Kylie proves her broad audience appeal… only just

I’ve seen Kylie Minogue perform live three times prior to last Saturday’s Kiss Me Once Tour debut Australian show. Each of those times I’d thoroughly enjoyed her performance but left just before final encore to beat the audience exit (note: not because I was bored… in fact, far from it).

This time, for my fourth Kylie Live experience, I thought I’d bring along a member of the next generation – my nine-year-old niece Sienna – to see what she made of all of Ms Minogue’s song, dance, smoke and mirrors. To Sienna, I’m pretty certain Kylie stood as some kind of yesteryear icon who just cut it occasionally with a hit here and there. A bit like Cher seemed to me during my childhood: larger than life, but not quite trending.

Still, my niece said she did like Kylie as a judge on The Voice and that she once heard All The Lovers on the radio and enjoyed it, though she’d never heard of The Locomotion (“Is it a crazy dance?”).

True to form, Kylie put on an awesome spectacle. So far as lighting and visuals go, this was one of the best productions I’ve seen in a long time – even beating the grand likes of Muse and Coldplay (yet not quite managing to surpass U2’s more serious and dramatic effects).

The delivery of the music itself was passable, although I believe the engineer could have lowered the bass a little on occasion so that we could hear our favourite singing budgie a little clearer. When Kylie did hit a high note, though, you heard it well, and you actually had to pinch yourself wondering if part of it was pre-recorded. Alas, the majority of her singing was live, so yes, I was impressed.

Sienna didn’t say much about the big, grand spectacle (ah, the desensitisation of the current generation) but she did make some interesting comments about the videos, mainly about some of the luxury brands that filled the big screen. That she was more concerned with the fact Kylie was riding around in a Rolls Royce in one clip, rather than take issue with the diva’s grinding in the back seat of said vehicle made me wonder where our next generation’s attention and concerns lie.

Interestingly, too, when Kylie delivered a medley of her late-’80s hits, with she and her dancers dollied up in primary colours as though they’d taken a leaf out of Katy Perry’s colouring book, Sienna wasn’t very impressed. It was only when things turned paired-back and matte black for Sexercize that the young one began to get into the groove again. A reaction at odds with someone so young, but it does show you what the antics of Nicki Minaj and Miley Cyrus have done to the minds and expectations of the young.

My highlights of the production? (01): The constant action on stage, albeit with the help of some very taut dancers. (02): Kylie’s non-patronisation to a broadly aged audience. (03): The inclusion of a cover of INXS’s Need You Tonight, paid as tribute to and fond memory of the diva’s relationship with singer Michael Hutchence. (04): The special appearance of disco king Giorgio Moroder for a seemingly impromptu rendition of his hit I Feel Love (originally sung by Donna Summer and delivered impressively by Kylie). (05): The influence of visuals from various art movements including Dali-esque surrealism and Mondrian-like graphic design. All up, a non-stop bright and colourful affair.

This time, I didn’t care to beat the audience exit onslaught. Instead, it was my niece who suggested we leave early to beat the crowd and traffic. Whether she’d simply had enough of the Kylie show I didn’t dare ask but she did wonder twice during the performance “how long” we had to go. It made me think that all the song, dance, stunning visuals and excess lighting can do nothing to impress the next generation. But then, Sienna does look up to Kanye and Kim as the king and queen of popular culture, so what else could I expect but nonchalance?  Antonino Tati

Kylie Minogue’s ‘Kiss Me Once’ Tour continues with the following dates:

Tickets are available through www.ticketek.com.au.

Photography by Ken McKay.