Live: Jay-Z and Mary J. Blige at the Hollywood Bowl
POP MUSIC REVIEW
JAY-Z and Mary J. Blige go way back -- his first chart single was a 1996 duet with the then-ascendant soul diva. So when the two performers opened their Hollywood Bowl concert Wednesday with "Can't Knock the Hustle," they set the tone of camaraderie and sweeping career panorama that would define the 2 1/2 -hour affair.
The opening also introduced an attention to sound quality and production values that elevated this concert above the routine. Jay-Z (in black tie) and Blige stood on a high riser at the rear, backed by a projection of a sparkling New York City at night, while their musicians, including a large string and horn section, were positioned below on illuminated bandstands.
The look brought a dash of old-school (old-old-school, actually, as in Stork Club era) glamour to an event that resourcefully combined the star power of two distinctly different but compatible artists.
Either one of them could headline a dutiful concert tour, but pairing them and giving the tour a title, Heart of the City, creates an aura of special occasion. The presence of two legitimate headliners also might take some sting out of the price of the top ticket ($300.75 tonight in Irvine, though to be fair there are cheap seats as well).
Blige and Jay-Z are similarly situated in the marketplace: Both are selling fewer records these days than in their peak years but still retain relevance and momentum.
Blige is just a year beyond a big night at the Grammys for her 2005 album, "The Breakthrough," while Jay-Z is a multipurpose artist and music mogul who recently signed one of those jackpot, all-bases-covered deals with Live Nation, the producer of this tour.
After their opening duet Wednesday, Jay-Z left the stage to Blige for the first half of the concert. For 16 years, the singer has kept a grip on her audience by serving as an experienced guide through life's more treacherous challenges, using candid lyrics and that mighty, soul-baring voice to excavate and exorcise demons both internal and imposed by others.
The question was whether she'd still be able to scale those cathartic peaks now that she's documented her passage into a more balanced and contented state. It wasn't clear for a while, as she settled into a series of infectious and relatively lighthearted vintage hits, including "You're All I Need," "Mary Jane (All Night Long)" and "Real Love" (with Jay-Z returning to contribute a rap.)
