... it came with the media buzzing. She was coming home. And this wasn't a short visit to see the family back home in leafy Camberwell in Melbourne, this was the tour that everyone, including myself, had been waiting for ... waiting for years ... waiting for her to show all those who have knocked the singing budgie for years that she has finally made it ... the Kylie love boat was sailing into town ... dropping anchor and stopping all major ports : Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Sydney Entertainment Centre, Derwent Entertainment Centre, Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Perth Entertainment Centre, then basically sailing around the country to do it all again!
She came out to a roaring crowd on a huge anchor floating across the stage as she sung Love Boat, from her double paltinum number one album Light Years. The show continued for just under 2 hours full of old and new hits. The sold-out Rod Laver Arena went off to the smash hit On A Night Like This, and we absolutley loved her camped-up New York cabaret version of Better The Devil You Know.
Her 80s tracks, some in a medley, included Step Back In Time, Hand On Your Heart, and What Do I Have To Do, but there were no tracks from her Impossible Princess album (released in 1997) during the show at all ... but we didn't care. It was raining outside, and the city was almost flooding during her first concert, but we were all passengers onboard the Melbourne Showboat with Captain Kylie at the helm ... glitter may have been running down our backs, but we were there to party with our girl as she returned to her hometown.
It was a fantastic concert. I can't say more than that. I was blown away. Charlene has finally grown up, and this was such an improvement on her Live And Intimate tour from 1988, but even that was sensational! And for those who missed out on seeing her, I'm sure she will be back to perform another 500 shows to a very pleased Australian audience!
But if Kylie's not your thing (... and I'd want to know why?), there was still Jimeoin performing at the Melbourne Town Hall for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Vanessa Amorosi at Royal Randwick Racecourse and Mercury Lounge at Crown, 2001 Sydney Royal Easter Show, and plenty of other little shindigs to keep you all out of trouble.
In the meantime, check out some reviews, and some very snazzy pics of the lovely Ms Minogue at www.kylie.com and pick up a copy of my fave track from the album ... Your Disco Needs You ... and also the tour edition of her album Light Years. This features a second CD with remixes, along with a cover of the early 80s Olivia Newton-John hit Physical, which features in the upcoming movie Moulin Rouge starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor.
PS I hear big rumours for two fantastic events coming up later in the year for the Brisbane 2001 Goodwill Games, the biggest sporting event in the world this year! The Opening Gala will be in Kylie's arena ... the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Tuesday 28 August. It will be a concert style event to feature huge Australian and International artists. The closing ceremony will be a huge free public event at SouthBank on Sunday 9 September, and will feature a concert on the riverstage together with a lighting and pyrotechnic production. Tickets for the Goodwill Games are already on sale, but the Opening Gala is probably the one to keep your eyes open and ears out for ... just check out all the info at www.goodwillgames.com to see what's going on!