Wango Tango, Day One (Dodger Stadium; 53,000 capacity; $95 top)
By Troy J. Augusto
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - If there was one prevailing theme that tied together many of the top Wango Tango acts on Saturday, it was sex. Nearly all of the day's stars declared in explicit words and brazen conduct their thoughts on the topic, offering a heaping helping of titillation to the mostly underage sellout crowd.
The first words out of cocksure reggae sensation Shaggy's mouth was his declaration that he intended to ``make you moist and wet.'' While he sang, he was chased around the stage by a coterie of scantily dressed young ladies.
Teen pop star Jessica Simpson, no longer the innocent she appeared to be at this event last year, performed dressed in the skimpiest of hot pants, shaking her rear to a sample of Sir Mix-A-Lot's ``Baby Got Back.''
Headliner Ricky Martin simulated numerous bedroom acts during his half-hour, which included ``She Bangs'' and (you knew it was coming) ``Shake Your Bon-Bon.'' Even the Blue Man Group's nifty trick of tossing small, paint-filled balloons into each other's mouths had a strangely libidinous feel to it.
The show, hosted annually by top-40 station KIIS-FM, was co-sponsored by a Las Vegas casino, while the between-performance video distractions were shown on what was called the ``Budweiser DiamondVision'' screen, further adding an adult flavor to what was once a PG-rated affair.
The most impressive musical perf of the day was turned in by promising young Canadian singer-guitarist Nelly Furtado, whose hit ``I'm Like a Bird'' was a breath of fresh air compared to the mindless music that dominated the event.
Vegas icon Wayne Newton sang for 15 minutes in the afternoon sun and was enjoyed mostly by the parents in the audience, while at dusk the ever-popular Backstreet Boys (news - web sites) -- who flew in from their East Coast tour -- elicited the loudest reaction, performing crowd faves like ``I Want It Like That'' dressed in L.A. Lakers jerseys.
A parade of celebs were on hand to bring out the musicians, including Britney Spears (who disappointed many young fans by not performing even one song), Carson Daly, Aaron Carter, Frankie Muniz and the Laker Girls.
Presented by SFX Concerts, KIIS-FM, Pepsi and Rio Casino. Performers: Ricky Martin, Backstreet Boys, Jessica Simpson, Shaggy, Nelly Furtado, Blue Man Group, Samantha Mumba, Wayne Newton, Joe, Krystal, Nikka Costa, 3LW. Host: Britney Spears. Reviewed June 16, 2001.
Reuters/Variety REUTERS