Detroit News AMT3 Review

[TRshady]

Anger can be a good thing; the word itself implies passion, emotion and even excitement.

But there was little passion, emotion or excitement -- let alone anger -- at Friday's bloated Anger Management 3 show at Comerica Park, where more than 42,000 fans were treated to a lurching set by hometown hero Eminem, a scattershot performance by 50 Cent and tiring, endless plugs for all their posse member cohorts.

People complain about advertisements at the movies, but that's nothing compared to a live concert stopping dead in its tracks while a commercial for a new album by one of the evening's C-list performers aired on stadium screens. That's what happened when the lights went down during Em's set to allow for an ad for his Shady Records signee Stat Quo's forthcoming album. After that, many in the audience should have felt the need for some anger management of their own.

Eminem took the stage at 10 p.m. to the sounds of "Evil Deeds," the lead cut off his 2004 "Encore" LP. He seemed timid as he stalked the stage, barely loosening up for the Bush-bashing anthem "Mosh." He began to find his groove by "Business," but any building energy was quickly sucked out of the building when he started into a canned speech about "tabloid" news outlets.

In a roundabout way, he was addressing the recent retirement rumors that have swirled around him, but he never broke from his script and the punchline of his story was simply a lead-in to another "Encore" track, "Rain Man."

Eminem's elaborate three-story stage setup was meant to resemble a sort of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood -- call it Mr. Mathers' Neighborhood -- where guests could pop in and out of the set at will. And plenty of guests managed to drop by, from Obie Trice to Stat Quo to Trick Trick to D12, who performed both solo tracks (Proof and Bizarre both did songs from their new albums) and album cuts.

D12 brought the set's energy level up a notch, as tracks like "40 Oz." went over surprisingly well with the overwhelmingly suburban crowd. The life they brought to the show was especially notable once they left, and Em was forced to fend for himself during tired run-throughs of "Marshall Mathers LP"-era tracks like "Stan," "The Way I Am" and "Kill You."

Eminem -- who rapped over backing tracks for most of if not all of his songs -- seemed oddly detached throughout his 105-minute performance. Just as it seemed like he was getting real -- choked up, even -- when he addressed the bus crash members of his crew suffered earlier in the tour, his speech to the audience quickly derailed into painfully unfunny and outdated shtick about Michael Jackson's baby-dangling incident (how outdated was it? He did a similar bit about it at his Ford Field shows in 2003).

He couldn't even get his shout-outs right: A plea to "make some noise" for Kwame Kilpatrick was met with massive booing from the audience. "Little bit of mixed emotion," Em said in reaction.

By the time he closed the night with "Lose Yourself," Eminem was just plain lost.

One note of interest: Em -- who appeared to be wearing a wedding ring on his left hand -- repurposed "Encore's" requisite Kim-bashing track "Puke" as a dis to one-time alleged flame Mariah Carey, leaving Kim out entirely.

If Eminem's performance suffered from pacing problems, 50 Cent's set seemed made-up on the spot. He, too, was joined on stage by a plethora of performers, including his G Unit cronies Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Young Buck (the latter two of whom screamed "(expletive) the police" at the end of their set, in reference to their gun-possession arrests in New York earlier this week), Mobb Deep, M.O.P., Olivia and even Ma$e, who was seemingly brought on stage for no reason other than to plug Tony Yayo's new album (in stores Aug. 30!).

Early tracks like "What Up Gangsta" packed punch, but by the end of his set, 50's performance was simply a mess: Songs started and stopped with no regard, and nobody on stage seemed to know what they were doing. 50's last-minute on-stage strip-tease -- after he bragged about how long his set had gone over his time limit -- was so desperate it made Mariah Carey's infamous "TRL" striptease look purposeful.

50's voice was notably hoarse, but his show wasn't about performance, it was about commerce: Before he took the stage, commercials for his movie, video game, watches, shoes, Vitamin Water and his labelmates' albums aired on Comerica Park's screens. Who's got time to manage their anger when there's so much business to attend to?

Which leaves human cartoon Lil Jon, who amazingly delivered the evening's tightest set. His wild (and wildly profane) anthems shook up Comerica Park from its windows to its walls, and proved crunk to be hip-hop's long-awaited answer to heavy metal. Next year, he should leave Anger Mangement behind -- we hear Ozzfest is looking for a headliner.

[Nick419]

I went to the concert in Detroit and Em ROCKED! It was the best Eminem show i ever saw! I mean there was so much energy. every one in the crowd was screaming the lyrics (including me).Mosh and puke were probably the loudest. Also i wanted to let yall know Em put on ALOT better show then 50 or lil john. Also another thing i noticed was the stadium wasent filled untill EM's performance. Other people that performed was a group called HUSH and trick trick. This show was awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cuziforgotmyname]

That article was bullshit, Detroit Press ripped on the concert like crazy. I read it Saturday morning and it was HORSE SHIT! The entire show was dope as hell, Hush put on a good show despite the 300-400 people in attendence on the field. Then brought out Nate Dogg for his first single "Hush is Coming". Lil Jon got things crunked, I thought he did damn good for an opener, people fail to realise that Lil Jon took alot of heat having to suffer opening up a concert with such a starstuded group.

Fifty wasn't as good as I expected but I thought G-unit as a whole kicked major ass. Lloyd Banks is the man. And the commericals are expected, what the hell else are they gonna do when theirs a 30 minute wait to change sets? I enjoyed them.

Em tore the place up, ask anyone else that was in attendence and that's not 50 years old and writes for bull shit papers and they'll tell you the same.

The only downfalls.... I keep wondering why Ma$e was ever there. He said 2 words and left. Stat Quo and Obie plugged the shit outta their albums, the commericals where enough, they didn't have to tell us to go buy em. That was cheap.

On behalf of Detroit... F' the Detroit Press and F' that bouncer that stole my camera.

[shadypelkey]

Yo man, I can honestly say the detroit concert in comerica park was the SICKEST shit ever! traveling 5 hours from hamilton across the boarder was worth it. lil john was ok but I could hardly understand him aha. Eminem's opening and that backstage shit with the gun was crazy and the music too boot, I was like 10 ft awya from the stage and I flipped them all off lol, anyways best time of my fuckin life, best fuckin show. sorry for ya'll who misses out, bitches!!!!

[Slimm]

I believe it was sick, I went in Amsterdam last year, fukin crazy shit..
But even if it sucked a bit, I got tickets and its Cancelled omg..
In stead of They forget about dre its more like They Forget About Europe