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Live Review
by SaschaS
16-11-2003
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| Kylie was really fit at the one-off show |
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Live: Kylie Minogue
Hammersmith Apollo, London
Saturday, November 15, 2003
Kylie Minogue: saucy Kyliestenics and intellectualising body language
Kylie Minogue‘s fans-friends-media-only ‘Money Can’t Buy’ event was going to be of huge interest, not only because it was her one’n’only concert this year to officially launch the new/ninth album ‘Body Language’, nor due to recently having become the most successful female solo artist in the UK chart history [taking over from Madonna], but because of her new show that was due to be really - sexed-down.
Even when governments ‘sex-up’ reports, the diminutive Aussie told German mag Der Spiegel she was “horrified” at the amount of sex portrayed throughout modern pop culture. The 35-year-old singer explained how she felt embarrassed at what goes on in some video-clips nowadays. Thus, the collective thinking was the beginning of the new, more covered Kylie but we took her remarks too literally. Thankfully, not yet, not just yet; this show is the farewell to gratuitously minimalist garments.
Fashion aside [for the moment], this is a huge production that impresses on all accountable levels: computa-lights were something else [a bloody-brill cyber ‘fireworks’!], choreography of dozen dancers as precise as an SAS team, backing singers, the overall sound, the band… It reportedly costs 1 million and six weeks of rehearsals to stage and we hope she gets her money’s worth. Even if we have had to shell out lotsa quid for each ticket, it would have been underpriced.
When the curtains parted, Kylie was perched on an exercise-bar from a giant’s gym, suspended midway between the roof and the rest of us, dressed in her Brigitte Bardot gear from the album’s cover. When she was lowered to the stage, another curtain opened to reveal some moveable scenery used for projections with an astonishing effect. Her opening image, backed by a vision of Eiffel Tower, appears to be an open love letter to her boyf [present as well as sis Dannii], supported by an umbrella-sequence [re: ‘Les Parapluies de Cherbourg’/‘Umbrellas Of Cherbourg’ for our non-Gaelic speaking cousins, from 1964, starring Catherine Daneuve].
Three songs later Kylie reappears in a hot-panted mini-thingy that brings forward an aura of Marianne Faithfull from the 1960s! And, she can bare her delicate teeth as much as Alison of Goldfrapp. There are many facets in this Kyliestenique world! Early songs are from the new album and the reaction is respectful rather than enthusiastic. Fans are disadvantaged because they’ll not be able to buy the album until tomorrow and the only opportunity to hear it once was if glued to Radio 1 over the last week.
The new disc is a very mature offering that is not really instant and truly starts to give away its secrets after about half-a-dozen spins. The first impression is a Euro-disco with some modern detailing but it is a wide world of sonic wealth that flirts with some sublime funkiness, electro-workouts as well as bedroom ‘blues’. What lacks on the new album is an obvious pop element, as tracks are akin to Prince, Mantronix and, despite her otherwise fine cover of Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam’s ‘Secret (Take You Home)’, it witnesses her attempting to rap but she has as much success as Madonna.
‘Still Standing’, ‘Promises’, ‘Sweet Music’, ‘Chocolate’, ‘Obsession’, ‘Loving Days’ are appreciated but, predictably, it is the hits, as well as the current Numero Uno in the land, ‘Slow’, that generates the greatest noise level since Concorde landed the final time. Kylie will also go through another treble of vogue-ness: stylish ‘dominatrix’, biker-babe (with a real chopper onstage) and glam-Queen. The freebee giggee lasted just about 80 minutes and she apologised for shortness of it; lady, it was worth every… p-p-p-pixel!
If the sum spent on this extravaganza is correct, it’s a spectacle that has set the standard for future shows and Madonna, Beyonce, Aguilera, Britney, Pink, Alicia Keys, et al, hopefully have had spies planted in. [They might have watched the exclusive AOL broadcast or will DVD the delayed airing on ITV1 this Saturday, the 22nd inst.]
Not known to stick my neck out [yeah, right, it’s good you don’t play poker - gambling Ed], it looked like Madonna’s lost her Pop Queen-dom tonight and Princess of Pop has finally taken over the crown. [Britney doesn’t even come to Kylie’s lingerie, believe us, we are the professionals.] Women’s DNA requires constant change but for us - 4-plus grand of souls tonight - Kylie‘s just perfect the way she is.
If there was any blight on the evening, it happened before the show started: tickets and laminated passes were checked - four times before getting to a seat!? I mean, who was in da house? God… dess? Hmm, actually…
SaschaS
16-11-2003
Kylie Minogue’s album ‘Body Language’ is released 17 November 2003 on Parlophone
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