Will Justin Bieber show up on time? That was the million dollar question on everyone’s mind at Autism Rocks Arena on Saturday night — right up until a shock of bleach-blonde hair, retro purple basketball shorts and heavily tattooed skin peeked out at us at 8.07pm.
You might think we’re being over-specific. It’s just that four years ago, when Bieber was last in Dubai, he was going through his teenaged rebellion phase. He was 19 years old, racking up speeding fines (six, to be exact) and showing up two hours late for his concerts.
But at 23-years-old, he’s a changed man. The kind that shows up on time, puts on a no-nonsense, hour-and-a-half performance and wins over an all-ages crowd.
Isn’t that the entire intention of the Purpose Tour? To make amends?
So yes, Bieber showed up on time. Yes, he was in top form — relaxed, confident, and quietly doling out his signature swagger (i.e. ‘swaggy’). And yes, he, his band and his heavy duty dancers put on a great show.
Bieber did most of the hits — As Long As You Love Me, Baby, and Boyfriend. He performed nearly the entirety of his Purpose album, a vulnerable, honest and mellow affair that takes a three-pronged approach to apologising for past transgressions: 1) acknowledge your imperfections, 2) take accountability for your wrongdoings and 3) re-instate your mission statement. Lyrics include: ‘you give me purpose’, ‘is it too late now to say sorry?’ and ‘don’t forget that I’m human, don’t forget that I’m real.’
The Canadian pop star was real enough on Saturday night that he kept having to re-tie his shoe laces, almost bumped into a back-up dancer during one song, and was totally giddy when four young girls danced onstage with him during his save-the-world anthem, Children. Singing-wise, there were understandably back-up vocals at some points, but Bieber sounded just as good live as he does on track.
The crowd was charmingly mixed — girls and boys, men and women, young and old. There were people dressed like Bieber, from the baseball caps and oversized shirts to the baggy shorts and white sneakers. There were tiny humans swimming in their newly bought, too-big Bieber shirts. There were parents hauling their youngins onto their shoulders and singing louder than their offspring ever could.
And what they all got was a very Bieber performance. A little cheeky at times, like the obligatory crotch-grab during The Feeling. A little sweet at times, like the acoustic versions of Cold Water and Love Yourself. And a little exposed at times, like when Bieber sat alone in the middle of the stage and sang Purpose, putting his heart on his sleeve in a way that was almost uncomfortably direct.
At 40 degrees, it was a sweltering day (that didn’t stop fans from showing up just past noon to queue, mind you). Bieber, who called the night ‘scorching’, could be heard panting by end of show, though he kept his choreography to a minimum. He ended the night with Baby — he even did Ludacris’s rap — and a high-energy rendition of Sorry, fireworks included. His dancers enveloped him in an endearing hug before they all filed off stage single file.
So yes, Bieber showed up on time. Yes, he was in top form. And yes, he put on a great show.
