Blinded by Beyoncé

Put your hands up if you think Beyoncé is the most fabulous diva of the '00s.
Put your hands up if you think Beyoncé is a bootylicious businesswoman who knows how to hire the perfect packagers to present her as a singer, dancer, actress and designer.
Love her or dis her, Beyoncé, 27, was in full glory Thursday at Target Center in Minneapolis. She put on a bedazzling, bewitching, be-wowing spectacle befitting her divaliciousness. But the show — a hybrid of Macy's Glamorama, a Beyoncé video shoot, a high-end commercial for a beauty product and, oh yes, a concert — was more flash than substance, a little soulless and short on personality. Still, it was whiz-bang, crowd-thrilling extravaganza that was more satisfying than similarly ambitious, current touring productions by Britney Spears and Madonna.
As she does on her current hit album "I Am ... Sasha Fierce ," Beyoncé displayed her duality Thursday — the sweet, sensitive good girl and robotic, vixen-like bad girl. She unleashed her powerful pipes on ballads that could rival Celine Dion (complete with enough hair-blowing fans to recreate the tornado scene from "Wizard of Oz"). She showed her restraint and soulfulness on a powerhouse rendition of Etta James' "At Last," backed by video footage of Beyoncé playing James in the movie "Cadillac Records" and shots of President Obama at his inauguration.
There were times when it appeared as if Beyoncé, despite her considerable vocal prowess, was lip-synching. But the golden girl — she simply glows even if she isn't wearing gold sequins and rhinestones — came to entertain the sellout crowd of 12,000 (about 90 percent of whom were female), and that she did.
Aided by an all-female 12-member band, nine dancers, a showroom full of Thierry Mugler outfits and some of the most creative live video work seen in concert, Beyoncé turned on her diva for two full hours. She strutted in a bra and panties decorated with motorcycle lights. She flew Peter Pan-style (like Backstreet Boys — or was it N Sync? — did a few years ago) over the crowd to a smaller stage. There she made small talk, giving shout-outs to a guy in an "81 jersey" and a girl in a white and pink striped top. She showed movies of her singing at age 5 and sang "Happy Birthday" near the end to several lucky revelers.
At one point, Queen B talked about female empowerment — her theme — but, in the end on "Halo" (which she briefly turned into a Michael Jackson tribute), she submitted to her baby, singing, "You're the only one that I want/think I'm addicted to your light."
Yes, it was an unforgettable evening in which many were blinded by the light(s).
Opening the concert was Beyoncé's little sister, the Motown-loving Solange, who proved she wasn't yet ready for an arena.
For a set list, go to www.startribune.com/poplife.
Jon Bream • 612-673-1719