KYLIE MINOGUE: Hammerstein Ballroom NYC

I have loved KYLIE MINOGUE since she played Charlene in Neighbours, even if she did lose me a little in the Indie years, when I survived on my "Kylie" album (Hey, I was 8 the brilliance of albums like "Kylie Minogue" was lost on me then!) Sunday night I finally got the chance to live a childhood dream and see her live at her first date in New York. She was everything I imagined she'd be and much more.

We lined up for 2 hours outside (along with half of New York) and finally ran in to claim our second row spot! After getting into the groove while the DJ played a set that my friend described as "Every Gay in New York's Ipod," finally it was time for Kylie! As soon as the curtain rose and I saw her perched on top of a huge skull, she had won me over. She descended singing the classic LIGHT YEARS:

"Please fasten your seat belts,My name is Kylie,I'll be your purser,The exits are located in the front and the rear of the craft"

I guarantee you not one person was looking for an exit Kylie! The lighting in this first section was phenomenal, colored red laser lights flashed all around the arena adding to the excitement.

IN MY ARMS was another highlight of the show coming near the end by which time my two housemates and I had all lost our minds jumping up and down through the entire song waving a purple feather boa at Kylie LOL. This has to be my favorite song from X and it got even better live!


The request song of the show was THE ONE which is another of my favorite X tracks just as I was settling down and enjoying the ballad, Kylie flipped the switch and this became a dance number sending us all into a tailspin! (I really could pick em all out as favorites but I'll spare you!)


As I expected Kylie was genuinely a sweetheart, her personality just envelopes you, she smiled and laughed the whole way through the show. She had fun talking to the audience and not in that rehearsed way, but just chatting it up and going with the flow as if we were all her buddies ( and yes by the end of the show I was left thinking I wish she was my BFF!) You could tell she was floored by the response she received from the crowd who loved everything and showed it! It felt like we were telling her "It's okay America loves ya!" One particularly cute moment was when she went and grabbed her cell phone and recorded the audience, the moment clearly meant a lot to her, and she let us know it.


The show overall was incredible, the only fault I think you could level at it was that it was a little cheesy in places, but that is her style and it worked for me! All the visuals were great, the sets and dancers complimented her well and the screens were very well done. I really enjoyed the videos they showed of Kylie, very arty and showed great photos of her, I really loved the BURNING UP/VOGUE one.

It must be said that not only was it a stunning show visually but she also has a remarkable voice that I was honestly surprised about. I knew she could sing, but she blew me away hitting those high notes throughout the whole show. Also people say she can't dance (well that might have been be actually LOL) but she can move and she showed it. She doesn't do choreography like Madonna (well who does really) but what she lacks in that department she makes up in poses haha) The show was simply fun, fun, fun and it really cemented my love for Kylie... It was Love At First Sight! - Camille

View clips of the show at our Youtube Channel (excuse the screaming, was far to excited to concentrate on filming video!) and see all the pictures on Flickr!

SETLIST:

Overture
Light Years
Speakerphone
Come Into My World
In Your Eyes
Kylie Medley: Like A Drug/Boombox/Can't Get You Out of My Head
Slow
2 Hearts
Segue/Wow
White Diamond
Confide In Me
I Believe In You
Burning Up/Vogue
Locomotion
On A Night Like This
Kids
In My Arms
Love At First Sight
Better The Devil You Know
The One