Live Review Avril Lavigne in Glendale, AZ

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Title: Live Review Avril Lavigne in Glendale, AZ

Author: Author Unknown

Publication: Source Unknown

Date: 11.18.2004





Canadian pop-singer Avril Lavigne (news | CDs | auctions) snarls her way through videos, angrily breaking mirrors, manhandling love interests and emitting general unhappiness.

During her concert Wednesday (11/17) at Glendale Arena in Glendale, AZ, she let go of her trademark attitude and rivaled her young fans' enthusiasm. An ever-grinning Lavigne traded her "punk" ethic for shouts of appreciation to the audience and playful taunts.

"Are you guys going to have a good time tonight?" she asked coyly after ripping through a rendition of "Sk8er Boi."

Lavigne's show kicked off in dramatic fashion. Classical music blared through the speakers while stage lights throbbed interchangeably. A backlit shadow of Lavigne playing guitar appeared larger than life on a black curtain advertising her "Bonz" tour.

Lavigne encouraged the crowd of mostly teenagers and their parents to live freely.

"The next song is about doing your best to be yourself and having as much fun as you can because you never know," she said while introducing "Who Knows."

Putting a modern twist on the tradition of holding up lighters during slow songs, Lavigne asked her fans to raise glowing cell phones as she sang a stunning, soaring version of "I'm With You." She smiled widely as she allowed audience members to sing part of the song, then waved her microphone before congratulating the fans on a job well done.

She generally ruled the stage with confidence, manipulating her guitar--which dwarfed her diminutive figure--playing up to members of her band and standing on various monitors along the front of the stage to give herself a lift. There were flickers of apparent self-doubt, however. In between guitar licks on "My Happy Ending," she picked at her finger nails and looked down at the stage. Nonetheless, her vocals were album ready, down to the little squeaks in her voice.

There were few production snags in the performance; for instance, the videos playing on a black backdrop--which also featured the giant red X graphic from her latest album, "Let Go"--appeared fuzzy and faded.

The show featured opener Butch Walker (news | CDs | auctions), former lead singer for the Marvelous 3, backed by the pop-rock band American Hi-Fi. Female fans squealed and jumped in appreciation for Walker, who produced Lavigne's "Don't Tell Me" and co-wrote another hit, "My Happy Ending."

His raw, sweat-soaked performance--which featured songs from his Epic debut, "Letters"--made it clear that this crowd was watching a stellar performer on his way up.

[bestofavril]

t4p..

[Vintage Disposition]

I was there. <33333