Black Eyed Peas Kick Off “E.N.D.” Tour With Big Tricks, Huge Hits

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Kicking off their first tour since 2006, the Black Eyed Peas brought a full bag of tricks to Philips Arena in Atlanta last night. There were smoke machines, lasers, oddly clad dancers, a flying motorcycle, confetti canons and many, many costume changes. Overall, the vibe was, to quote their recent hit, “Boom Boom Pow,” “so 3008″ — kind of Buck Rogers meets Vivienne Westwood — with the Peas running through more than 20 songs in a tightly choreographed, fast-paced two-hour set.
The show opened with a large, green robotic face projected onto a video screen behind the center of the stage, as plumes of smoke swirled from the floor. Echoing the band’s recent Grammy-winning album, a mechanical voice intoned, “Welcome to The E.N.D.” Soon after, Will.i.am, Fergie, Taboo and Apl.de.ap rose from beneath the stage, enveloped in green laser light, and launched into “Let’s Get It Started.” Will, dressed in what looked like a bedazzled, silver marching band jacket and a black “Phantom of the Opera”-style face mask, stalked down a long runway that extended into the audience, followed by Fergie, who was wearing a silver body suit and matching boots. Images of flames and computer circuitry alternated on the massive, two-story stage set behind them, with a band safely installed — which is to say, barely visible — on the set’s upper level.
For “Rock That Body,” the quartet was joined onstage by six dancers dressed as stereo speakers. Their mechanized routine at the end of the song offered the first chance for a wardrobe change. The disco-inflected “Meet Me Halfway” followed, featuring Will jamming on key-tar and Fergie at stage center, her hair blown back by wind machines. Will moved briefly to a grand piano to offer a verse and chorus of “Alive,” then shot up […]

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