Beyonce Serenades Michelle Obama, Cements Comeback In Atlantic City

Queen B ascends her throne during the second in a four-night run of Memorial Day weekend shows.
By Rebecca Thomas

Beyoncé performs in Atlantic City, NJ
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey — The "year of 4" continues.

Four months after giving birth to her first child — an arrival announced last August at the MTV VMAs — Beyoncé returned to the stage Saturday night, on the second of a four-night run in this East Coast resort city. And it was a spectacular fitting her rising icon status.

So what kinds of clues get 20somethings calling you "the greatest performer" of your generation? Well, it's in the details. For one, Revel, the sparkling, 6.3-million-square-foot beachfront destination that played host to Beyoncé's comeback, devoted a channel on its guest-room flat-screen TVs solely to B-related content: no weather broadcasts, nary a "Housewife" and no commercial breaks; just videos, all-star performances and more, all through Memorial Day weekend. It was evident in the distance traveled, too, with fans telling MTV News they'd made cross-country pilgrimages, while still others came from as far as Tokyo and South Africa to hail Queen B.

But those are just the hints, peripheral proof. The presence of First Lady Michelle Obama at last night's concert left little doubt that the little girl from Houston, who joined a girl group and then struck out on her own, had seen another benchmark in her relatively young career. After exchanging letters in recent months, with each calling the other a role model for girls, Obama turned up in a sleeveless green sheath waving like royalty from a balcony in Ovation Hall.

A little after 10 p.m., as the pounding opening march from "End of Time" kicked in, Beyoncé appeared in silhouette; the sequins were hard to make out but the wind-blown mane was impossible to miss. Finally, B, stunning in hot pink Stuart Weitzman heels and a beaded body suit, appeared on the massive stage backed by her dancers.

"Atlantic City, snap your fingers," she commanded, launching into "Love on Top." Without missing a step of the New Edition-inspired choreography, B powered through the song's modulations in an extended vocal showcase. Then she took an exaggerated pause, as if to catch her breath (or to bask in the adulation?), before belting out a final coda. The 30-year-old's comeback was officially under way.

Pushing through hits from her debut solo effort, including "Naughty Boy" and the dancehall-infused "Baby Boy," and Sasha Fierce smashes like "Diva," B defied all post-partum laws as she kept pace with Frank Gatson's acrobatic dance style. ("Y'all don't know how hard I had to work. I had to lose 60 pounds!" she laughed to the crowd later. "They had me eating lettuce.") And just as songs like "Single Ladies" and "Run the World (Girls)" are meant to serve as empowerment manuals for women, it became clear last night that Beyoncé's choreography is meant to do the same: a series of sensual quickstep moves that revolve around the hips and legs. It showed in the Fosse-style swing and formations on songs like "Get Me Bodied," and the strut-heavy footwork on "Freakum Dress."

"Sasha Fierce disappeared, but y'all bringing her back," B joked midway through the euphoric two-hour set.

For one of our favorite numbers, "Party," the 4 singer donned full-on showgirl regalia in a heady rendition that saw confetti coming from the roof and dice-shaped beach balls being tossed through the crowd as dancers in large feathered headdresses magically turned up in the aisles.

There were ballads, of course, at Ovation Hall, the more memorable among them a tribute to Whitney Houston and a cover of Lauryn Hill's classic "Ex Factor." And if Beyoncé reminded us of what we've lost in those gut-wrenching covers — she proved, too, that she's more than ready to carry the weight on her shoulders.

Share your reviews of Beyoncé's Revel shows in the comments!

• Beyonce Kicks Off Summer In Atlantic City

• Beyoncé

'Game Of Thrones' Battle Of Blackwater 'Off The Scale'

'They've spared no expense in making an awesome episode,' Richard Madden tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner

Richard Madden
Photo: MTV News

So, how about Sunday's episode of "Game of Thrones"? Have you recovered from all the fireworks? 'Twas a doozy, for sure. Thank goodness there is still one more episode left in this action-packed season.

Fans of George R.R. Martin's source material had an inkling of what to expect from the highly anticipated Battle of Blackwater, but the sheer spectacle of it all was something to behold, even for the actors who had prepared themselves for it.

