EDMONTON -- When pre-fab pop stars Sugar Jones took the stage at the Myer Horowitz Theatre last night, launching into the very first song in the very first show of their very first Canadian tour, this reviewer nearly let out a scream of shock that would have been heard above the battalion of 13-year-old girls squealing like the brakes on a '76 Pacer that's never seen the inside of a mechanic's garage.

"Oh. My. GOD! They're LIP-SYNCHING! I can't BELIEVE THIS! Have we learned nothing from the folly of Posh Spice? These women are too young to be pelted by vegetables! Oh, the humanity!"

Now, before Sugar Jones fans start coming down here en masse to fire-bomb The Sun offices (assuming they can get a ride from mom or dad), let's clear this up right away: The preternaturally perky quintet wasn't lip-synching. Yet that mistake says two very important things about Sugar Jones. One, they do sing surprisingly well, and their harmonies are so slick you'd swear they were coming off the same tape that provides the music and backing vocals.

And two ... would it really be that big a surprise if they were?

The reality show Popstars squeezed Sugar Jones from its loins about a year ago, and while it's clear that these five twenty-ish Canadian gals have been putting in the rehearsal hours, you really have to wonder why. Sure, they're all gorgeous young women, very good singers and they look great in their sort-of-matching pantsuit outfits (especially given that they have reasonably un-Ally McBealish bodies, something teenage girls ought to be exposed to more often.)

But last night's show demonstrated the Sugar Jones -- cute, sweet, perky, wouldn't hurt a fly Sugar Jones -- ain't quite ready for the big time. The concert, which is essentially the songs from their debut CD plus a few extra offerings, never really hit any sort of emotional high note. And parts were, to be brutally honest, pretty dull.

Granted, the target audience (which this reviewer most certainly is not) seemed to be having a good time. They squealed when Sugar Jones led off with Get Yourself Together, followed by How Much Longer, It's Like Ice Cream, If You and Keep On Walking. They called out declarations of love to Julie, Mirella, Maiko, Andrea and Sahara at random. (Sahara is my personal favourite, and not just because she's a redhead and she wore an outfit with a plunging neckline. OK, maybe that's part of it.) They danced and waved their arms and sang along and stuff. So, who are we to argue?

And the medley of classic tunes was nice, with each of the five girls doing a rock, jazz or R&B standard. (Sahara's version of Al Green's Let's Stay Together was my personal favourite, and not just because she's a redhead and she wore -- never mind.) As was the a cappella version of A Little Bit of Heaven in honour of the victims of this week's terrorist attacks in the U.S.

But for all their sincerity and vocal skill, Sugar Jones as a group lacks the kind of stage presence and chemistry that will guarantee them more than a footnote in the pop music annals. They've extended their 15 minutes of fame beyond what anybody gave them credit for, and for that they should be proud. But isn't it about time for Popstars 2 to start?