The audience witness a band on top of their game tonight, Destiny's Child brimming with confidence and loving every minute of their hour long performance.
Although this is an all-seated arena, few use the seats they paid for at any point during the girls' performance. Even during the scene changes, while Destiny's Child change their outfits, their dancers' synchronised routines are met with rapturous applause. And then Beyoncé, Kelly & Michelle launch into their hit singles...
First up, appropriately enough is their debut single 'No, No, No' which only lacks Wyclef's rap from the recorded version. Before launching into their next track 'Say My Name', Beyoncé reminds us all who we're listening to - as if we could forget...
"When I say Destiny's, you say Child. Destiny's"
"CHILD!"
"Destiny's"
"CHILD!
As the band are being introduced we are told that we're making history tonight as one of the best crowds on the tour. While slightly cliched, such is the atmosphere tonight that you could be forgiven for taking Kelly at her word.
Soon they have everyone pumping the air and waving their arms to the theme from Charlie's Angels, 'Independent Women Part I'. At the end Beyoncé manages to deliver a five minute plug for the single saying something like "It's in the shops on Monday, it's Number One in America and we'd like it to be Number One here. So I hope all of you are going to get out there and pick it up" Such shamless manipulation goes unnoticed by the malleable, enthusiastic crowd. Judging by tonight's reception it's easy to imagine the girls' pipping both Ronan Keating and Craig David to the top slot on Sunday.
For much of the night, Kelly can't dance due to a broken foot. So, it's left to the other two and Beyoncé's little sister (one of the dancers and at times, due to her similar outfits, almost looking like the fourth member of the group) to cover the stage with their groovy moves, ensuring every block in the audience gets a glimpse.
After a downtempo section, including a cover version of The Commodores' 'Sail On' and an accapella gospel rendition, the hits return with 'Bills, Bills, Bills' and 'Bug A Boo'. Then suddenly they are gone, flashing lights the only clue that they may return
Despite the crowd's earlier enthusiasm and appreciation it's remarkably quiet during the break. It's left to a loud speaker announcement, perhaps from one of the girls themselves, to build the crowd's excitement back up before they return for, without doubt, the highlight of the evening. Even the most reserved of sceptics get going as the strains of 'Jumpin, Jumpin' fill the arena.
As the crowd filter out there are smiles all round. "That blew Britney out the water" says one thrilled punter. It'd be hard not to agree. Destiny's Child put on one hell of a show.
