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TORONTO -- Success hasn't spoiled the Black Eyed Peas.
At least not in concert as the L.A. hip-hop-pop quartet -- MCs/break dancers will.i.am, apl.d.ap, and Taboo (who was celebrating his 30th birthday), along with sultry singer Fergie -- brought some real energy and excitement to the stage of the Molson Amphitheatre last night.
Touring in support of their latest record, Monkey Business -- which was released just over a month ago and currently holds the No. 1 spot in Canada -- the Peas never really stopped moving over the course of their hour-and-half show.
Opening with Hey Mama and Smells Like Funk, from their 2003 breakthrough album, Elephunk -- the disc that saw Fergie join the band that had released two previous critically acclaimed records -- the Peas seemed genuinely jazzed about finally playing in the big leagues.
Will.i.am. recalled a time when the group, backed last night by four exceptional musicians, opened at the same venue in 1998 on the Smokin' Grooves Tour and for No Doubt in 2001.
"It feels good now that we're headlining," he told the crowd of almost 10,000 people.
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"We thank Canada -- Toronto -- for supporting the Black Eyed Peas."
Still, the pressure was really on Fergie, who shimmied and shook her hips while the lively, limber and acrobatic dance moves of her three bandmates forced her to improve her stage game.
And even if her improvisational vocal stylings didn't quite reach the same heights as their impressive freestyle rapping, Fergie was definitely in strong, soulful voice on her standout song Shut Up. (For those who care, the singer reportedly got engaged to Las Vegas actor Josh Duhamel last weekend in Philadelphia where the Peas had been performing at the Live 8 concert.)
The first Monkey Business song of last night was the wildly infectious Dum Diddly -- and not the first hit single Don't Phunk With My Heart which was saved for the encore along with Elephunk's monster hit Let's Get It Started -- as all four members took turns in the spotlight.
It was a democratic scenario that would repeat itself again and again as the show progressed.
But it didn't take long for the group to return to Elephunk territory with Shut Up and Labor Day (It's A Holiday) before dipping again into Monkey Business with Pump It, a Dick Dale surf guitar driven number that should be another single.
The moment of the night though belonged to Elephunk's anthemic Where Is The Love, particularly given the horrific events of the last week.
"Overseas, yeah, we're still trying to stop terrorism," rapped will.il.am, who later got everyone in the crowd to hold up their cell phones or lighters in support of those who had died or suffered in what he called London's "ignorant bombings."