Firstly, let me say that I love the O2, I think as big venues go it is one of the best, unless you are sat up in the Gods (the 400 blocks, are a little bit scary), but apart from that there isn't a bad view in the house. This is my third or fourth visit to the O2 in the past year and at the moment the last as I don't have any more gigs planned.
Right Rihanna, I have seen her before years ago just after the A Girl Like Me album came out, she was supporting the Pussycat Dolls and to be honest she wasn't the best singer live. SOS was amazing but Unfaithful was pretty bad, also seeing her on television over the years her vocals have always been a bit hit or miss. However, when I heard she was touring with the Rated R album I decided to put all my fears aside and get some tickets.
The support came in the form of Tinchy Strider, who only performed three songs; he was really good but didn't have a spotlight on him so most of the time I was trying to figure out where on the stage he was. The second support was Pixie Lott, who was fantastic. She has an amazing voice live and really got the crowd jumping, she played all her hit singles and played for about half an hour.
My first criticism of the gig is that I received an e-mail from the O2 with the show times on and it stated that Rihanna was due on at 9:10. However, Rihanna didn't make it on to the stage until half nine, now I know times are subject to change but if I had to get the train home I would not have been happy, as I would of missed a large chunk of the gig to make it back to Waterloo in time.
When she did come on, she opened with Russian Roulette, a bit of a strange choice I think as the opener is the one to get the crowd going. When I saw Beyonce she opened with Crazy in Love, which set the tone for the whole evening. The set list included all the songs you love from Rihanna; SOS, Shut Up and Drive, Take a Bow and Please Don't Stop the Music. Her vocals were good especially for the slower songs, but for some of the up tempo ones she didn't always sing the whole verse, the music was too loud or she seemed to be singing over a track. I have seen Britney who mimed for most of the gig so I am not criticising Rihanna, as I know dancing and singing would mean the vocal wasn't great, but she didn't always dance and with the music being so loud it drowned out all the vocals.
She also took a tumble during the opening of Te Amo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlVZutmJWwQ) but carried on like a true professional and started singing and dancing.
The sets and graphics on the screen were really good, especially the montage of her videos with the accompaniment of Pon de replay. Her set included a pink tank, which she sung some slow songs on, probably never been done before and had acrobatics hanging down from guns. I am surprised she hasn't had criticism for having so many items associated with war on her set, although the name of the tour was 'Last Girl on Earth' and put Rihanna as the humans only hope after a large apocalyptic war, although unlike some other gigs there was no narrative, although I feel there was meant to be.
Overall it was an amazing gig, I forgot how many amazing songs she did and everything about it was a show. The only thing is that compared to other gigs I have been to I didn't feel the need to get a ticket for the same tour (I did with Kylie Minogue, Beyonce and Lady Gaga). It was good but I think I will wait and see what the next album is like before I see her again.
Rihanna's set list...
Russian Roulette
Hard
Shut Up And Drive
Fire Bomb
Disturbia
Wonderwall
Rockstar 101
Rude Boy
Hate That I Love You
Rehab
Unfaithful
Stupid In Love
Te Amo
Please Don't Stop The Music
Breaking Dishes/The Glamorous Life
Let Me
SOS
Take A Bow
Wait Your Turn
Live Your Life
Run This Town
Umbrella
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