Justin Bieber may determine what time he comes on stage but he can't choose who joins him.
The 19-year-old Canadian pop star did a repeat performance at Dubai's Sevens Stadium in more ways than one - again appearing more than two hours late in front of an audience full of tired youngsters.
His concert exposed the risks of a tightly choreographed performance because there was no room for mistakes - or, as it turned out, an overeager fan.
While performing the gospel-tinged set closer Believe on the piano, a fan stormed the stage and half-hugged the unsuspecting singer before an army of security men lunged at the attacker and sent the piano clattering across the stage like a ping-pong ball.
The piano, which fell over, was unplayable for the remainder of the show but the speakers kept playing the sweet, tinkling prerecorded notes while a visibly rattled Bieber managed not to skip a beat.
Then again, if one expects a genuine artistic performance, tween-pop concerts are not for you. The focus is on slickly produced entertainment, and on that score Bieber's second show was a marked improvement on the rather clunky display on Saturday.
This was a much smoother performance, with Bieber only leaving the stage for quick costume changes. The crowd also had more opportunities to hear Bieber's voice, with the lip-synching somewhat toned down this time around.
Die in Your Arms
was a full-throated affair while
Love Me Like You Do
was also another showcase of Bieber's pleasant, nasal croon.
While his fans left happy that they saw their hero in concert, a bad aftertaste remains - Bieber didn't once offer an apology for his late arrival at both the shows.
And as the Beliebers would state: that's just not cool.
[ sasaeed@thenational.ae ]
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