Live review: KIIS-FM's Wango Tango, featuring Ludacris, Usher, Justin Bieber, Ke$ha, others at Staples Center

Among the many revelations delivered Saturday night at Staples Center, where L.A.’s pop-radio powerhouse KIIS-FM presented its annual Wango Tango concert, perhaps the most noteworthy was this: Brody Jenner from “The Hills” has finally contracted a case of Bieber Fever.

If the preceding sentence consists primarily of unfamiliar words, you’re probably one of the three or four humans who fall outside the purview of KIIS’ mission, which is to provide the big-tent soundtrack to Right Now. (Alternatively, your name might be Andy Rooney.)

With an eclectic lineup populated in part by slick dance-popsters (Justin Bieber, Iyaz), club-friendly hip-hoppers (Ludacris, B.o.B.), a French house-music maven (David Guetta) and whatever it is we’re calling Ke$ha, Wango Tango works in giddy opposition to the idea that the music industry no longer produces stars capable of reaching across demographic lines.

Saturday’s five-hour show didn’t always hit its target, but that might only have been because the target kept moving.

This year’s headliner was Usher, the Atlanta R&B veteran whose recent “Raymond vs. Raymond” album announced his return to raunch after a brief stint as a domestic-minded crooner. At Staples, he deepened that reversion, performing hits such as “Nice & Slow” and “Lil Freak” while grinding suggestively against a series of objects -- some carbon-based (several female dancers), others not (a microphone stand, the stage floor).

Throughout his 30-minute set, Usher sang and danced with the precision of a professional; “U Got It Bad,” with a stripped-down tribal-groove arrangement, was especially impressive. Yet coming as it did after high-energy appearances by Ludacris and Akon (the latter of whom stage-dived twice), Usher’s performance felt a little lackluster. His closing number, the pulsing Eurodance track “OMG,” didn’t quite earn its Webspeak-derived title.

Usher protégé Bieber suffered no such shortage of intensity; this pint-sized Canadian’s six-song set was by far the most enthusiastically received of the evening. (Add a couple of exclamation points to “OMG” and you’re getting there.) Bieber offers the latest iteration of a proven puppy-love formula deployed by, among others, New Kids on the Block, ’N Sync and the Jonas Brothers, and though there’s something of a charisma vacuum at work in his music, he enlivened all the old tricks well enough Saturday night.

Generously sharing his thoughts with a KIIS DJ following Bieber’s performance, Jenner admitted that the 16-year-old had made him a fan. Watch out, world.

Bieber wasn’t the only newly arrived star at Wango Tango. There was also Ke$ha, who took the stage wearing a Wonder Woman-inspired costume (or half of one, anyway) and spent her 20 minutes there throwing a kind of simulated house party. Before she sang her hit “Tik Tok,” she announced that Saturday was the birthday of one of her band members, then presented a cake in the shape of a woman’s breast, which ended up smeared across the floor in no time. The moment felt exceedingly true to Ke$ha’s real-world existence.

Adam Lambert seemed intent on summoning a similar jolt of transgressive energy but came up short, offering plenty of fine-grain glam-rock detail (including a rhinestone-encrusted in-ear monitor) but little of the in-your-face spectacle he delivered during his climb toward fame on “American Idol.”

Inside the big tent at last, Lambert went unexpectedly small.

-- Mikael Wood

- Photos: KIIS FM's Wango Tango

---

Clicking on Green Links will take you to a third-party e-commerce site. These sites are not operated by the Los Angeles Times. The Times Editorial staff is not involved in any way with Green Links or with these third-party sites.

---

Comments

[Rose]

OMG - I am a huge fan of Adam Lambert - but please - some of you crazy fans are trying to ruin him. It is not necessary to jump like this on every single person who does not give an absolutely glowing review of everything Adam does - it comes across as so desperate - and it is so sickening the way some of you go about defending Adam by tearing down other artists. Please stop. Have some faith in Adam - and stop trying to act like the music and thought police. Adam is never going to appeal totally to everyone. He is not god. Calm down. It's Okay.

[RC]

Once I read your one-paragraph comment about Lambert's performance, I knew the Glambert rage would appear. It is so predictable and does not do Lambert any favors. His fanbase is his biggest liability right now. And those who post claiming that they went to see another artist (like Bieber) but were "transformed" into Lambert fans that evening? Please. No one believes that b.s.

[Kat]

You are an idiot...Adam's performance was great....where were you for this...obviously not near the stage or listening. I was not there but have seen the videos and he nailed it and the fans loved it...
Adam has amazing vocals...out sung others by far....and performance quality is great as usual...Your bias is showing...

[Kat]

Mr. Wood has been introduced to the Sparkle Cows...poor guy!

[Amanda T.]

I do agree with the review. Having seen many concerts, many of the artists came up short at Wango Tango. The best entertainers that night were Usher, Luda, and Akon. Among the many technical difficulties (not the artist's faults), the other artists seemed out of their element for a sold out concert. All in all, I would not go Beiber, Ke$ha, or Lambert in their own concerts...they still have some growing to do.

[Europe]

I found the review on Wango Tango quite offensive. You are entitled to your opinions, yes, but as a professional journalist, the review should have been more neutral. Dropping Adam Lambert´s name already from the title and then bringing him up last just before the article ends, that´s purely unprofessional. It seemed as if you wanted on purpose to make an impression that you were forced to write about Adam Lambert, since he was a part of the show.
I wasn´t there, I´m a European. I listened to the performances from youtube. I´ve heard Adam Lambert sing live in Europe. One doesn´t need to like him, his appearance, style, costumes, ear monitors, even his style of music.
But no one can deny his talent, his professionalism, his charisma, the work he has put into his dream. He is mesmerizing. His vocals are beyond understanding. To dismiss that is very very offensive - not only to Mr. Lambert himself - but to all of us who appreciate his voice and performances. He is missed here in Europe, millions of us would love to hear him sing live again.
Mr. Wood, if you do not like Adam Lambert, please respect his talent anyway. His talent is not in the category of "others". Mr. Wood, in the name of professionalism, there is no need to show contempt towards Adam Lambert. Adam Lambert has got vocal talent like no one else.

[nicolelowe]

I think the writer of this needs a catscan or something. For one Adam was the best of the night and neither of the others amount to what Adam has to offer. Two no one puts Adam Lambert down in gets away with it in my books Adam is never small he is huge and is the best. And third there is not one thing wrong with what Adam did. He was the best of the night and you should eat your words Mikeal.

[jenny]

Adam likes to mix it up, depending on the situation and his mood. you have labeled him as an "in your face" guy and if he's not you see a problem. this is bad analysis and shows your own poverty of imagination. in pointing your finger you totally miss the beauty and pleasure his performance have. unimpressed by you.

[Tony]

Dude Usher was by far the best. The crowd loved him the most, sang the words along with him, and Justin Bieber sucked. Talk about a lackluster performance there was nothing exciting and he sounded disoriented and off key. Did you see the same show as me and everyone else? Ask everyone there above the age of 17 who was the best and they'll say Usher. Yeah was the best performance of the night. He sang great and danced great.

[Angelraj]

I think this reviewer was prepared to judge Adam Lambert poorly before he even saw the show, regardless of whether he found him over the top, or understated. Please be professional and judge the music next time. Better yet, next time can you send a real music critic? I was there and he was the best vocalist there. Fortunately there is youtube so people can judge for themselves.

[Angie]

haha i loved this by JD:
"What ever you were smoking.....is good staff, your brain was so gone! Don't change the supplier....lol"

I so agree :D