Justin Bieber Brings the “Purpose Tour” to San Jose
Justin Bieber performs at SAP Center in San Jose, March 17, 2016.
Last time Justin Bieber graced the stage at SAP was nearly 3 years ago for his “Believe World Tour.” Since then, the 22 year old singer has matured not only personally but professionally; releasing his most successful album last November, Purpose.
Mobs of loyal fans–ranging from young fans all the way to adults–crowded the SAP center hours before the concert; eagerly awaiting the 7:30, opening act start time.
One lucky fan, Leslie Saballos, even won a meet and greet chance with her “idol,” Justin, from a radio station just a couple of hours ahead the show, claiming she went to the extent of “ditching sixth period to come and enter this contest.”
High school student Simrah Hussain, along with dozens of devoted fans, arrived at the venue before dawn in hopes of buying a ticket to get the chance to see Justin’s renowned live performances. “I’ve been in line since 5 in the morning to buy tickets from the box office!” Simrah claims, “I was first in line so I got my tickets, I don’t know what I would’ve done if I didn’t get them.”
Spotlighting Justin’s character growth in the past years and realization of one’s “purpose,” the show begins with a short intro of Justin preaching about “falling” in life and “overcoming challenges” only to reach your “ultimate purpose.” The intro then follows by “Mark My Words;” an ode to fans about not letting their relationship and all their accomplishments go to waste– he’s going to give it his all and get through any adversity for his fans.
However the energy of the show quickly shifts from almost sappy, to live and electrifying as Justin performs his first #1 Billboard single and Grammy awarded anthem “Where Are U Now.” The thrilling environment was consistent throughout the rest of the show as Bieber mainly performed tracks from his latest album such as “The Feeling,” “Get Used To It,” “Been You,” “Company,” ”No Sense,” and “No Pressure.”
In addition to new material, Justin made sure to include fan favorites from previous albums such as “Boyfriend” and “As Long As You Love Me” from Believe, “Hold Tight” from Journals, and the song that put him on the map, “Baby” from My World 2.0.
Notable moments from the show include the performance of 4 time platinum pop single “What Do You Mean,” when kids from the Bay Area’s dance studio Silent Pilot joined Justin for the performance of “Children,” acoustic performance of 3 time platinum single “Love Yourself,” and the grand finale of the concert (they made it rain!) with his most popular song yet: “Sorry.”
As a fan of five years and the anticipation of never seeing him live, I can say that Justin truly put on one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. He exceeded beyond my expectation; I was in great awe of both his dancing and vocal abilities. The highlight for me? Watching him at his rawest, most vulnerable state serenading the fans around him to “Purpose” and “LIfe Is Worth A Living.” No dancing, no fancy production, just him, the fans, and one light shining on the star of the night.
If you ever get the chance to see Bieber live, I really, really recommend you do. A true performer and entertainer you won’t want to miss. The persona and ebullience he exudes on that stage really makes you believe he has truly found his purpose.
Amarantha Vazquez is a junior at Lincoln high school. She is part of the Lincoln cheer team. She also enjoys being part of Lincoln’s large dance program....
