Britney Returns To The Stage For Brief Performance

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (May 2, 2007) — Britney Spears took to the stage for a short performance in San Diego last night, validating rumors that the pop princess was planning “secret” shows to get her feet wet on the road to a big comeback.As expected, Spears did her set at the House of Blues in San Diego, California, under the pseudonym “The M&M’s”The sold-out crowd at the relatively small venue was composed mostly of females in their twenties, and they were understandably excited to see Britney perform — something she hasn’t done publicly in nearly three long years.But was it worth the wait? It probably depends on who you ask.

Britney took the stage around 10:00 pm to chants of “Britney” from the eager audience, who had endured two hours of listening to DJs spin tracks as a warm-up.

Wearing boots, a white mini skirt, a pink bikini top and a long, dark wig, she did a five-song set with some dancers as back-up support.

Britney kicked things off with “Baby, One More Time” and ended with “Toxic,” although the songs were shortened to one or two verses each. Choreography (which she reportedly came up with herself) was not complex — mostly a lot of shaking and slinking around, although there was a sequence in which a man from the audience was brought on stage to receive lap-dances from each of the dancers.

Other than the lap dance bit and a costume change into a white fur jacket and denim skirt, there weren’t many bells and whistles attached to the performance — just a woman working at getting her groove back.

It appeared that Britney was lip-syncing rather than actually singing, and she had very little interaction with the audience between songs. At the end of her set, she simply said thank you and headed off stage, straight into her tour bus.

While the show may have been disappointing for some, the mere fact that Britney took that small step in a return to performing shows promise, considering her recent (very public) divorce and stint in a rehabilitation facility. Reports of her recording new material and rehearsing & working out have been circulating for weeks.The House of Blues Web site indicates that Spears (as “The M&M’s”) has two more shows in a similar vein planned for tonight and tomorrow, at HoB locations in Anaheim, and West Hollywood, respectively.