B-96 Bash at the Allstate Arena

By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
October 28, 1999

The great thing for artists playing at these B-96 multibill shows is that the audience will scream for you no matter what.

Heck, even the dancers performing at the B-96 Halloween Bash on Wednesday night at the Allstate Arena were getting the star treatment, posing for pictures and signing autographs.

Of the eight acts, though, it was Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera–both former cast members of “The New Mickey Mouse Club”–who stood out.

With her girlish voice and sun-kissed looks, Britney Spears performed an abbreviated set that was similar to her concert two months ago at the smaller Rosemont Theatre. At this point in her career, Spears’ vocals are more about style than substance. But she is a formidable entertainer who connects with her audience.

Spears’ show was equal parts dance and music from her debut album “. . . Baby One More Time,” which has sold more than 7 million copies. And when she sang the title track, she playfully changed the phrasing around to sound less kittenish and more authoritative. Not bad for a 17-year-old student.

Currently on her first major tour, Christina Aguilera made an impressive Chicago-area debut. Performing early on in the multibill, Aguilera showcased a vocal style that belies her youth. Best known for her sexy hit single “Genie in a Bottle,” Aguilera’s set actually was more in line with “Reflection”–the lead song she sang on the “Mulan.” She is a powerhouse performer whose petite size belies a rich singing that goes way beyond bubble gum.

At 18, she is just a little older than Spears. But vocally, Aguilera belongs more in the Whitney/Mariah diva category.

A good chunk of the appetizers leading up to Spears and the closing set by 98 Degrees were recognizable by just one song. There was Lou Bega singing that “Mambo No. 5” ditty. There was that “Smile” gal, Vitamin C, playing for all of 10 minutes. And then there were those LFO dudes singing that “Abercrombie & Fitch” song that’s actually called “Summer Girls.”

With their GQ looks, silly couplets and hip-hop influenced pop, LFO proved to be a big hit with the predominantly young, female audience. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, considering that the trio hails from the same Florida boy band factory that created the Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync. And in case you’re wondering, the band’s initials stand for “Lyte Funky One,” which is an old (and embarrassing) nickname for lead rapper/singer Rich Cronin.

If you went by record sales, Spears should have headlined the Bash. But for the young audience, which had to be in school the next day, her 9 p.m. start time was a lot more doable than 98 Degrees’ 10:15 entrance.

In order to make my deadline, I had to leave the concert early on in the quartet’s set. But their powerful vocals rang clear even as I was racing to the parking lot.