If you grew up with Aqua’s voices, beats and personalities, you’ll love seeing Aqua reunite on tour. It’s a nonstop dance party that seamlessly transitions to a few slow songs in between.
Their original recordings are the epitome of pop music and Aqua sounds so much more natural and mature live. Lene Nystrøm’s vocals were arguably stronger in person as she rocked a Blue Jays jersey and dark denim shorts at the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto. René Dif was also eager to show off his rapping skills.
Fans in aisle seats may have enjoyed seeing René up close when he walked through the crowd during Happy Boys & Girls, but it was disjointed and distracting during one of the best songs. As Lene stayed onstage, I wondered how common it is to split lead vocalists like that.
In terms of blocking, Lene stayed at the back of the stage with the band too often. Fans have waited years to see Aqua live! Lene and René made an effort to cover both sides of the stage, but rarely sang together side by side.
The merch table was tempting, but none of the shirts, hats or tote bags with Aqua’s name printed on captured the essence of the show. The designs seemed so bland compared to the high-energy performance.
I’ve never seen fans put so much effort into their hairstyles for a concert. Space buns, butterfly clips and glitter spray were everywhere. And the Barbie-inspired pink outfits rivaled what you’d see at a Pink tour.
Opener Simone Denny, voice of Love Inc, seemed like a natural fit to kick off a night of 90s hits. But she overestimated how much fans wanted to sing along. By constantly aiming the mic at the audience, Simone interrupted the flow. Instead of celebrating iconic electronic dance anthems, there was way too much fading in and out.
Audience participation can be fun when done sparingly, but it’s especially awkward if the opener relies on it too much. We’re paying to hear the artists, not our own chants.
Aquarium (1997) was one of the first CDs I ever owned and this nostalgic concert ranks high on my list with S Club and Simple Plan. If Aqua comes to your city, make it a priority.
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Find the whole setlist for Aqua’s Toronto concert here.