The Australian press can get pretty ugly at times. Look at the consistent, inaccurate reporting about Britney Spears in Australia. Are they incapable of accepting that they are not getting a headline from a scandal because Britney is content spending time with her kids?
The Crucifixion of Britney Spears began as soon as she stepped foot in the country. The tabloids had their first paparazzi moment when they got to snap her just off a plane after a cross-Pacific flight looking a little worse for wear. Go stand outside international customs at any Australian airport. It’s not a fashion parade.Then came the show beat-up. The Australian press are obviously the last media group in the world to discover that Britney lip-synchs. Britney has always lip-synched. It has never been hidden. It is not a secret and had not been an issue for media who saw the 80-something shows that came before Australia.
I saw Britney two years ago at her House of Blues showcase in Hollywood. She lip-synched there and she does it now. Maybe if Thom Yorke were lip-synching there would be a story, but Britney? That's what she is and always had been.
Why does the Australian press feel the need to judge this show as if it is an opera? A soap opera, maybe. Maybe they are confusing the two? ‘Circus’ has more in common with a theatre show than a rock show. It is just meant to be two and a bit hours of entertainment and escapism for fans of a pop star who is a product of the music industry.
Even today the crucifixion is continuing. Shannon Derry has outdone himself today with words like “flop”, “derailed” and “controversy”.
This line in his story, “the pop princess failed to wow fans with her first Melbourne show,” is complete rubbish. The audience at the sold-out audience on Wednesday night (as witnessed by me) screamed and sang along from start to finish.
And then this line, “Spears came under fire for sloppy dance routines”. By who Shannon, other journalists?
And what’s with the quote from an independent ticket broker claiming he was going to lose money on this tour. An independent ticket broker? Do you mean a SCALPER, Shannon?
As that old saying goes, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story”.
The setlist:
CIRCUS
Parade Intro
Circus (Funky Remix)
Piece of Me
Thunderstorm Segue
Radar
HOUSE OF FUN (Anything Goes)
Martial Arts Segue
Ooh Ooh Baby/Hot as Ice
Boys
If U Seek Amy
Me Against the Music (Bollywood)
FREAKSHOW/PEEPSHOW
Everybody’s Looking for Something Segue
Freakshow
Get Naked
Britney’s Hotline
Breathe on Me/Touch of My Hand
ELECTRO CIRC
Break the Ice Segue
Do Something
Slave
Dancer Solo Segue/Heartbeat Segue
Toxic
Baby One More Time (Remix)
ENCORE
Womanizer (Extended Remix)
Circus Reprise: The Bow
Remaining dates:
MELBOURNE
Friday 13 November @ Rod Laver Arena
Friday 27 November @ Rod Laver Arena
SYDNEY
Monday 16 November @ Acer Arena
Tuesday 17 November @ Acer Arena
Thursday 19 November @ Acer Arena
Friday 20 November @ Acer Arena
BRISBANE
Tuesday 24 November @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Wednesday 25 November @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Sunday 22 November @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre
ADELAIDE
Sunday 29 November @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre
