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The holiday season is off to a happy start for thousands of local pop music fans thanks to 99.7 Now!
The radio station hosted its annual holiday concert/party, Poptopia, on Dec. 1 at the SAP Center in San Jose, drawing a capacity crowd to see a lineup featuring three of the genre’s biggest stars. Of that trio of titans, it was Camila Cabello that put on the best performance, although, the other two chart-toppers — Shawn Mendes and Charlie Puth — delivered quite enjoyable sets, as well.
In all, it was another successful edition of Poptopia (formerly known as the Triple Ho Show), an event with quite a reputation for offering up blockbuster bills.
The 2018 lineup wasn’t quite as impressive as last year’s, which featured Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Chainsmokers, Niall Horan and Khalid, among others.
But with Cabello, Mendes and Puth on board, it had three artists who could each headline — and likely sell out — SAP Center entirely on his or her own merits.
. @ShawnMendes opens set at #Poptopia @997now @SAPCenter pic.twitter.com/n9NM999zqG
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) December 2, 2018
Mendes was the first of the three to take the stage, drawing a huge chorus of shrill screams from the mostly young, female audience.
The 20-year-old Canadian opened his abbreviated set with a strong statement, rolling confidently through a version of the multi-platinum 2017 single “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” that had seemingly everyone in the audience energized and singing along with gusto.
He sounded strong on the microphone as he continued through “Lost in Japan” and “Stitches,” accompanied by 10,000-plus backing vocalists in the audience, and he also impressed on the electric guitar on “Ruin.” It was enough to remind one of a young John Mayer.
He did his finest work on an aching version of “Mercy,” before closing his set with “In My Blood,” the smash from his self-titled third album.
#Poptopia @shawnmendes doing stitches @997now @SAPCenter pic.twitter.com/SFfFIPEdGD
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) December 2, 2018
Mendes will be back in these parts this summer with shows slated July 11 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento and July 13 at Oracle Arena in Oakland. (Visit www.ticketmaster.com for details.)
Next up was Puth, who opened his own short set with a double shot of “How Long” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore.”
The New Jersey native, who seems to score a new hit single every five minutes, appeared to be in a great mood on this night, the eve of his 27th birthday.
“You know this is the best birthday present ever,” he told the audience.
Mr @charlieputh at @997now #Poptopia at @SAPCenter in beautiful San Jose pic.twitter.com/a0IZR2G2oK
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) December 2, 2018
He was obviously feeling quite talkative, taking the time to chat about his love for Bay Area hip-hop artists like E-40 and Mac Dre, in between cleanly crooning such numbers as “One Call Away” and “See You Again.”
https://twitter.com/jimthecritic/status/1069108066015035392
Then came Cabello, who despite having only one full-length solo album to her name — this year’s blockbuster “Camila” — was awarded the evening’s headlining slot. She definitely made the most of it with a set that was heavy on star power and talent.
“Hello San Jose!” the 21-year-old Cuba-born singer exclaimed earlier in her set. “My name is Camila. I am so excited to be here tonight.”
She certainly wasn’t alone in that sentiment. The crowd was behind Cabello all the way, as this rising star opened with “Never Be the Same.”
https://twitter.com/jimthecritic/status/1069113150711025667
Unlike the two other stars, who pretty much performed on a bare-bones stage set, Cabello employed some production elements, including a smoke machine operating on overdrive and a really cool dance troupe, which factored in on a number of occasions. Cabello was charismatic and worked hard at creating a bond with the crowd. By the end of the night, it felt like we knew her.
“I would definitely classify myself as a hopeless romantic,” she told her fans. “I love to write about love. I love to sing about love. I just think it’s the most amazing thing.”
https://twitter.com/jimthecritic/status/1069115785115627522
Fans clearly concurred, showering Cabello with affection as she continued through “Bad Things,” “Consequences” and, of course, “Havana.”
Besides Cabello, Puth and Mendes, the other acts on the Poptopia bill were Jack & Jack, Bebe Rexha and Why Don’t We.
https://twitter.com/jimthecritic/status/1069121084216172545
