Kylie feels like family. She’s a bit like your cool older cousin. When you were growing up, she had all the cool friends, knew all the great music, always made you felt included. Her concert felt like she was hosting a party and you were invited. The overwhelming feeling is of love in the room. It wasn’t just because it was Mardi Gras weekend (that certainly helped), but you could definitely feel it. She loves her audience, and her audience loves her back.
She pointed out that she has spent her whole life on stage. And it showed. She was so comfortable on stage, engaging with the audience, dedicating songs to them (one person had seen her 30 times!) bringing them on stage (a beautiful moment where the lucky recipient couldn’t believe he was so close to his idol) and making everyone feel included. I think that’s part of her appeal.
I know Taylor Swift has (probably) trade marked the phrase “era” but Kylie has more than a few eras of her own. With nearly 40 years of hits she had a lot of ground to cover, but she had something for everyone and I think everyone went home happy.
She wasn’t embarrassed by her 80s pop. In fact, Locomotion was a highlight. A time machine (her words) that brought the whole arena back to their youth (let’s be honest, we were among our people). But she also affectionately sang I Should Be So Lucky and Hand On Your Heart from the Stock, Aitken and Waterman years.
Her fantastic 90s songs (Better the Devil You Know, Shocked, What Do I Have To Do among others) were highlights. But this isn’t entirely a nostalgia show, her more modern songs fitted in seamlessly into the set. Her recent hit Padam, Padam, the timeless Can’t Get You Of My Head and a selection of songs from her most recent albums were also winners.
Who would have imagined that she would be more popular than ever in 2025? It’s hard to believe that some people (ok, it was me) once thought that she was uncool. She is 100% authentic. She feels like that person you first met on Neighbours in the 80s. She feels like someone you’ve known your whole life. She feels like family.
