Kylie Minogue The Definitive Summer Shows Tour - Manchester, Lytham & Scarborough Tour Report

Kylie Minogue 

The Definitive Summer Shows 

Tour Report 

Manchester, Lytham and Scarborough

Some fans of the pop princess didn't have an appetite for another 'Greatest Hits' package but earlier in the year when the 'Summer Shows' were announced we just knew it would be special.

Starting in the idyllic London setting of 'Hampton Court', 'Blenheim Palace' before her first festival in Eden in 'Cornwall' all this was before her most talked about performance in 'Glastonbury' watched by millions at home on TV.

There were so many lovely locations to choose from  I couldn't possibly cover them all , so I decided to stick to my roots as a 'Northern' lass !!

Castlefield Bowl , Manchester one friday morning, Kylie's fans are gathering ready for the pop goddess's show .

The weather looking deceiving but now mostly a summer scene lots of reunions, fortunately we have a parasol for shelter should it change, unfortunately it did and was biblical rain during waiting in queue formation, we got caught out short.

People were never the less ready in glitter face make up and so was I Thanks to my personal make up assistant

 "Thank You Nathan" !! 

We witnessed the arrival of 'Ms Minogue' and some of her dancers the lucky few got a wave and smile but her security team were not impressed and complained that we were distracting her (it was the hotels beer garden balcony, public space not our fault ).

So already a memorable afternoon ,we wade in through the entrance and lucky ones get to the front in readiness of the show, her DJ's from 'Golden Tour' were the support act I feel their slot was too long with the absence of other support between, the rain slinked away for a time.

Act 1  

Stage set ready, amps and the bands instruments ready , four panels await the signal in the middle of the stage, as the crowd pack in and buckle up the party's just beginning!! as we quite literally 'step back in time' together.

The crowd scream and roar with delight  as beams of the mirrored panels light up and turn around during the intro, they reveal each of her dancers in pastel coloured clothing, and over to the left 'Kylie' in white jumpsuit beaming at the crowd.

Beginning with 'Love At First Sight' and owning the stage from the very start 'Kylie' is clearly excited about our journey so far as she reference's it as "Our time together' and affectionately jogging our memories with carefully placed 80's nostalgia.

None more so than when she finally sings in it's entirety 'I Should Be So Lucky' and over 20,000 Mancunian's sing it back to her in strong voice word for word.

Back to '2000' now 'On A Night Like This', her dancers flanking her every move,the crowd getting louder,next a short trip to the 'Aphrodite' era with live favourite 'Get Out Of My Way' and my fav 'What Do I Have To Do' from the 90's then a song she hasn't sung in a very long while 'Never Too Late'.

Act 2

 A very unique concept headlined 'Berlin Transition' on the main setlist where one of her dancers is a mime artist/robotic doll, in his black & white tuxedo with white gloves, he dances reluctantly in character during 'Je Ne Sais Pas Pourqoui' and 'Kylie' teaches him how to dance during 'Hand On Your Heart'.

 She's wearing this beautiful black and gold laced ,long shimmering gown, after a short flashback to 'Fever' era she sings 'The One' from 'X' complete with a watered down version of the 'Michel Angelo' segment (it's a finger point she can't quite stretch or lean to us ,no catwalk).

My favourite section of the show now, another costume change and a tribute to 'David Bowie' with 'Clockwork' theme her dancers walking accross the stage in slo motion to the tick of clocks as 'Fashion Tour Remix' goes into 'Slow', she appears on a elevated part of the stage in Red zip up jumpsuit, with the mic stand in front, it's the most alluring performance, as 'Kylie' bumps and grinds alongside the mic stand, swishes her hair and oozes sex appeal.

Her dancers are now lay across the stairway as she belts out 'Confide In Me' her vocals totally in tune and on time,this part of the show ends with 'Cant Get You Out Of My Head' where she gets the crowd joining in.

Act 3 

We go back to the old skool 'Angry Anderson's 'Suddenly' plays in the scene of a wedding party, 2 of her dancers are playing out getting married and the requested slow dance of 'Especially For You' afterwards they are having an almighty party with the guests.

The dancers sit on the floor to do the 'Row Boat' an 80's dance craze often done at discos in the UK, and the huge car wash style puppets as a different 'Kylie' was very funny watching her sing alongside 'Dance Kylie' , '80's Kylie' she and us were having a ball tonight !!

Act 4 

Disco! and time for another costume change as all this is happening overhead the bridge was the focus of the crowds attention, as trains were stopping to watch and waving at us some people on the train were taking a quick picture while stationary, 'Kylie' hadnt seen this yet even during 'The Locomotion'.





