TORONTO - The farewell tour has become an essential tool in a band's marketing plan, even if it ends up being only the first in a series of farewell tours.

Last night the first farewell of Destiny's Child, the massive R&B vocal trio that has sold more than 40 million albums in its eight-year recording career -- 50 million if you count the solo sales of the individual members, especially unofficial group leader Beyonce Knowles -- touched down at the ACC in suitably fabulous style.

The three powerhouse singers who form the group -- Knowles, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland -- arose majestically from beneath the floor in flowing green, purple and red costumes and immediately demanded the respect due them by performing their hit Say My Name. Thus began an extravagant show full of lavish costumes -- all designed by Beyonce's mother -- male and female dancers, glowing staircases, larger-than-life talking photos and exuberant, sparkling or thumping R&B songs about female power and solidarity.

But while the show was carefully choreographed to showcase the talents of all three members of Destiny's Child, there was never a doubt about who is the Queen Bee. Williams and Rowland shook their hips and sang their hearts out, but there was no denying the star power of Beyonce, wiggling her butt across the stage, flashing her million-dollar smile, tossing her long blond hair or gyrating with a male dancer or two. And while Williams and Rowland got a chance to sing their solo hits as well, they weren't exactly crowd pleasers on the scale of Beyonce's hits Baby Boy and Crazy In Love, one of the highlights of the night.

Fittingly for a show celebrating the end of a hit-making machine, the set list included everything from the band's first chart-topper, No, No, No, to Independent Women Pt. 1 from the Charlie's Angels soundtrack, the immortal Bootylicious and several hits from last year's prophetically titled Destiny Fulfilled, including Girl and Lose My Breath.

In classic R&B style, the dancing was at least as important as the singing, and many numbers took their cues from the strip club. For Cater 2 U, for instance, each singer chose a man from the audience to perform a lap dance for, while Soldier featured male dancers stripping off black leather coats, writhing suggestively and grabbing their crotches in time to the music. Things climaxed with Crazy In Love before the perfect closing number, Survivor, which featured toreadors, flamenco dancers and Beyonce flirtatiously flashing her flouncy skirt. Stay tuned for the greatest hits album and big reunion tour.