Poor Miss Smeg. She know she's the most important woman in my life, however last night she had to share a room with The Woman that tops my list - you know, 'that list'. The list that a lot of couples have these days where, should circumstance happen - you're 'allowed'.
Obviously The Minogue has no intentions of letting circumstance happen and concentrated instead on performing a cracking live show. It lacked the emotional underpinning of her previous tour, though that was always going to be emotional for obvious reasons.
It did show though and the first half, while being stunning, didn't seem to totally grab me. (Don’t get me wrong she was amazing but something just didn’t click.) All changed in the second half, following a frankly odd opener riding a skull and then an even odder Eastern themed set she just seemed to up the performance a notch.
It began with a new song. Flower. A moving ballad that displayed Kylie’s vocals at their best. The crowd were visibly in awe of this beautiful new song. Then came a spine-tingling rendition of I Believe In You which no other word but stunning can describe. From then on she had the crowd, and me, in the palm of her hand. She belted out Kids with fearless panache, finally the audience were all on their feet and she didn’t let us go until she rocked our worlds with Wow and No More Rain.
Finally it was Old School with I Should Be So Lucky – it was truly old school too. For the last near-decade she’s only ever performed this in it’s re-jigged ‘jazz’ style but last night saw the original mix live, loud and very proud.
Then came a moment of bitter disappointment. She was so overwhelmed by the crowd she offered us one more unplanned song for the road as a thank you… what was it to be…. Ugh. ‘All I See’. My least favourite track of the X album. You see, to me it’s always sounded like a bland R&B song that any of the current crop of US Diva’s would churn out. More J-Lo than Kylie.
Thankfully I was totally wrong. This was no album version – it was an acapella and it was beautiful. Far, far superior to the Album’s representation.
So the verdict? Simply brilliant.
Yes I know I said some of the stuff was ‘odd’ but that’s what I love about Kylie. She does things differently. Any popstar could turn up in a skin tight out fit and sing. Kylie takes it further and gives you a full show to dazzle, and sometime confuse, the senses. Only Kylie can pull off a show that balances a cheerleading routine with macabre imagery of death and flying skulls. Or make a riding outfit look like some of the kinkiest fetish gear going – in front of an audience containing many youngsters, yet have the innocence to get away with it.
A brilliant show that tops anything she’s ever doen and doesn’t fail to disappoint. The only downside is the day after a live Kylie show you know you’re the furthest possible time away from the next chance you get to see her.
If you can get tickets for her remaining The O2 dates, do so – it’s the best party you’ll go to this year.
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