 It rained again during what she describes as 'Our Song' 'All The Lovers' and then she notices the train "Ah" she says "The train has come in after all lovers" she looks up and laughs then its encore time.

Beginning with the energetic track from 'Golden' and the only track from it this evening 'Dancing' she decides to end the show with 'Spinning Around' from her '2000' comeback , but 'Kylie' doesn't have to do comebacks.... she's never really been away !!

The next day literally and it's all aboard the train to 'Lytham' for the Festival celebrating its 10th aniversary this year, so I had such high expectations of the place, its a beautiful sunny afternoon everyone is calm waiting for gates again, everyone catching up on the events past and plans to come a great friendly atmosphere .

Calm that is ..until security misinformed the front of the queue they were going in first and could not get the scanners to work creating chaos and everyone went ahead, but those who were numbered in our whole queue did not get through, we were stuck in our lane due to the technical balls up.

I shouted over to the supervisor "Can you sort this we cant get in, her scanner is not working you're letting everyone in ahead from the back of the queue!!" the girl seemed to think it was funny she was having no luck and I went mad, two blokes in front looking bored but surprisingly calm not from our queue were telling me to chill and wait my turn no need to be like that.. but they were not moving either, 

After what seemed like ages stuck, we got through and I shot out like a greyhound to find a spot but there was none left on the barrier ,I was absolutely fuming I was No 4 in the queue I've never been late, so never not been front row I was so angry I travelled in the early hours to get there.

Eventually I found myself one back behind some locals who were more concerned with eating their food than watching the show and visiting the toilets,meanwhile over on the right 'VIP' had no such problem and were enjoying the festival in their designated area with most puzzled as to where we were, apparently they could see the panic after the delay.

So anyway today different support slots some amazing courageous dancers from across the world who do break dancing with crutches with the motto 'No Excuse's, No Limits' each have a limb or limbs missing and they can still bust out the hardest moves on stage it gets the crowd involved, there is also a sign language person on either side of the stage in front of the crowd.

First main act is 'Ana Matronic' ex 'Scissor Sisters' she really gets the crowd into it, well most of us the rest still eating their chips and not in anyway dressed to greet 'Kylie'.

She mixes 'New York Disco' with funky dance cuts even throwing a 'Dannii' classic 'Put The Needle On It'.

Next act is former singer of 'The Audience' and successful pop star 'Sophie Ellis Bextor', its a windy day and stage is getting battered (possibly as we are facing the sea) .

She is struggling to keep her modesty in Yellow short flowing dress (fortunately she's wearing good pants underneath or it could have been an 'MDNA' moment when you know .. you know ).

She sing's her new song's with her female 2 violinist's and some hits from her back catalogue 'I'll Get Over You' , 'Murder On The Dancefloor' , 'Take Me Home' and 'Groovejet', she struggles in the wind and says "I'm really sorry for the view some of you are having on the front here but we've all seen swimsuits haven't we" she laughs and carries on but she delivers a superb performance.

It's so chilly later on even 'Kylie' comments on it being breezy up there in her summer outfit, the festival have decided to use environmentally friendly confetti for her show .

After the show people who were very drunk  were fighting over getting out of the venue as there was no exit ,we got sent back to the entrance, badly thought out ,had words with security again at the shocking organisation, because I've been to hundreds of gigs and festivals none been such a bad organisation than this.

Back to the seaside again for my final show on the whistle stop tour, Sunny 'Scarborough' today we are early entry with free pizza, 'Kylie' walked past us to go on the model train 'North Bay Railway' she waved at us inches away from where we were queuing, this was a fantastic day everyone was having fun the organisation perfect, we were very well treated by staff loved the venue.

The show was special too during 'Hand On Your Heart' 'Kylie' acknowledged my friend after she shouted 'I Love You Kylie' she shot back 'I Love You too',she was so taken aback you could say she was Shocked , some younger members of the audience were given the rose during the serenade 'Where The Wild Roses Grow' also a tradition carried on from 'Golden' tour.

The crowd were 100% 'Kylie' #Lovers singing and getting involved and boy were the crowd loud in 'Scarborough', 'Kylie' seemed overwhelmed by the welcome that it prompted her to say "We haven't played to Scarborough before but we'll definately have to come back"!!.

I don't know what's next for the 'Impossible Princess' but every show she does shes more Iconic and endearing to us 'Brit's, it's an emotional journey.

 as she says "We've been together so long since 1988 (Actually it's 1987 but we forgive her).

Lmi xo 

Next time...

 more seaside fun further out at sea !!!