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State Of Stefani At Summerfest

By George Mallet

MILWAUKEE - Gwen Stefani is wearing a white jacket and something akin to a sports bra.  Her well-muscled mid-drift is exposed as she lifts each leg onto a stack of video cases and stretches her hamstrings.  We are backstage at the Marcus Amphitheater getting a rare look at the show before the show.

When her legs are well stretched, she attends to her curls.  Adjusting them slightly and then swirling her head around as if to loosen her neck.  Shortly after 9 p.m. she darts out onto the stage and instantly becomes the very picture of perpetual motion.  Her movement is followed by a lone guitar riff and then the rhythmic beat of the bass.  The show is underway.

There is nothing about No Doubt’s music to disappoint a true pop music aficionado.  Still, it is sometimes easy to lose sight of the band’s tight execution when given the opportunity to watch their remarkable style.

Outside the Marcus, hours before show time, that style was the focus of a very fashionable bunch of fans willing to talk about "Stefani Style."

"It’s different. It’s funky and it's like sexy but not too sexy," said Natalie Treleven, her pink curls framing her big, dark eyes.

"She just is very captivating and so like when you watch her, it’s very. You just like want to move," said Morgan Larson as she made a Stefani-like dance move.