"It was off the scale," star Richard Madden (a.k.a. Robb Stark) told MTV News of the production that went into the sequence. "I know in season one we started a battle and we saw the end of a battle, and I know some people weren't too pleased about that, but season two makes up for that and then some. They've spared no expense in making an awesome episode."

So, how many days did the cast and crew actually spend working on the battle? "Days and days and weeks," Madden said. "I know there was months of CGI work to get those episodes looking awesome. If you've read the books, you know what that battle entails: It's pretty visual, like a lot of George's stuff. I think people won't be disappointed."

Looking ahead to what's to come for the would-be king, we also asked Madden if he has read ahead to find out what's in store for his character.

"It's one of the things I try to avoid doing. I only read season by season: I don't read ahead," he explained. "It's one of the great things about the books that I loved is that you are constantly surprised by these characters and the story, and as an actor, I want to try and stick to that.

"I know if I read too far ahead, I'd start preempting character traits or decisions he makes," he continued. "I'd much rather be an actor and make one decision and stick to it and then have the challenge of turning it around and going in a different direction. I try and keep it like that as much as I can so the audience gets as surprised by the journey as I do when I read the books and when I read each script."

• 'Game Of Thrones' Season Two

One Direction Keep Fans Screaming All Night On Tour

U.K. pop sensations hit New Jersey's IZOD Center for a sell-out show on Friday packed with hits and rocking covers.
By Sarah Brotherton

One Direction perform in East Rutherford, NJ
Photo: Uptin Saiidi/MTV News

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Maybe you've heard their songs on the radio or caught their TV performances on the "Today" show or "Saturday Night Live," but nothing quite captures the success of One Direction like the screams.

On Friday night, thousands of fans from across the Tri-State area hit the IZOD Center, filling the 19,000-capacity arena for the latest stop on the U.K. pop sensation's headlining, Stateside tour. They were there to experience a new wave of a British Invasion, and they weren't disappointed.

Even before the show started, there was an excitement and energy in the air as Directioners — young and old alike — rushed into the building wearing homemade T-shirts, carrying posters and sporting body paint declaring their love for their favorite 1D members, be it Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson or Harry Styles.

After two opening acts and a few warm-up songs, including Busta Rhymes and Run-DMC classics, One Direction finally hit the stage as the crowd jumped to its feet. Opening with " Na Na Na," the boys — dressed in the matching theme of red, white and blue, but each with their own signature touch — hit the harmonies hard. The concert followed a seasonal theme with corresponding video and costumes to match. A few songs in, Harry told the sell-out crowd, "I think this is our "biggest show" as a band!" which sent fans screaming all over again.

Veering from their chart-topping debut album, Up All Night, each 1D member took a shot at a solo cover of some of their favorite songs, including the Black Eyed Peas' "I Got a Feeling" and the Gym Class Heroes hit "Stereo Hearts." The boys then sat on stools as they serenaded fans with "Moments." Cell phone lights took the place of lighters as the audience sang every word of the ballad.

After a quick change into the next outfit (and the next season), 1D proceeded with some of their more popular hits, including "More Than This" and the album's title track, "Up All Night." The set soon moved onto the live-tweeting portion of the show, where fans tweeted questions from the audience to their favorite bandmember. Then Liam showed off some beat-boxing skills and Harry attempted to do the worm before the guys were back at it with another cover, this time the hit Kings of Leon song "Use Somebody."

To end the night, 1D gave a shout-out to their impressive backing band and closed with singles "One Thing" and, of course, their #1 hit "What Makes You Beautiful." But a perfect evening of hearty pop wouldn't be complete without an encore! So the boys returned to perform "I Want" to the delight of their devoted fans.

If you missed the 1D performance on Friday, fear not Directioners, a full list of U.S. tour dates is available on their official website.

Full Set List:
1. "Na Na Na"
2. "Stand Up"
3. "I Wish"
4. "I Got a Feeling"; "Stereo Hearts"; "Valerie"; "Torn"
5. "Moments"
6. "Gotta Be You"
7. "More Than This"
8. "Up All night"
9. "Tell Me a Lie"
10. "Everything About You"
11. "Use Somebody"
12. "One Thing"
13. "Save You Tonight"
14. "What Makes You Beautiful"
15: "I Want" (Encore)

Are you going to check out 1D on tour? Tell us in the comments!

