Diva Mariah, just as you would expect herBy Kevin Joy, The Columbus Dispatch
It's a cardinal rule of the pop-music hierarchy: Divas do it big.
They have demands. They're impatient.
So it was no surprise that the 39-year-old descended from the steel-girder heavens of Value City Arena last night atop a giant swing, sporting a gold gown that appeared to be detailed by a frosting gun.
Or that she sipped water from a champagne glass ("No, it's not vodka," she assured the crowd).
Or that she lay down on a white leather divan to have two hair and makeup assistants apply a touch-up, just minutes into the show.
Or that she belted tunes into a diamond-encrusted microphone while taking two opportunities to promote her forthcoming "Angel" rose champagne.
It was all so theatrical, so staged. A little bit cruise-ship variety show, a lot like a Vegas residency.
But this is Mariah. It has to be dramatic, dahling.
What was missing, luckily, was arrogance.
Despite performing to a noticeably empty house - the upper-middle and top bowls were entirely empty, not aided by the weather or the fact that cheap seats were $50 - she worked the crowd well with plenty of banter (girls in the front row complained that arena security took their homemade signs; Carey apologized).
And, despite a new album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, she worked in plenty of blast-from-the-past fare (Make it Happen; My All) along with the late-90s mid-tempo jams tinged with hip-hop (Honey; Heartbreaker).
Recent hits Shake It Off and Touch My Body - released after the singer's rebound from a highly-publicized emotional breakdown - had listeners bouncing, a reminder that Carey's music is groove-worthy but not quite danceable.
Although flanked by nearly a dozen dancers, some at times suspended from giant rubber-band-style strings, Carey didn't bust a move.
She opted instead to strut in heels and multiple dresses (and, briefly, a kimono), leaving three times during the 90-minute show for extended breaks.
Divas, after all, can't be rushed.
Carey claimed to be fighting off the remnants of a cold, but it wasn't evident. There were several decent moments of her trademark high-pitched chirp and her voice overall was strong.
The night's greatest response came from her 1996 tune Always Be My Baby, an old-school hit that Carey and the multiage crowd still seemed to enjoy.
Even with the feigned dramatics, the evening was more lovable than loopy.
It was also a testament that even when divas make missteps, they can recover - a new hairdo, a new husband, another No. 1 hit.
As long as someone's there to refill the water glass.
Mariah Carey pleases loyal fans at Schottenstein CenterBy Jessica Weihrauch, The Lantern, OSU
The cold and snow couldn't keep thousands of fans from seeing the best-selling female artist of all time Wednesday night at the Schottenstein Center. As the diva herself said on stage, "the show must go on" — and it certainly did.
As Mariah Carey was lowered onto the stage from a swing, the atmosphere was electric. Audiences waited more than an hour and a half for her to come on, but when she did, their anticipation turned into pure excitement.
"She was absolutely amazing," Anthony Patton said. "When she came on stage I was like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe how awesome this is.'"
Patton said Carey's performance was worth driving an hour and 20 minutes to see. Coming from Dayton, he was worried about making the trip in such harsh conditions.
"I had to scrape sheets of ice from my car and was worried the roads would be really bad," Patton said. "I didn't care though — I wasn't going to miss this."
Carey performed many of her hit songs that have kept her in the business for 20 years. During her career, she has racked up 18 No. 1 Hot 100 hits, and is the only artist with the potential to surpass The Beatles' all-time record of 20.
The "Angels Advocate" tour marked Carey's first tour appearance in Columbus. The eight-week, 19-city trip promotes Carey's 13th studio release, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel."
"Memoirs" was released back in September and reached number one on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
The first single from the album, "Obsessed," was definitely a crowd favorite. As Carey sashayed onto the stage in her floor length black ball gown, cheers and screams erupted from the audience. Some people even got out of their seats to go dance in the aisles.
"Obsessed," rumored to be about rapper Eminem, is an up-tempo song with catchy lyrics denying claims that Carey and Eminem were in a relationship. "Obsessed" debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Others reacted strongly to her gospel hit "Fly Like a Bird," from her 2005 Grammy Award-winning album, "The Emancipation of Mimi."
"That was so moving," said fan Jennifer Pruitt. "I felt like I was at church."
Carey's record-breaking high notes wowed audiences the most. Every time "The Voice" dipped down to belt one out, the crowd was in awe.
"She hit every note perfectly," said Patton. "Since she's getting older I didn't know if she was able to sing like that again but the girl's still got it."
