DARIEN — She’s not going to rehab, she isn’t serving a highly publicized jail term, and as far as I know, she isn’t picking out baby clothes anytime soon.And if Saturday night was any indication, Hilary Duff fans [and their parents] seem more than OK with that.
Perhaps that’s because 75 percent of the audience that showed up at Darien Lake to support Duff was under the age of 15, and when it comes right down to it, these kids are looking for a role model rather than a racy tabloid celebrity.
Instead of grabbing headlines with stories of DUI turmoil and drug busts like her peers, the uncharacteristically mature Duff has made a point throughout her career to be someone her tween fans can look up to. And though you won’t see any paparazzi pics of Duff’s car wrapped around a tree in People magazine, you will see her fresh, doe-eyed face promoting her ever-expanding brand.
In addition to being recognized for her breakout role, Disney Channel’s Lizzy McGuire, Duff has made a name for herself through her clothing line, big-screen projects and her recently released perfume, With Love.
Duff’s Darien Lake show brought another title to the young star’s resume: semi-decent pop-rock princess. Click Five, a Gin Blossoms, Romantics love child of sorts, opened the night to a sea of screams, homemade posters and, of course, marriage proposals.
The young guys were hugely popular with the young crowd, who stood on their seats and bopped along to “Just the Girl,” “When I’m Gone” and “Flipside.” And although the Five received a standing ovation, the audience was clearly awaiting the entrance of the Duffster.
And she made quite the entrance. With strobe lights flashing and dancers gyrating to their own rave parties, Duff finally appeared onstage, taking the spotlight with plenty of hip shaking and model-esque poses. Dressed in silver shortshorts, a bikini top and not much else, Duff shimmied through her opening number, “Play With Fire,” along with her hyperenthusiastic — and very tacky — dance troupe.
There were absolutely no traces of fresh-faced, innocent Lizzy McGuire; instead, a sanitized Britney Spears stood before the Darien crowd. Fortunately, from the sound of the ear-piercing screams, the audience approved.
“Are you guys having a good night?” Duff asked her adoring audience. “I love that you guys are standing already. Does that mean that I won’t have to ask you to later?”
But she already knew the answer. Her young fans were mesmerized by her flashy show, which covered Duff’s hits as well as many tracks off of her latest musical effort, “Dignity.”
Although the upbeat “Danger,” “Get Away” and “Come Clean” all seemed to trigger a content response, the gem of the night came when the carnival lights were put on pause. During the slow, acoustic “Someone’s Watching Over Me,” the strobe lights ceased, and the singer’s true talent was finally able to peek through.
At night’s end, it didn’t really matter what her song selection was or how polished her dance moves were. For the Duffs-intraining who showed up to sing their hearts out, merely seeing their idol in the flesh was more than enough.
Concert Review
Hilary Duff
With the Click Five on Saturday night at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.
mhirschbeck@buffnews.com
Molly Hirschbeck, and Buffalo News are neither way related to this site.
