Mariah Carey Melbourne Tour 2013

I never thought I would ever hear Mariah Carey sing live... ever!! 

This reminds me how blessed my life has been especially this past two years; I moved to Aussie, married my high school sweetheart, started a job that I am so far enjoying and pays pretty alright.

And with a good pay I get to reap the rewards of my hard labour by going about Melbourne trying yum food eateries and attending plays and concerts!

Gates opened at 6.00 pm and the opening act started off at 7.30pm. We arrived early at Etihad Stadium yesterday about half past 6pm, located our seats and walked around, exploring. One third of the stadium was cordoned off with strips of black clothe and probably to also muffle the echo of sound.

PRE - MARIAH CAREY appearance

 

 

 

 

 

Mr. C bought a $9 beer -not worth the price paid as we know how the price of stuff are hiked up at events like this but we were SO thirsty from the heat- for himself and a $12 Daiquiri for me. My first time sampling this enchanting liquid. It was so refreshing with a subtle taste of alcohol effectively cooling me down.

Loved how the Daiquiris came in cute litted up martini glass. It wasn't glass but plastic though. I shall drink out from it every time I feel down or sad... or perhaps, make a celebratory drink every time there's a cause for celebration. 

Had a refill later on for the price of $10. Slurp!!

 

We walked all the way to the top level to have a look of the view. Gosh. It was pretty scary looking down. Makes you feel like you are experiencing vertigo. Opening act started promptly by Andrew De Silva, winner of Australia's Got Talent of 2012. This was my first time listening to him singing.

A night of firsts, it seems.

His performance didn't exactly wow me. Felt more like a shiok sendiri performance, to be honest. I reckon it's because he isn't well known and the songs he sang weren't well known or very catchy. 

Besides, the crowd parted with their money to see Mariah Carey and not... him.

I think it would have been to his benefit to actually sing a song or two of Mariah's. To tease us with her songs or a medley of it and yet, make it his own. I admit that he does have a nice voice but the acoustics or sound system wasn't doing him justice. It came out sounding a tad too sharp.

As usual, the diva was late (or I presume so) but we were entertained to remixes of songs by Nick Cannon, her hubby. He was alright. Initially, the songs he chose were a bit of a bore and then, it got interesting when he played songs from the 70's such as the Jackson Five's songs. You can see people grooving to the music.

Then it got a bit slow and Zzzzz boring. *yawns*

 

The girls in front of our row, grooving to the beat

And it picked up with some of the latest songs you hear on the radio and in clubs. Many stood on their feet to shake their booty. About 9.10pm, he said that Mariah was in the building and she'll be on shortly.

He lied.

She came on only about 10pm.

He left about after half past 9 and the stage crew went about setting up. People from the crowd made quick dashes to the loo or to top up their drinks.

The lights dimmed.... and the crowd went wild with cheers.

And Mimi came out!! Not came out as in regards to sexual preference but came out on to the stage! DUH! ;p

She was gorgeous despite carrying on some leftover post-baby weight. Her voice was deeper than I thought it would be. You know how you hear her songs and they lend a higher tone to it? Well, she talks really husky and lower tone-ish. 

I think she could have been feeling under the weather.

Click HERE for Mariah's Melbourne concert setlist.

The background screens glowed with a fluttering butterfly just before Mariah appeared and sang to her 'Can't take that away' remix style. She huskily said,"Melbourne, I've waited a long time for this" and the above screen of glitters just overwhelmed the crowd. 

It's been years since she last performed in Australia. Think 15 years?

I wouldn't say it was a knock-your-socks-out-of-this-world-that-fantabulous performance. I guess, Mariah being a diva and her crazy famous 5 octave voice, I expected more. She didn't need the glitter nor the back up singers nor the drummers etc. 

All I wanted to hear was her voice. And I didn't get much of that as the background music just overpowered her voice majority of the time. Some parts, she seemed out of breath and struggled to hit the higher notes.

This being Mariah Carey made me think one thing, "she's probably sick". What more could explain the tone of her voice, her need to catch her breath pretty often and her short 60 minute performance and abrupt ending? 

 

She was endearing when she spoke to the crowd every now and then. Totally not the Diva I had thought her to be. She giggles quite a fair bit, too. Perhaps high on cough syrup? *kidding* 

The memorable performance that stucked in my mind was her singing "My All" as she lounge on the chaise as I could really hear her voice (and mainly her voice without other sound distractions), "I'll be there" with her long time back up singer, Trey Lorenz whom she first did the duet with in 1992 as part of her MTV Unplugged album, "Hero" my all time favourite song of hers (always a must sing at karaoke) and her ending song of the night with "We Belong Together".

I think it is safe to say that many were disappointed she didn't sing some of her bigger hits "Butterfly", "Fantasy" and my personal favourites, "Through the rain", "Angels" or her other hit singles that made us fall in love her in the first place.

 

 

 

 

As of 2013, it's been 23 years since her first single. She's been through so many ups and so many downs. She's inspired many people to reach for their dream and make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry and for ordinary people like me, to sing her songs in appreciation in karaoke. ;p

Despite not meeting my super high up in the air expectations, I am extremely glad to have this once in a life time opportunity to see Mariah Carey in the flesh, sing live, in front of me, with my very own eyes and ears! 

Tried uploading a few video clips I took of her singing but it's not uploading. But here's some clips uploaded by her other lambily. 

Mariah Carey doing her thing with 'My all'

My all time favourite song of hers, Hero

Ending with... We Belong Together