Performing hits from the now and then, certified pop princess Kylie Minogue had Brisbane Entertainment Centre in the palm of her hand. As a huge Kylie fan, this reviewer was not disappointed by the spectacle that was the Kiss Me Once Tour.
The lightning storm bearing down on Brisbane didn’t dampen the mood, with fans from all over gathering in the foyer and buzzing with excitement. The stage was a simple arrangement: two levels of illuminated metal framework that complemented the on-stage screen’s visual elements.
Betty Who was first to open the show, and Italian producer Giorgio Moroder was second. After a short intermission, Kylie entered the stage as a mere silhouette lying on a glowing pair of lips. In total, only five songs were performed from Kylie’s newest album, while the rest were hits starting from ‘Locomotion’ all the way to ‘All The Lovers’.The showed peaked when Kylie performed the track ‘Beautiful’. Gracing the stage in a flowing white gown, she touched the audience with the low notes, and belted out the high notes effortlessly. A majority of the crowd was upstanding for most of the show, especially energetic during songs like ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’, ‘Spinning Around’, and the ‘80s and ‘90s medley.
There were various breaks between costume changes in the show, and there was one song no one was expecting. As one interlude came to an end, a familiar drumbeat began. And then, a familiar guitar riff. It was INXS’s ‘Need You Tonight’, and as Kylie rose from under the stage, she covered the song brilliantly.At one point in the show, Kylie spotted a fan’s sign that asked “Kylie, will you kiss me once?” She brought him on stage, thanked him, and gave him a kiss and a selfie. She proved her love for the fans all night, and instructed the audience to pass a single rose from the stage all the way to the back row of the entertainment centre. It was a success, and the crowd burst in applause as a fan in the very back up the top kissed the rose.
Kylie closed the show with ‘All The Lovers’, and as the lights went down, the crowd stayed put. After around two solid minutes of cheering, chanting and banging seats, the lights came back up as the singing budgie returned once more to perform an encore: the debut single from ‘Kiss Me Once’, ‘Into the Blue’.
The enthusiastic audience was on their feet, and sent Kylie on her way with an eruption of applause and cheers. A nostalgic, bright, energetic and fun night, the ‘Kiss Me Once Tour’ saw Kylie deliver from start to finish, pleasing the die-hard fans with the older hits, and the younger fans with her recent tracks.
