Alicia Keys "Freedom" Tour London, England O2 Arena Concert Recap

As reported by John Aizlewood / London's Evening Standard

As globe-straddling divas go, there are none less diva-like than Alicia Keys. In a glitzy world of Gagas, Beyoncés, Madonnas, Rihannas and Mariahs, Keys keeps her clothes on and stands out by virtue of what she doesn’t do.

So, last night (Tuesday, May 25), she didn’t do anything especially eccentric — unless having a tubby, bespectacled, kilt-wearing bassist counts — and of her three outfits, two were so dowdy there might be something in those pregnancy rumours, or else Tehran is her Freedom tour’s next stop.

Her stage show was on the unspectacular side of spectacular, and having four keyboards to choose from (including a guitar-style one shaped like a key), she didn’t bother with choreography, leaving that to a gurning dancer who seemed to be tasked with invading her body space throughout the evening. And yet, if we do the honourable thing and ignore what seemed to be Keys’s platitude-related Tourette syndrome (“The most important thing about love is being able to love ourselves... I want you to be a rebel with me tonight...” etc, etc) she triumphed — and triumphed gloriously — with a masterfully judged mix of strength of will and power of song.



Consequently, platitudes notwithstanding, Keys exuded authenticity, and on ballads such as Like The Sea and Pray For Forgiveness she had the precious knack of making the O2 suddenly seem very intimate indeed.

Backed by a crack band attuned to her every nuance and a trio of superlative backing singers, she could do tear-stained epic in the grandstanding Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart, and exuberant up-tempo on the clattering, percussion-propelled Wait ’Til You See My Smile.

Even without Beyoncé, their Put It In A Love Song duet was heady pop at its most hip-wiggling.



The best came last. Her co-write with Jay-Z, Empire State Of Mind, already has the unmistakable feel of a 21st-century standard.

As she delivered it in almost hymnal fashion, for a genuinely emotional moment it felt as if we were all children of the Five Boroughs. She may be short on diva-esque style, but Alicia Keys is all substance.

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Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of KaFicagna)

Alicia Keys Live In Italy Concert Video Recap

Alicia Keys performed in Verona, Italy at the Arena Sunday, May 2 as part of Alicia's European swing of the 2010 Element of Freedom Tour.

Photo links:
Getty Images
Flickr - Franfiorini

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

5/4 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
5/7 - Berlin, Germany - O2 Arena
5/8 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome
5/9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
5/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Color Line Arena
5/13 - Oberhausen, Germany - Konig - Pilsener Arena
5/15 - Merksem, Belgium - Sportpaleis Antwerpen
5/17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion Zurich
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - The NIA
5/21 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2 Dublin
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - S.E.C.C.
5/25 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of matteocrepaldi)

Alicia Keys Live In Oakland, CA Concert Review

As reported by Jim Harrington / Oakland Tribune

Alicia Keys first wanted us to know that she's a survivor.

The 29-year-old singer-songwriter-pianist opened her concert Saturday night (April 10) at the Oracle Arena with a recorded message. She spoke with passion to the packed house in Oakland about all the naysayers who once said she'd never make it in show business. The unspoken moral to the story, we were left to assume, is that good things happen to people who don't give up on themselves.

The underdog role was an odd choice for Keys. This lovely, multitalented musician had a record contract before she was 20. Were we really supposed to believe she faced the same odds on her road to success as this article does for a Pulitzer Prize? If anything, the opposite seems to be true — when she made her debut in 2001, with the eventual Grammy-winning "Songs in A Minor," Keys seemed destined for stardom.

Still, she continued to beat the drum of the downtrodden when she finally made her entrance in Oakland. The R&B/soul singer appeared in a cage, one she finally freed herself from by bending back a bar and slithering out the opening. The star then hustled through some "Thriller"-style moves, accompanied by three other dancers, while her nine-piece band pumped up "Love is Blind."

Sure, that opening segment tied directly into the trek's title, "The Freedom Tour," which takes its name from Keys' fourth platinum studio affair, last year's "The Element of Freedom." Yet it was also a garish, over-the-top start, one that concertgoers might expect to see from such drama queens as Britney Spears, Madonna and Sarah Brightman.

