Nelly Furtado: Getting Loose
June 12, 2007, Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont, IL, United States

by Jackie Lee King with photos by Rob Grabowski

The staging for the concert looked like an updated version of what Miami Sound Machine (Gloria Estefan) may have been touring with back in the 80's. Trust me, the rhythm is gonna get ya. At the beginning of the show the largest disco ball that I have ever seen descends from the rafter, and upon touching down on the second level of stairs, rises to reveal a stunning Furtado telling the audience to "Say It Right." She sauntered down middle of two flights of brightly painted white stairs with band members flanking each side staircase on both levels. The entire backdrop of the stage is a shimmer curtain made up of video projection lights that interplay with the lighting effects of the disco ball; it's very trippy!

Pulling from all three of her releases (Whoa Nelly, Folklore and Loose), Furtado treated fans to multi-facetted show that mixed dace hits with sultry ballads effortlessly. Furtado even threw in a cover of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and Justin Timberlake's "Sexy Back", the latter of which was performed by the band while in the midst of one of her 5 costume changes. It may sound tacky, but it really worked and kept the party going. What also kept the flow of the show going were the four dancers whose skills ranged from Ballet to Krumpin, with the most impressive choreography happening during the song "Showtime." 

Some of the more memorable musical moments were in her blending of songs and styles in creating a live remix feeling during the show. She performed an updated version of "I'm Like A Bird" which took on a more bass and earthy tone, but still had wings. Later on Furtado had a 'conversation' with her drummer: a percussion and vocal duet that incorporated two of Nelly's songs "Party/No Hay Igual," resulting in mass approval from the audience. She also put a spin on Blondie's "Heart of Glass" and mixed it with her own song "Glow," keeping alive the retro vibe.

She also performed the very touching "Try" and the triumphant "Forca" with clear purity that that both touched and inspired many an audience member. She just knows how to say it right in concert. 

This was a concert that embraced so many musical genres, that there is no doubting her international star status. Furtado isn't uptight when it comes to blending things. She's a sultry "Maneater" (her triumphant closing song) that has more substance than other pop princess contemporaries.

Set List
1. "Say It Right"
2. "Turn Off The Light"
3. "Powerless (Say What You Want)"
4. "Do It"
5. "Wait For You"
6. "Showtime"
7. "Crazy" (Cover of Gnarls Barkley)
8. "In God's Hands"
9. "Try"
10. "All Good Things (Come To An End)"
11. "Sexy Back" (Cover of Justin Timberlake)
12. "Give It To Me"
13. "I'm Like A Bird"
14. "Glow/Heart Of Glass"
15. "Forca"
16. "Promiscuous"
17. "Te Busque"
18. "Party/No Hay Igual"
19. "Maneater"

Preview and Purchase Nelly's CDs Online

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