Performers don’t need to possess a singular identity. But, as I learned during the first of Rihanna’s two shows at the ACC, you can’t be entirely lacking in identity, either. By the end of Monday night’s delayed-by-an-hour performance, I knew less about her as an artist than I did going in.
Her make-the-audience-wait routine, a move she also pulled one night earlier in Montreal, screamed diva, but her lack of stage presence suggested anything but that. Were it not for a bright spotlight, RiRi may well have blended right in with her non-descript array of dancers. Any personality she displayed was, by and large, limited to her ample and colourful wardrobe.
Perhaps her lack of verve stemmed from some severely limited onstage movement. Swagger? Sure, she had plenty. But any true dancing was essentially limited to some hip-swinging during “We Found Love” and her overtly sexual gyrations, particularly during “Rockstar 101” (if anyone was still wondering, her girl-next-door identity has long since vanished).
Don’t call Rihanna a songstress, either. Perhaps it’s unfair to critique her voice so soon after her much-publicized battle with laryngitis, but her limited vocal range was consistent with a rushed, half-hearted performance that never truly felt all-out.
Sure, her energy seemed to pick up towards the end of the set as she launched into a string of crowd favourites, including “Hate That I Love You,” “We Found Love” and “Don’t Stop The Music.” But it felt all too brief and fleeting, with just hints of a crescendo emerging by the time her two-song encore (“Stay” and “Diamonds,” for those who care) kicked in.
All in all, after coming on an hour late with nary an apology for her adoring, forgiving fans, it turned out that Rihanna wasn’t really worth the wait.