Now on her fourth concert tour, Keys still hasn't found a way to make big production numbers work for her.

Fortunately, just about everything else does.

Keys is at her best when she's not operating in a Beyonce-like swirl of dancers, video segments and flashing lights. Thanks to her substantial musical chops, she doesn't need any of that stuff. All she has to do is sit at the piano and sing from the heart.

She did that on several occasions during the show, but not enough.

Four songs into the set, Keys, who now sports a tightly curled hairdo, hit her first home run of the night as she moved to the keyboard and belted out the tear-jerker ballad "Fallin'." She didn't fare so well with the next number, "Another Way to Die," which found her matching modest jazz vocal scats with cliche-rich riffs by the lead guitarist.

That was followed by a stiff dance routine and some military-themed costumes, both of which appeared to have been borrowed from Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" world tour. Keys seemed horribly out of place in this commotion, but she found her spot when she sat down at the grand piano and coaxed out a precious solo version of "Pray for Forgiveness."

That's basically how it went all night. She faltered in her attempts to goose the up-tempo numbers with plenty of eye candy, only to succeed as few others can by conjuring up more intimate moments.

The one exception came during the encore, as Keys managed to mix the best of both worlds in a high-concept take on "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" that was rich with emotion and feeling.

Not to be a naysayer, but here's hoping Keys won't let that one bit of success guide her thinking when she's putting together her next tour.

Photo links:
Oakland Tribune
Wire Image

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

4/29 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
5/1 - Ischgl, Austria - Ski Resort
5/2 - Verona, Italy - Arena
5/4 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
5/7 - Berlin, Germany - O2 Arena
5/8 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome
5/9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
5/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Color Line Arena
5/13 - Oberhausen, Germany - Konig - Pilsener Arena
5/15 - Merksem, Belgium - Sportpaleis Antwerpen
5/17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion Zurich
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - The NIA
5/21 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2 Dublin
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - S.E.C.C.
5/25 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of DeanOSupremo32)

Alicia Keys Plays The KEYtar At 'Freedom' Tour Stop In Baltimore + Concert Recap

As reported by Sam Sessa / Baltimore Sun

Alicia Keys came uncaged (Wednesday, March 24) at 1st Mariner Arena.

With images of barbed wire fences flashing on the big digital screens around her, Keys was wheeled out in a rectangular cage for the opening number, "Love is Blind."

Keys sang most of the song inside her personal prison, before dramatically bending back the bars and stepping out to freedom.

In case concertgoers didn't get the point, Keys would spend the next hour dropping inspirational lines between songs while the screens displayed words like "Rise Up" and "Fight."

"I don't want anybody to hold you back," said Keys, her legs shimmering in tight silver sequined pants. "Everything you need is right here inside of you." ...

Might as well add "motivational speaker," to her resume, which already includes armfuls of Grammys and millions upon millions of albums sold. Still, all the uplifting messages got old quick. We get it, Alicia -- love ourselves and break free of the chains that bind us. You don't need to beat us over the head with it.

It was a relief when, in the last third of her 90-minute set, Keys put an end to all the positive messages and let the music speak for itself.

"You Don't Know My Name" was a synth-driven high-stepper, and the James Bond theme "Another Way to Die" was built on singeing guitar riffs. But the show's most poignant moments came when Keys sat down at her black Yamaha baby grand and tickled the ivories. She's got a diva's talents without the attitude, and last night, she had a few toys, too.



During "Fallin'," she played what looked like some kind of electronic auto harp, and for "Go Head," she strapped on a silver, key-shaped keytar (how awesome is that?) and traded solos with her guitarist (the guitarist won). Even the piano was tricked out with a wrap-around digital screen, which said "PLAY ME," and when she did, it read "THANK YOU." Heh.

Keys' accomplished six-piece band and a well-paced set list helped the 19-song show fly by. The harmonies of her three backup singers were air tight; Monte Gill showed and proved on "Diary" and one of the female backup singers surprised the audience with an impressive rendition of "Feeling Good" while Keys slipped into a white evening gown backstage.

