Even before attending Justin Bieber’s “Believe” concert in Memphis, Tenn., last Thursday, I was a pretty big fan of his. I had seen the “Never Say Never” movie documentary from his last concert tour and knew I wanted to see him live. Then, he released the “Believe” album this summer, and it became official: I was a “Belieber.” The concert, held at the FedExForum on Beale Street, did not disappoint in the slightest. Fellow Canadian Carly Rae Jepsen, known for her single “Call Me Maybe,” was the opening act. Though I do not regularly follow her music, she was a fun and upbeat personality to begin the show. There was about 30 minutes between Jepsen’s act and Bieber’s entrance, which left plenty of time for the thousands of tweens in attendance to disregard the clock countdown on the main screen and start multiple cheers and chants trying to coax Bieber onto the stage early.
When the countdown finally hit “zero,” a video began playing on all screens and Bieber emerged attached to a metal contraption with huge mechanical wings. You have never heard ear-splitting screaming until you attend a Bieber concert. I am not ashamed to admit that I was right in there with the 9-year-old girls screaming my lungs out. I mean, when else am I ever going to see Justin Bieber flying around an arena on mechanical wings?
Bieber opened with three songs from his latest album, “Believe,” and then proceeded to perform a medley of several of his most popular songs from his first album, including “One Time,” “Eenie Meenie” and “Somebody to Love.” Though the medley left me wanting more of those old songs, I guess I will just have to watch the documentary again to get my fill.
He continued to sing songs off of “Believe,” occasionally using screens on stage to portray previously filmed scenes of him during a song so that he could get off of the stage and change his wardrobe. Two of the songs, “Be Alright” and “Fall,” were sung acoustically while Bieber played the guitar and a machine similar to a crane stretched him out in a little bird’s nest to play over the top of the crowd, looking out and down at the fans. Though many people criticize Bieber and his music, he proves his talent when he plays the guitar like that or does a drum solo, which he did later.
If you have seen “Never Say Never,” you know that Bieber’s people always choose one fan at random to bring on stage to be personally serenaded by Bieber as he sings “One Less Lonely Girl.” Unfortunately, I did not get chosen to be the “one less lonely girl,” but I am convinced that the only reason for that is because we were late to the concert and his people were already backstage. The girl that participated held herself together well, considering videos I have seen have showed generally pure hysterics from the girl who gets chosen. And really, can you blame them?
Bieber closed with the namesake of his album “Believe,” but fans knew the show was not over because two of his most famous songs, “Boyfriend” and “Baby,” still had not been sung.
After temporarily disappearing, Bieber was shot out of a hole in the floor of the stage to begin “Boyfriend.” And the crowd went wild. Partially because of the song and partially because he was wearing a vest with no shirt underneath. Then, because I have seen the documentary so many times, I was waiting for Bieber to announce “Who wants to be my baby?” like he always does to start off the song “Baby.” Naturally, that came next and I ended the concert losing my marbles with all of the other girls who want to be Justin Bieber’s baby.
