Gwen Stefani Loves Sacramento
June 19, 2007

(Additional Gwen Stefani photos from '05 ARCO show)

An anomaly best describes Gwen Stefani's career.  Bad boys, good girls, bad girls and good boys like her.  Just check out who she's recorded with: Dr. Dre, Akon, Eve, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Key, Moby, Parr ell and Sublime.  We're not even talking about who she's toured with like the Black Eyed Peas who weren't as hot as they got after they finished their 2005 tour with Stefani. 

With arena and amphitheaters canceling recent concerts due to poor ticket sales (Guns 'n' Roses, Kelly Clarkson, Kaiser Chiefs...) Gwen Stefani proved that she can single-handedly pack 'em in and turn 'em out.  Her fan base, mostly young girls, are probably too young to know her punk/ska roots from No Doubt days.  But no matter, she filled the Sleeptrain Amphitheater in Marysville to about 95% capacity.

Stefani has single handedly redeemed pop music from the clutches of teenie-bopper bubble gum junk. Armed with smart and stylish lyrics, blending super contagious melodies with original hooks, she's proved, once again, that she knows exactly what she's doing.

Going above and beyond the call of duty with one of the most elaborate stage shows we've seen, team Stefani pulled out two jumbo-trons and a gigantic high-def style plasma between the two.  She flipped through nearly a dozen exquisite costumes helping tie her music video vibe into the live show itself.

In an industry riddled with bad attitudes and mishaps, Stefani, the consummate professional, avoids bad publicity, even when it came knocking on her front door last April. 

Akon's debauchery in Trinidad last April caused her tour's main sponsor, Verizon, to drop out. She stood by her selection and Akon returned the favor with a track released 6 days ago on Myspace titled, "Sorry Blame Me." The song may have set a record racking up more than 500,000 plays in a week.

On her third set, Gwen brought Akon on stage for her title track, The Sweet Escape. Fans let them both know that all is forgiven, and Gwen let them know that she loved them and Sacramento as she has been doing throughout this tour with her run out into the audience to sing "Cool," near the end of her show.

The last time the queen diva performed in Marsyville, she was on tour with the now defunct Blink 182 sharing the limelight by going first. And even though Akon is on her tour now, make no doubt about it, last night was all about the queen of pop.