The show ended on a strong note, with "If I Ain't Got You," a modern classic, and the 2007 mega hit "No One." The encore was "Empire State of Mind (Part II)," a spine-tingling ode to the Big Apple.

In an age when radio is saturated with Auto-tuned anthems and outrageous outfits, it was such a treat to sit down with an undeniably talented singer and songwriter for an evening of liberating R&B, gospel and pop.

Photo links:
Rex Features

Set List:

1. Love is Blind
2. You Don't Know My Name
3. Fallin'
4. Another Way to Die
5. Karma
6. Like the Sea
7. I Need You
8. Pray For Forgiveness
9. Diary
10. Like You'll Never See Me Again
11. Wait Til You See My Smile
12. Go Ahead
13. Put It in a Love Song
14. Unthinkable (I'm Ready)
15. Feeling Good
16. Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart
17. Superwoman
18. If I Ain't Got You
19. No One

Encore:

Empire State of Mind (Part II)

more fan shot footage below.



Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

3/27 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
3/28 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times-Forum
3/30 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
4/2 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
4/3 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
4/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
4/10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Coliseum
4/29 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
5/1 - Ischgl, Austria - Ski Resort
5/2 - Verona, Italy - Arena
5/4 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
5/7 - Berlin, Germany - O2 Arena
5/8 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome
5/9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
5/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Color Line Arena
5/13 - Oberhausen, Germany - Konig - Pilsener Arena
5/15 - Merksem, Belgium - Sportpaleis Antwerpen
5/17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion Zurich
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - The NIA
5/21 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2 Dublin
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - S.E.C.C.
5/25 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of kbaby82)

Alicia Keys Live In Atlantic City New Jersey

Last night's Alicia Keys 'Freedom' Tour performance at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ.

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Star Traks Photo

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

3/19 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Centre
3/20 - Atlantic City, NJ - Mark Etess Arena
3/22 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
3/24 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
3/25 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
3/27 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
3/28 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times-Forum
3/30 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
4/2 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
4/3 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
4/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
4/10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Coliseum
4/29 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
5/1 - Ischgl, Austria - Ski Resort
5/2 - Verona, Italy - Arena
5/4 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
5/8 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome
5/9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
5/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Color Line Arena
5/13 - Oberhausen, Germany - Konig - Pilsener Arena
5/15 - Merksem, Belgium - Sportpaleis Antwerpen
5/17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion Zurich
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - The NIA
5/21 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2 Dublin
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - S.E.C.C.
5/25 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of sillyyak11)

Alicia Keys: Beyonce, Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz Add Highlights To Madison Square Garden Concert

via Billboard

Alicia Keys stopped at New York City's Madison Square Garden last night (Wednesday, March 17) during her "Freedom Tour" and gave her hometown fans a special treat with surprise performances from Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Swizz Beatz.

Keys first performed new and old tracks like "Love Is Blind," "If I Can't Have You" and a stunning duet with former back-up singer Jermaine Paul -- who also served as an opening act along with Melanie Fiona and Robin Thicke -- for "Diary." But it was when the drums to her single "Put It In A Love Song" blared through the speakers that the crowd got most fired up. After performing her verse Keys introduced Beyoncé, who descended from the top of a staircase located towards the back of the stage and joined Keys for the remainder of the song. Ending in a dance routine, the performance marked the first time the two artists ever shared a stage.



With Beyoncé making a surprise appearance onstage, it was only fitting that her husband would do the same at the self-proclaimed "House that Hovie built." As Keys momentarily stopped playing the piano, her alleged boyfriend, producer/rapper Beatz, took the stage to his own collaboration with Jay-Z "On To The Next One," before Jay-Z himself came out for a performance of "Empire State of Mind." Scenes of Times Square and the city skyline appeared on the jumbo screens behind, setting the perfect backdrop for the Big Apple anthem as the masses sang in unison and waved their hands in the air.

"Thank you so much New York City! Thank you for welcoming me home!" Keys said nostalgically before exiting the stage. "I encourage you to continue to find your freedom, continue to find your way. God Bless you, my hometown. We love you!"

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more fan shot footage below.







Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

3/19 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Centre
3/20 - Atlantic City, NJ - Mark Etess Arena
3/22 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
3/24 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
3/25 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
3/27 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
3/28 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times-Forum
3/30 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
4/2 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
4/3 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
4/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
4/10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Coliseum
4/29 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
5/1 - Ischgl, Austria - Ski Resort
5/2 - Verona, Italy - Arena
5/4 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
5/8 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome
5/9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
5/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Color Line Arena
5/13 - Oberhausen, Germany - Konig - Pilsener Arena
5/15 - Merksem, Belgium - Sportpaleis Antwerpen
5/17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion Zurich
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - The NIA
5/21 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2 Dublin
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - S.E.C.C.
5/25 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of joleystar & Billboard)

Alicia Keys Is Evermore Elegant & Mature In Toronto On 'Freedom' Tour Concert Recap

As reported by Jane Stevenson at Canoe / QMI Agency

TORONTO - I know why the Caged Bird sings.

Or in the case of neo-soul star Alicia Keys, who initially appeared inside a silver cage at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday night (March 10), singing Caged Bird, why she sings: Because she sounds so good.

Keys brought her biggest production to date for the occasion: a dazzling gigantic video screen that broke into many smaller screens, a large gleaming silver staircase, a nine-piece band, and three dancers.

Touring in support of her fourth album, The Element Of Freedom, the 29-year-old New York singer-songwriter-pianist also made a good glamazon, appearing in silver sequined pants, a black shirt, a blood red blazer, and high heels, with her hair in soft curls.

Her first hit, Fallin', prompted major applause, as she stood at the front of stage playing a tiny white piano - and the song ended with the words, "Rise Up" on the enormous video screen above her.

But she delivered a more dramatic performance with her Bond theme (a collaboration with Jack White), Another Way To Die, losing the blazer and seductively prowling the staircase and her large stage with her dancers.

For her next song, Karma, Keys added some of the lyrics of Talking Heads' Once In A Lifetime, but it was her own, I Need You, that proved to be a stronger follow-up tune.

And when she sat down to play Prayer For Forgiveness, her piano flashed the words: "Play Me," and then, "Thank You," before it began rotating during, Diary, which prompted a crowd singalong and some mighty high notes from her male back up singer.

"We're excited to be here in Toronto," said Keys, who hit a few big notes of her own during Like You'll Never See Me Again. "God bless you."

After a brief band interlude, Keys re-appeared lying on top of the piano, now moving from the back of the stage to the front, for another uplifting number, Wait Til You See My Smile.

But the mid-show highlight proved to be the uber-soulful and funky Go Ahead featuring Keys playing a portable keyboard strapped around her neck, while her guitar player traded licks alongside her.

Finally elegant in a floor length white gown for Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart, the first single from The Element Of Freedom, there simply was no stopping Keys in the last half-hour of her 90-minute show.

Hit after hit followed: the female empowerment anthem, Superwoman; the heart-on-her-sleeve songs, If I Ain't Got You and No One; and the crowd-pleasing encore number, Empire State Of Mind Part II (Broken Down).

Earlier in the show, the bouncy Put It In A Love Song, Keys' collaboration with Beyonce, and the R&B ballad, Un-thinkable (I'm Ready), her duet with Drake, came across too calculated for the more mature Keys, who has always been an amazing songwriter and singer but is only now hitting her stride as a live performer.

Photos:
Toronto Sun Newspaper
Getty Images
Wire Image

Alicia Keys 'Freedom' Tour Toronto Air Canada Centre - Wednesday, March 10th set list:

Caged Bird
Love Is Blind
You Don't Know My Name
Fallin'
Another Way To Die
Karma
Like the Sea
I Need You
Pray for Forgiveness
Diary
Like You'll Never See Me Again

Band interlude

Wait Til You See My Smile
Go Ahead
Put It in a Love Song
Un-thinkable (I'm Ready)
Feeling Good (performed by the band)
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
Superwoman
If I Ain't Got You
No One

