Hilary Duff concert like a Disney video — with stilettos

Former Disney teen queen Hilary Duff may be trying to reinvent herself with an older, sexier look, but the once-blond 'tween idol's music — and audience, for that matter — has yet to reach maturity.

Moms, dads and girls in the 8- to-10-year-old range ventured out to the Everett Events Center Monday night to see the former Lizzie McGuire shake it in four-inch stilettos and silver booty shorts as part of her Dignity tour.

Although the auditorium was only about 25 percent full, as soon as the show started, the crowd erupted with cheering and feet stomping. They were ready for Lizzie — oops, I mean Duff — to start singing.

Male dancers strutted out runway style, froze, then danced in strobe-light glory. The female dancers matched Duff's initial get-up, sporting blue short jumpsuits with exposed pink bras and stilettos.

Duff opened with crowd favorites such as "Coming Clean," "Beat of My Heart" and "Our Lips are Sealed," belting out the catchy hooks in her light, airy voice, which still has a childlike quality.

The music had such a prepackaged sound that it was hard to tell if the musicians were actually playing. The young band members banged away at drums, strummed the guitars and fingered the piano in a manner akin to a Disney Channel music video.

There was no edge, or spontaneity to the sound, just a sing-song rhythm repackaged and rehashed to accompany Duff's multiple outfits and play-acting choreography.

"So Yesterday," was a little better. The band infused it with a reggae beat, and the Bob Marley hook, "Everything's gonna be all right" from "No Woman, No Cry," which made the song less predictable.

Her rendition of "Love is a Battlefield" was equally surprising, replacing Pat Benatar's angry edge with a poplike ode to girl power.

New songs from her "Dignity" album ("With Love," "I Wish" and "Dignity") amped up the pop appeal with edgy electronic beats — not as robotic as the Bravery or as club-friendly as Justin Timberlake, but entertaining enough.

She closed with the best song on her "Dignity" album, "Stranger," which has a seductive Arabic flute and pulsating electronic beats similar to Britney Spears' "I'm a Slave for You."

Although the music lacked substance, one thing is clear — the girl has got style and a powerhouse marketing machine. Her fans left decked out in Duff hoodies, and holding glow pens and pamphlets covered with glamour photos of the pop-star-in-the-making.

The opening act, Lifehouse, was more musically mature — too bad the crowd didn't know who they were. The band rocked out with lead singer Jason Wade's trademark raspy, sultry voice soaring over escalating guitar riffs in "Hanging by a Moment" and over the slow melodic "You and Me."

Taya Flores: 206-464-2220 or tflores@seattletimes.com