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Christina's dark side...
Oct 27 2003
Andy Coleman, Evening Mail
Christina Aguilera lived up to her nickname of 'Xtina' as she launched her UK tour with an X-rated show at the city's NEC.
OUT is the blonde-haired innocent whose career began alongside Britney Spears on the Mickey Mouse Club TV show.
IN is the raven-tressed vamp wearing revealing outfits and making suggestive moves.
Even her first hit, 1999's Genie In A Bottle, was sexed up with a raunchy R'n'B beat as Christina, dressed in leather chaps and a backless - and almost frontless --leotard, was caressed by masked bare-chested male dancers while strapped to a giant letter X.
The tone was set before the she hit the stage as a film showed her disrobing as she whispered the introduction to her album Stripped.
Then the screen dropped in an explosion of pyrotechnics revealing the star in a slinky black leather catsuit writhing with dancers as she sang her smash hit Dirrty.
Costume changes during the 90-minute show were fast and frequent, from a 1950s dress for an impressive jazz cover of Etta James's At Last, to tiny denim hot pants and leather boots for Infatuation.
The Moulin Rouge movie was recalled with a decadent Lady Marmalade and a male pole dancer almost revealed all during Walk Away.
But the classy final song, Beautiful, performed by Christina wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, showed behind the tarty image there's a genuinely talented performer.
Christina returns to the NEC Arena on November 7. For ticket details call 0870 909 4133.
