Britney Spears Dances A Little, Lip Syncs A Lot In New Vegas Show

She was wearing a microphone, though it wasn’t clear she was using it. Spears’ manager and a casino executive have both insisted that “Piece of Me” features live vocals, but Friday the singer appeared to be lip-syncing for the majority of her performance. That went for high-energy dance numbers such as “Womanizer” as well as slower-paced ballads like “Perfume,” for which Spears took a seat onstage.

Her banter with the audience ranged from canned ("What's up, Vegas? I can't hear you!") to baffling in light of her very public struggles with substance abuse ("I feel high!" she proclaimed before the final song). Her dancing, touted as the show's linchpin, was lackadaisical and - as has become the norm for Spears - reliant on arm movements.

And in the entertainment department, Britney mostly delivered. She changed her costumes (and wigs!) about every two songs, she hoofed in high-heeled sneakers, she looked fabulous, and she ran through all of her most crowd-rousing hits. She did work, b----.

Eye candy was everywhere, whether in the form of the taut dancers' bodies or the lavish sets, none more so than the Circus-themed number featuring creepy human marionettes and raging flames, with Spears delivered on stage in the middle of a ring of fire. When she sang, "All eyes on me in the center of the ring," it was redundant.

If you're looking for a powerhouse vocal performance in your Vegas entertainment, head over to The Coliseum for Celine Dion. But Britney fans will find no better show on the strip than "Piece of Me." What ultimately felt like a greatest hits marathon — with plenty of glitter on top — is sure to please the die-hards, and even those who have never shelled out money for a Spears album are likely find themselves singing right along.