Two Different Flavors of Soul: Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey

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Consider it a stroke of brilliance to put Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey on tour together. Mr. Richie is a cool sensualist who never pushes too hard, and Ms. Carey is an ostentatious emoter who never stops short of glitz. Mr. Richie is a gorgeous ocean at low tide; Ms. Carey is a set of waves that unnerve even the most game surfers. It’s illogical, and yet not — an alliance of soul- music opposites who are both committed to tradition, in different ways.

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This shared bill — Mr. Richie is the headliner, Ms. Carey the “very special guest” — comes to the area with a pair of shows: Friday, Aug. 18, at the Prudential Center in Newark and Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

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