ENCORE

Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

3/11 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone
3/13 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/14 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/17 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
3/19 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Centre
3/20 - Atlantic City, NJ - Mark Etess Arena
3/22 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
3/24 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
3/25 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
3/27 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
3/28 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times-Forum
3/30 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
4/2 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
4/3 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
4/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
4/10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Coliseum
4/29 - Lisbon, Portugal - Pavilhao Atlantico
5/1 - Ischgl, Austria - Ski Resort
5/2 - Verona, Italy - Arena
5/4 - Marseille, France - Le Dome
5/8 - Arnhem, Netherlands - Gelredome
5/9 - Frankfurt, Germany - Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
5/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Color Line Arena
5/13 - Oberhausen, Germany - Konig - Pilsener Arena
5/15 - Merksem, Belgium - Sportpaleis Antwerpen
5/17 - Zurich, Switzerland - Hallenstadion Zurich
5/19 - Birmingham, UK - The NIA
5/21 - Dublin, Ireland - The O2 Dublin
5/23 - Glasgow, UK - S.E.C.C.
5/25 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/26 - London, UK - The O2 - London
5/29 - Manchester, UK - Manchester Evening News Arena
5/31 - Paris, France - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
6/2 - Barcelona, Spain - Palau Sant Jordi
6/4 - Lyon, France - Halle Tony Garnier

(video courtesy of Canal de Vídeos do oitoronto)

Alicia Keys 'Freedom' Tour Chicago Concert Recap

As reported by Greg Kot at the Chicago Tribune

At Allstate (Wednesday, March 3), the singer wasn’t content to stay in one place, let alone one style, for very long. Her 100-minute, 22-song set was a jumble of ideas that didn’t quite jell into a consistently powerful performance. When (Alicia) Keys stripped things down and gave her voice and fingers room to move, she was riveting.

She was never better than during her all-too-brief piano interludes. Keys sounds best when she’s at a keyboard, setting up natural call-and-response patterns that were further accentuated by three excellent backing singers.

The singer went to church on “Prayer for Forgiveness,” “Diary” and especially the slow-build secular gospel of “Like You’ll Never See Me Again.” It was almost a relief to see Keys sit down and explore the songs rather than shaking and shimmying through them.

The concert began with a gimmick: Keys singing from inside a cage before breaking free, the better to hammer home the night’s themes of self-empowerment and self-determination. She started “Fallin’ ” on a toy keyboard, then built to a big show-biz finish. She vamped it up with wailing electric guitar on “Another Way to Die,” the James Bond theme song she cowrote with the White Stripes’ Jack White. She tossed in a snippet of the Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” during “Karma,” and stepped with her dancers during “Heartburn.” Throw in a series of go-get-'em video graphics, everything from Martin Luther King quotes to images of Gandhi, John F. Kennedy and Princess Diana (huh?), and you had a concert that sometimes resembled an over-stuffed video game more than a showcase for a gifted artist.

On “Like the Sea” and “I Need You,” she blended electric piano and thick Moog chords to create mini-symphonies of longing and obsession. Even a malfunctioning keytar couldn’t stop her from kicking out some Prince-style funk on “Go Ahead” with her band.

The last portion of the show was devoted to big anthems, designed to rock the arena U2-style. But the Allstate was only half full, and big production numbers such as “Put it in a Love Song” and “No One” strained to make an impact. Keys wanted it all, but her piano knew better.

Photos:
Film Magic
Wire Image
WENN Photo
Getty Images

Alicia Keys’ set list Wednesday at Allstate Arena:

1 Caged Bird
2 Love is Blind
3 Trouble
4 You Don't Know My Name
5 Fallin’
6 Another Way to Die
7 Karma
8 Heartburn
9 Like the Sea
10 I Need You
11 Prayer for Forgiveness
12 Diary
13 Like You’ll Never See Me Again
14 Wait Til You See Me Smile
15 Go Ahead
16 Put it in a Love Song
17 Unthinkable (I’m Ready)
Backup singer interlude: Feeling Good
18 Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart
19 Superwoman
20 If I Ain’t Got You
21 No One

Encore
22 Empire State of Mind

More fan shot footage below.







