"I want you to relax, and use your imagination," Aguilera told the crowd. "I want you to have fun and I want you to escape."

The singer, wearing a white suit and hat, arrived on stage atop a moving staircase. As she reached the front of the stage, she belted out the opening notes of "Ain't No Other Man," and descended the staircase to the music. She wasted no time showing off her vocal range and ability, bringing the sold-out crowd to its feet.

Aguilera tossed her hat and tousled her hair, then broke into "Back in the Day" as three giant video screens rewound to another time, playing clips of Aguilera's favorite artists.

Later, the dancers and singers subtly stepped aside to give the trio of horn players the spotlight as Aguilera ducked backstage to change into a white bodice and wedding-dress-like skirt with an open front.

Most of her set was derived from "Back to Basics," while hits such as "Come on Over" and "Dirrty" were redesigned into jazzy, big-band numbers.

Speaking of "Dirrty," Aguilera--through the song "Still Dirrty"--made it clear that she was still the naughty girl from her previous incarnation. Faux tabloid headlines--such as "From Freak to Fairytale" and "From party life to housewife--graced the screens.

"We should be free to express ourselves exactly how we see fit," she said.

The curtains descended on stage right and left, leaving the middle open to reveal a mini movie, "I Got Trouble." Instead of singing the song, Aguilera went backstage for another costume change and let her video do the talking.

When the curtains rose again, Aguilera's band, dressed in black suits, stood on a black staircases. The diminutive Aguilera, perched atop a piano in a red sequin bodysuit, cut into a reggae version of "What a Girl Wants," leaving the audience unsure of the song until the chorus.

She dedicated her song "Oh Mother," not surprisingly, to her mother, who endured domestic violence during Aguilera's childhood. Witnessing the violence, Aguilera said, made her "determined to succeed in anything I can do."

A circus theme took over the second half of the show with the pronouncement, "Welcome to the greatest show." Aguilera arrived on a giant carousel horse, and gyrated on it to the tune of "Dirrty." The chameleon-like performer ditched the carnival gear for a Navy outfit during the Andrews Sisters-inspired "Candyman."

About her new jazzy incarnation, Aguilera said, "This is just the beginning. The best is yet to come."

TOUR DATES

March 2007
8 - Oakland, CA - Oracle Arena
10 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
12 - Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place
14 - Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place
15 - Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome
17 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre
19 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
23 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
25 - Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre
25 - Ottawa, Ontario - Scotiabank Place
28 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
30 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden

April 2007
2 - Atlantic City, NJ - Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
5 - Washington, D.C. - Verizon Center
7 - East Rutherford, NJ - Continental Airlines
9 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
11 - Auburn Hills, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
13 - Columbus, OH - Nationwide Arena
14 - Cleveland, OH - Wolstein Center
20 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
21 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center
24 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena
25 - Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena
27 - Providence, RI - Dunkin' Donuts Center
28 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Casino

May 2007
1 - Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
2 - Duluth, GA - The Arena at Gwinnett Center
4 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
5 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Bank Atlantic Center