Upon walking into Planet Hollywood, the hotel where Spears was to play (and had been playing for nearly a year to date), it was obvious that we were headed to the right place. In typical Vegas-style, promoters and hotel employees shoved fliers for Spears after-parties and show tickets in our faces, assuming we were seeing the pop star based on our age and attire. As soon as we approached the theatre, Spears was everywhere. T-shirts selling for $50 lined the walls, “Britney-inspired” (whatever that means) drinks filled the bars and fans strutted in costumes ranging from schoolgirl-Britney to boa constrictor-Britney — these were some serious fans.
I have never been to another performance in Vegas, but I would like to think that not all weeknight performances include as much enthusiasm and hype as Spears' did. The crowd was lively (including the attendants over the age of 60 — there were more than a handful), and the seats were almost all filled by the time I arrived, 20 minutes before the show. Now does that sound like a washed-up pop star’s show to you?
Even though her classics came out in 1999, I would argue that most — if not all — 20-somethings would recognize the lyrics to “Oops! ... I Did it Again” and “... Baby One More Time." She produced these pop jams with, I’ll admit, decent lyrics at the turn of the millennium, yet they are still relevant today, 15 years later (man I feel old). This tour included basically every popular song Spears ever produced, and the entire time all the younger fans were on their feet dancing and singing every lyric to their childhood favorites — everything from "Toxic" to "Everytime." Spears reenacted her famous dance moves with her crew of backup dancers; for a woman over 30, she sure can move. Regardless of the hiccups she has experienced throughout the years (shaved head, rehab, marrying Kevin Federline), she has managed to stay in great shape and keep up her appearance; she looked young and fit up there in her sparkly belly shirts and sequined leotards — just like the Spears we know and love from elementary school.
More recently, Spears has been producing chart-topping songs that are well known, although not nearly as popular as her oldies. Her last three albums, “Circus,” “Femme Fatale” and “Britney Jean” have been on the radar, but mostly for their singles. The songs have been catchy and poppy, even bordering on hip-hop and techno, to stay up-to-date with the times. She has also collaborated with several famous stars, including will.i.am, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus, keeping her name on the charts.
Spears has gone through quite the career, with enormous fame at a very young age, severe dysfunction throughout her 20s and now another round of success with her last few albums. She is said to be writing new music at the moment, and if her performance in Vegas is any indication, she’s planning to keep singing ‘til the world ends.
