Peas' sugary tunes more than satisfied

Oh, the sparkles, glitter and stage tricks.

All were out in full force at the Black Eyed Peas concert Friday night for a packed audience that paid $50 to $80 each to hear the pop superstars blast through their feel-good hits.

The group's popularity and transformation from underground hip-hop group to pop megastars got a nod from frontman will.i.am.

He told the crowd at Raleigh's RBC Center that the last time the group was in Raleigh, it was 1998, and they were opening for the Smokin' Grooves tour, headlined by Public Enemy and Cypress Hill.

"We were little peas," will.i.am said. "And you made us big peas."

Despite the star power on stage, the concert tour for the 2009 album "The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies)" showcased the group's technical crew and stage directors as much as the artists themselves.

Elaborate and precise choreography, heavily dependent on video beamed onto giant screens, dominated to a point that it was clear they had done this many, many times before in many, many other cities, no matter how many times members will.i.am, Taboo, apl.de.ap and Fergie gave shout-outs to Raleigh, N.C., and Cackalacky.

That's not to say the evening's events weren't entertaining; there seemed to be few in the crowd who weren't having a blast.

The computer-enhanced images on giant screens and elaborate stunts (which included a lighted motorcycle that swept over the crowd, various members suspended on wires or the confetti that shot out over the crowd in the finale) made for nothing but a good time.

And that's where the Black Eyed Peas seemed comfortable, knowing they were there to get the crowd moving and grooving, although little urging seemed to be needed.

That's the beauty and allure of the group's music. It's the sweet stuff that sounds best blasting on a car stereo or blaring out over a dance floor or club.

And so, the crowd responded with adoration for the party song "Let's Get it Started" and the group's hit from last summer "I Gotta Feeling." Both songs seem destined to play at just about every wedding reception from here on in.

The Peas delivered their sugary pop in a nonstop, high-energy performance that had the crowd moving, dancing and singing along.

On Friday, that seemed to be more than enough.