Carrie Underwood gets her makeup touched up before posing for fan pictures backstage prior to her concert at Staples Center Oct. 16, 2012. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood signs an autograph for a fan backstage before her concert. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood poses for fan pictures with Brook Brehm, 10, right, backstage. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood heads out from her tour motorhome on her way to a radio interview at Staples Center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood attaches a wireless earpiece before a sound check at Staples Center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood walks through a phalanx of Staples ushers backstage before her concert. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood talks during a radio interview backstage at Staples Center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood’s band plays during a sound check on stage. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood sings during a sound check on the stage inside an empty Staples Center prior to her concert. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood sings during a sound check on the stage inside an empty Staples Center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underwood performs on stage at Staples Center. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Her audience cheered every supernaturally sustained note and glass-threatening vocal climax, offering positive reinforcement as if to an Olympic pole-vaulter scaling ever higher altitudes. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
During the show, Carrie Underwood reminded the crowd that it was a mere eight years ago that she took her first ride on an airplane -- to come to Los Angeles to take part in “American Idol.” (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Carrie Underood’s band joins her during the performance. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The show opened at maximum voltage and operated there for the bulk of the evening. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Underwood put on a spectacular production aimed at the “American Idol” crowd that launched her career, full of dazzling costume changes, creative staging and megawatts of musical wattage. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Imagery played a major part in the show, and a clever array of video screens around Underwood brought loads of color and music-video energy to the performance by the star and her eight-member backup group. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
The Muskogee, Okla. native donated $1 from each concert ticket sold on her tour is to the Red Cross. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
