action version of Crazy in Love this was a show that took the breath away.

The 27-year-old had promised to bring her wild side to Liverpool…and the energy-charged opener sent the largely female audience into a frenzied delirium.

Backed by a dozen-strong all-woman band and backing singers – she commanded the stage as a rip-roaring rock chick, looked stunning and sounded brilliant.

Beyonce’s latest album, the double-sided I Am... Sasha Fierce serves up the contrast between ballads and up-tempo dancefloor tracks.

And so, after a swift costume change – into an all white hooded gown – she slowed the pace to show her softer side with Smash Into You.

For Ave Maria, which included lines from Westlife’s Angel, her dancers transformed the gown to a wedding dress, in one of the more obscure visual moments of the night, before partly removing it for Broken-hearted girl.

Another costume switch to a black leather number and she was cranking things up again with a cracking version of If I Were a Boy (mixed with Alanis Morisette’s You Oughta Know).

The crowd appeared to love every minute of the action, with Diva and Radio Me, Myself and I, Hello, more evidence of her range.

The swift changes in appearance symbolised both her musical versatility and adaptability – and though some critics have sniped that this is an attempt at appealing to the mass market – it was hard not be in awe of talent that can move through the gears – from R&B ace, to dance floor queen, to stage siren – so smoothly during the two-hour spectacular.

At one point she appeared from beneath the stage and was raised into the air seemingly wearing an endless golden dress.

The tail of the gown detached and, held by a wire, she was flying through the arena to a centre stage where she sang Baby Boy before the crowds ensured she had thousands of backing singers for Irreplaceable.

Splitting a collection of Destiny’s Child classics – including Survivor – between the centre and main stages, she championed the female spirit.

And there was more to follow and with All the Singles Ladies (Put a Ring On It) sending the girls into overdrive before she closed with an emotion packed Halo that emphasised just what a class act Beyonce is.

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