• One Direction

Beyonce's 'Back To Business' With Memorial Day Concerts

'Yes, I had a baby, but it just made me more grounded,' singer says in behind-the-scenes video.
By James Dinh

Beyoncé
Photo: Getty Images

Time is ticking. It's only a matter of hours until Beyoncé makes her post-Blue Ivy Carter performance comeback with her string of Memorial Day weekend shows at Atlantic City's recently launched Revel entertainment center. And with anticipation high, the pop titan is giving her fans a small taste of the behind-the-scenes action it took to transition back to her stage show ways.

In the first of a two-part video montage segment that was posted on the singer's website, Queen B is seen working hard almost two months prior to the gigs on everything from choreography to show concept and vocal rehearsing.

Despite admitting a few nerves and her inclusion in the pop-star-turned-mom club, Beyoncé remained adamant about her return to the stage, "I'm enjoying being a mother, so it's like going back to my old job. It's a little strange, but it's important that you don't lose yourself and have your own passions. I'm back to work. I'm back to business."

It's the first of many candid moments in which the singer opens up and allows camera lenses to document the planning of the concerts. And by the looks of it, the chart-topper will be giving it her all. At one point, Beyoncé is seen sitting on the floor with her crew of dancers conceptualizing the event. "What I'm trying to say with the show ... yes, I had a baby, but it just made me more grounded," she says.

In comparison to her intimate four-night affair at New York's Roseland Ballroom in August 2011, the Revel shows are expected to be much more of a grand spectacle, with high-tech LED, intense choreography and video backdrops.

Positivity goes a long way, as her choreographer Frank Gatson Jr. co-signs the singer's intent to create a stellar event. "I think this show has the potential to be one of the greatest shows we've done. People, re-sit and listen to Beyoncé, we will have a brilliant show at Revel," he said.

Will you be seeing Beyoncé in concert this Memorial Day weekend? Tell us in the comments!

• Beyoncé

Lady Gaga Won't Tone Down Indonesian Concert Despite Protests

Gaga's manager says if show goes on, it will be played 'as it is,' despite threats of violence from Islamic groups in Jakarta.
By James Montgomery

Lady Gaga
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/ Getty Images

Lady Gaga's June 3 concert in Jakarta, Indonesia, has already drawn protests — and threats of violence — from Islamic groups within the nation, who say her risqué Born This Way Ball promotes promiscuity and homosexuality. But according to Gaga's manager, she has no plans to tone down her act.

While speaking at the annual Music Matters conference in Singapore on Thursday, Troy Carter addressed the ongoing controversy over the June 3 concert, saying that Gaga would not bow to pressure and perform a censored version of the show.

"We play the show as it is, it's a very specific show to a very specific audience," Carter said, according to Singapore's Straits Times newspaper. "Truth be told, she's not up there nude, she's not doing anything provocative for the sake of being provocative."

Early reports had Gaga canceling the show at Jakarta's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium after Indonesia's national police denied her a permit, citing concerns over threats from Islamic hard-liners and the nature of Gaga's performance. Gaga herself addressed the issue earlier this week via Twitter, explaining, "The Jakarta situation is 2-fold: Indonesian authorities demand I censor the show & religious extremists separately are threatening violence. ... If the show goes on as scheduled, I will perform the BTWB alone."

Indonesian police demand that before a permit can be issued, promoters for the show must ensure Gaga is "dressed appropriately and does not violate the cultural norms in this country," according to the Agence France-Presse news service. And several of the country's top Islamic groups, including the National Ulema Council and the more militant Islamic Defenders Front, have protested her performance, calling it "blasphemous" and threatening to "create havoc" if the concert goes ahead as planned.

During his Music Matters speech, Carter said that he was still in negotiations with the Indonesian police in the hopes of obtaining a permit for the show. He added that at this time he does not know whether the concert will take place as scheduled.

• Lady Gaga