You know how a sports franchise will sometimes make a lot of money and not pump it back into the team. You're all familiar with that.

Well, the Black Eyed Peas are not like one of those franchises. They made a ton of cash when they stormed the top of the singles charts for the better part of last year and, as they say, "I got my money, let's spend it up!"

Thursday night at Mellon Arena we got to see all the toys hit singles can buy in one of the most eye-popping stage shows ever to play the building.

That money bought a stage that looked like the set of a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster with the 5-piece band high up on a platform of flashing screens. It bought all varieties of robot suits, ramps, risers, lasers, fog, confetti, a flying cycle for Taboo and enough wardrobe changes to require a separate truck.

Frontman will.i.am, who hit the stage in the sickest looking silver sequined Sgt. Pepper jacket, noted that when they played that NFL Kickoff Show at the Point last summer, before this tour was launched, he said, "I can't wait to come back to Pittsburgh to do the full show."

Along with the visual pop, the Peas had more time to strut their talents, together and apart. First, they did the group thing with a rousing opener -- not "I Gotta Feeling" but the age-old "Let's Get it Started," followed by a mechanical "Rock Your Body" and the more romantic "Meet Me Halfway," making good use of the center ramp.

will.i.am is at least a three-trick pony and his first trick was to freestyle in staccato fashion off the fan texts scrolling on the screens. He's clearly won a few hip-hop battles in his day. Later, he topped that by donning a shiny droid suit with laser eyes for a thumping DJ set that mixed the King of Pop, Nirvana and a joyous sing-along of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." Hire him for your next party -- it will rock.

In lesser roles, Taboo did his cool cycle highwire bit and apl showed his b-boy moves.

And then there was the lady with the "Humps," who has that ability to upstage even the state-of-the-art action behind her. Fergie got a brief solo set in the middle of the arena floor to show off her softer "Fergalicious" side. Not only did she sing seductively --make no mistake that Fergie can sing -- she was called upon to smoother over a fight below the stage with a soothing plea for "love" and ultimately some muscle from the band's hulking bodyguard.

Once they all did their thing, the Peas reconvened to rock out at separate podiums on "Now Generation," followed by will's favorite Peas' hit, "Pump It," and an all-out lovefest on the group's conscious hip-hop hit "Where is the Love?"

Between the lavish stage show, the splendid displays of talent and the many Steelers shout-outs, the Peas had the nearly sold-out crowd so pumped for the last two electropop smashes, "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling," it was all smiles and waving arms under the dome.

Mazel Tov! to the Peas for giving Pittsburghers suffering through a dismal winter something to celebrate.

Opening was ATL rapper Ludacris, who fell off the top of the world over the last decade. Over booming tracks that shook the dome, the good-naturd MC raged through "Stand Up," "Yeah" and other songs that would be staples of hip-hop classic radio. Not only that, he had the crowd jumpin' to his new single "How Low."

Newcomers LMFAO, featuring Motown founder Berry Gordy's son and nephew, might have killed it in a club at midnight but the whole autotune "Party Rock" vibe made little sense in the arena at 7:30.

Critics Andrew Druckenbrod and Scott Mervis talk about music on "The Beat," available exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.