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Ariana Grande kicked off her \u201cEternal Sunshine\u201d tour at\u00a0Oakland Arena, her first in\u00a0seven years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Julian Dakdouk<\/p>\n
It can be easy to forget that Ariana Grande<\/a> is a musician at her core.<\/p>\n While her eighth studio album, \u201cPetal,\u201d is scheduled to drop July 31, her diverse portfolio of activities and side hustles have increasingly shared the spotlight since her last tour in 2019. She earned an Oscar nomination for her role as do-gooder Glinda in Bay Area filmmaker Jon M. Chu<\/a>\u2019s two-part \u201cWicked<\/a>\u201d blockbusters, and her comedic chops\u00a0\u2014 sharpened by two turns hosting \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d\u00a0<\/a>\u2014 will soon be highlighted in the upcoming \u201cFocker-in-Law\u201d sequel. She also has expanded her brand with fragrance and jewelry lines.<\/p>\n Ariana Grande: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 10. Oakland Arena, 7000 S. Coliseum Way, Oakland. 510-569-2121. www.ticketmaster.com<\/a><\/p>\n But on Tuesday, June 9, Grande reminded the sold-out Oakland Arena crowd that she\u2019s one of the most vocally gifted singers of her generation.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Ariana Grande who strode into the second night of a highly theatrical three-night Oakland stand was intent on carrying out a vision and narrative. Unfortunately, the focus came at the expense of Grande\u2019s lighter side. Her likability and spot-on impressions have been evident from \u201cSNL\u201d to \u201cHot Ones\u201d and late-night talk show<\/a> appearances, but her commitment to the tour\u2019s thematic structure meant there was little wiggle room for goofiness or spontaneity.\u00a0<\/p>\n San Francisco Chronicle Logo<\/p>\n Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Still, that rigidity did little to dampen the mood inside the arena, which was thick with thirst and anticipation. Since Grande made a \u201cone last hurrah for now\u201d<\/a> comment on Amy Poehler\u2019s \u201cGood Hang\u201d podcast last fall, Arianators have been marinating on that line from the moment the 11-city tour was announced.\u00a0<\/p>\n The \u201cEternal Sunshine\u201d kiss-off \u201cyes, and?\u201d set a defiant, confident tone that would carry through 23 songs and just under two hours. The stage she roamed, from the two-story backdrop to the catwalk to the B-stage was fully LED-equipped, which allowed Grande to shift visual moods.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Ariana Grande kicked off her \u201cEternal Sunshine\u201d tour at\u00a0Oakland Arena, her first in\u00a0seven years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Julian Dakdouk<\/p>\n<\/p>\n