(video courtesy of ZalandLex)

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

3/5 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
3/6 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
3/8 - London, ON - John Labatt Centre
3/10 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
3/11 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone
3/13 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/14 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/17 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
3/19 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Centre
3/20 - Atlantic City, NJ - Mark Etess Arena
3/22 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
3/24 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
3/25 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
3/27 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
3/28 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times-Forum
3/30 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
4/2 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
4/3 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
4/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
4/10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Coliseum

Alicia Keys Puts Final Touches On Freedom Tour Before Opening Night

Last night's concert review from Alicia Keys' first stop of the Element of Freedom tour at ScotiaBank Place in Ottawa, Ontario Canada:
Canoe: Alicia Keys - Scotiabank Place, Ottawa - February 26, 2010

Alicia Keys 2010 Element of Freedom Tour Dates:

2/28 - Montreal, QC - Bell Centre
3/3 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena
3/5 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
3/6 - Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
3/8 - London, ON - John Labatt Centre
3/10 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre
3/11 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone
3/13 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/14 - Mashantucket, CT - Foxwoods Casino
3/17 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
3/19 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Centre
3/20 - Atlantic City, NJ - Mark Etess Arena
3/22 - Boston, MA - Agganis Arena
3/24 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
3/25 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
3/27 - Miami, FL - American Airlines Arena
3/28 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times-Forum
3/30 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
4/2 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theater (Grand Prairie)
4/3 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
4/6 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
4/7 - Santa Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl
4/9 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay
4/10 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Coliseum

Alicia Keys 'Put It In A Love Song' Ft. Beyonce On The Set In Rio de Janeiro

Photo links from the video shoot:
Rex Features
Getty Images

Hope For Haiti Performances With Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bono, Beyonce, Alicia Keys & More

<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/" target="_blank">Jay Z/Rihanna/Bono Perform Live! Hope For Haiti</a>

Jay Z/Rihanna/Bono Perform Live! Hope For Haiti

<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/" target="_blank">Beyonce/Chris Martin Perform Live! Hope For Haiti</a>

Beyonce/Chris Martin Perform Live! Hope For Haiti

<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/" target="_blank">Alicia Keys Performs Live! Hope For Haiti</a>

Alicia Keys Performs Live! Hope For Haiti

<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/" target="_blank">Wyclef Jean Performs Live! Hope For Haiti</a>

Wyclef Jean Performs Live! Hope For Haiti

<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/" target="_blank">Mary J Blige Performs Live! Hope For Haiti</a>

Mary J Blige Performs Live! Hope For Haiti

<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/" target="_blank">John Legend Performs Live! Hope For Haiti</a>

John Legend Performs Live! Hope For Haiti

<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/" target="_blank">Jennifer Hudson Performs Live! Hope For Haiti</a>

Jennifer Hudson Performs Live! Hope For Haiti

Alicia Keys Live In Madrid, Spain

Quality footage below.



Alicia performed at the Teatro Real de Madrid in Spain for a one off European show Monday, Jan. 18.

Photos:
Wire Image - Red Carpet
Wire Image - Performance
Getty Image - Red Carpet
Getty Image - Performance
Rex Features - Red Carpet & Performance

Alicia Keys 'The Element Of Freedom' 2010 Tour dates:

Sun 02/28/10 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Mon 03/01/10 - Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
Wed 03/03/10 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
Fri 03/05/10 - Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
Sat 03/06/10 - Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre
Mon 03/08/10 - London, ON @ The John Labatt Centre
Wed 03/10/10 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
Thu 03/11/10 - Quebec City, QC @ Quebec Colisee Pepsi
Sat 03/13/10 - Mashantucket, CT @ MGM Grand At Foxwoods
Wed 03/17/10 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden Arena
Fri 03/19/10 - Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
Mon 03/22/10 - Boston, MA @ Agganis Arena at Boston University
Tue 04/06/10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
Sat 05/01/10 - Ischgl, Austria @ Ski Resort
Tue 05/04/10 - Marseille, France @ Le Dome
Sat 05/08/10 - Arnhem, Netherlands @ Gelredome
Sun 05/09/10 - Frankfurt, Germany @ Festhalle - Messe Frankfurt
Wed 05/12/10 - Hamburg, Germany @ Color Line Arena
Thu 05/13/10 - Oberhausen, Germany @ Konig - Pilsener Arena
Sat 05/15/10 - Merksem, Belgium @ Sportpaleis Antwerpen
Mon 05/17/10 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion Zurich
Wed 05/19/10 - Birmingham, UK @ The NIA
Fri 05/21/10 - Dublin, Ireland @ The O2 - Dublin
Sun 05/23/10 - Glasgow, UK @ S.E.C.C.
Tue 05/25/10 - London, UK @ The O2 - London
Wed 05/26/10 - London, UK @ The O2 - London
Sat 05/29/10 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Evening News Arena
Mon 05/31/10 - Paris, France @ Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy
Wed 06/02/10 - Barcelona, Spain @ Palau Sant Jordi
Fri 06/04/10 - Lyon, France @ Halle Tony Garnier

Alicia Keys: More From Alicia Keys Japanese TV Show Appearance

Related:
Alicia Keys Japanese TV Show Appearance

Alicia Keys Japanese TV Show Appearance

Alicia Keys currently doing a promotional sweep through Asia for her latest album 'The Element Of Freedom'

Photos of Alicia Keys in Tokyo:
Getty Images
Rex Features
Wire Image

Kerry “Krucial” Brothers: Alicia Keys Collaborator & Producer Interview

via Sonic Scoop

Kerry “Krucial” Brothers is Alicia Keys’ right-hand man — her longtime production and business partner in KrucialKeys Enterprises and The Oven Studios, and one of the Executive Producers on The Element on Freedom. As with As I Am, Brothers and Chief Engineer Ann Mincieli (pictured above) form the start-to-finish production nucleus that powers their artist.

Keys’ production partner since the early days, Brothers is trusted as the artist’s “extra set of ears,” and routinely makes the decisions that keep the production process moving forward. He is indeed crucial to this operation, which once in full swing — with mixers Manny Marroquin and Tony Maserati, and mastering engineer Dave Kutch in-house at The Oven — requires this musical right-hand man to be on-site and on-point.

Sonic Scoop: Is this all-under-one-roof process about pushing the envelope of production? Why do it this way, in this day and age, with the expense of bringing people in-house?

Kerry “Krucial” Brothers: It’s kind of costly, but it’s really about keeping the quality up. With the technology you can send files, but with everyone here, you can say, “It sounds distorted. I need to change this.” Then you can run upstairs and say (to the mixer), “Can you change it?” You’ve got creative opinions. If Tony wants to add something, we can overlay it. Then when we get to the mastering, we say, “Can you EQ this?”
It makes my job a little easier. It gets everyone into it the project more, and the quality is better. Now with the big labels, everyone is about the bottom line. You could say, “I want to do this or that,” but they don’t care. Here, everyone cares, and that’s the main thing.
I’m one of the Executive Producers on The Element of Freedom. I’m Alicia’s main musical partner, producing, writing, arranging, and we’re doing it one more time. It’s still exciting, because each album we try new things. No album sounds like the one before.

Sonic Scoop: Alicia is obviously very hands-on in the production process. How do the two of you communicate?

Kerry “Krucial” Brothers: I’m her extra set of ears. Sometimes she’s busy doing promotion, for example, so she pretty much trusts my ears. We’ve worked together for 13 years now, and it’s like, “If you say it’s good, I believe you.” I’ll listen with Dave, listen to sequences, mixes, I’ll give my opinion.
We’re almost one mind now, we’re so much alike. We learn a lot from engineers, especially from Ann, bringing in new things to try out.

Sonic Scoop: How would you characterize the way you and Alicia work together?

Kerry “Krucial” Brothers: It’s always sharing ideas as lovers of music. Ann really keeps up and maintains the studio, and you really couldn’t have a better person doing that. We’ll use new equipment, and that inspires so many songs. During the off-hours, we’re really taking the time to learn different things — we’ll try out a new bundle, a new plug-in, adding in new elements that come out. We’re still like little kids, and that keeps the energy. We’re lucky to have a label that supports it.

Read the full interview here:
Sonic Scoop - Key to Keys: Kerry “Krucial” Brothers, Executive Producer

& read more about the Kerry “Krucial” Brothers & Alicia Keys in-house production team in their own interviews on Sonic Scoop here:
Manny Marroquin, Mixer
Tony Maserati, Mixer
Dave Kutch, Mastering

Alicia Keys & Friends At The Apollo Theater

As part of a free HD streaming concert cast sponsored by Billboard.com, Alicia brought out guests Raheem Devaughn, Marsha Ambrosius, Melanie Fiona, Jermaine Paul, and Kenny Muhammad.

PHOTOS:
Getty Images
Wire Image 1
Wire Image 2

Alicia Keys Album Release Party At M2 In NYC

PHOTOS:
Film Magic
Getty Images
Wire Image

Projected First Week Sales On Alicia Keys & Robin Thicke

According to Hits Daily Double, here are the projected first week sales for 12/15 new releases.



Alicia Keys - 'The Element Of Freedom' (J-Records)
330-350k



Robin Thicke - 'Sex Therapy (Interscope/Star Trak)
100-110k

The Hits Daily Double numbers will become more firmer a day prior (on Tuesday, December 22) to the Nielsen/Soundscan (the industry standard) numbers as we will see next Wednesday, December 23.

Alicia Keys Album Launch For 'The Element Of Freedom' London Party Recap

As reported by Gordon Smart at London's Sun

Alicia Keys pulled in an impressive crowd to her album launch on Wednesday night.

I spotted JLS, Chipmunk, Dizzee Rascal, Will Young and The Saturdays all straining for a glimpse.

Alicia turned in a top six-song set at the Aqua restaurant and club in London.

The opener was her re-working of Empire State Of Mind - the single she recorded with Jay-Z.

A slower solo version appears on her new album The Element Of Freedom.

Alicia sat at the piano before standing for current single Doesn't Mean Anything.

Then there were her classics If I Ain't Got You, You Don't Know My Name and No One.

She's sheer class. But the setting was horribly tacky for such a big star.

Too many people were rammed into a room with all the atmosphere of a large store changing cubicle.

Alicia will get the settings she deserves when she comes back for a full UK tour in May.

Photos:
Getty Images
Film Magic
WENN Photo

more fan footage below.







(video courtesy of enomis1979, sblitztv & sparkystep)

Alicia Keys 'The Element Of Freedom' Tracklist Posted Online

01. Element Of Freedom (Intro)
02. Love Is Blind
03. Doesn’t Mean Anything
04. Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart
05. Wait Til You See My Smile
06. That’s How Strong My Love Is
07. Un-thinkable (I’m Ready) ft. Drake
08. Love Is My Disease
09. Like The Sea
10. Put It In A Love Song ft. Beyoncé
11. This Bed
12. Distance & Time
13. How It Feels To Fly
14. Empire State Of Mind (Part II) Broken Down

via the press release

Fresh off the American Music Awards with two unforgettable performances of “Empire State of Mind” with Jay-Z and her new single “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart,” 12-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys goes into high gear with a whirlwind of activities in support of her fifth album The Element of Freedom out December 15 on MBK Entertainment/J Records.

In addition to “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart” and “Doesn’t Mean Anything,” The Element of Freedom features Keys soulfully soaring solo version of “Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down,” a beat-driven duet with Beyoncé on “Put It In A Love Song,” “Un-thinkable (I’m Ready)” with background vocals provided by Drake, the reggae-tinged “Love is My Disease,” a 80’s funk jam “This Bed” and more sonic gems. The album features production by Alicia Keys, her longtime collaborator Kerry “Krucial” Brothers, Jeff Bhasker, Swizz Beatz, and Noah “40” Shebib.

Keys recently made her national TV debut performance of “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart” on Dancing With The Stars and recreated that magic Sunday night on the 2009 American Music Awards. Up next are performances on The Today Show Outdoor Concert Series (11/24) and Oprah (11/30) where she joins country music superstar Tim McGraw for a duet performance of John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” for the holiday show. She’ll continue to spread holiday cheer on NBC’s Christmas at Rockefeller (12/2), followed by performances on Late Show with David Letterman (12/14), The Colbert Report (12/15), The View (12/16), BET 106 & Keys Live Special (12/16) and a return visit to The Today Show (12/17).

Alicia Keys - 'The Element of Freedom' on J Records in-stores December 15.