"Bris-Vegas, You Didn't Let Me Down!" - First Kylie Concert, November 18, 2006











I entered the chaotic crowd and bought a hot dog and a soda for $7.50 AU. I sat down next to two teenage girls, Emma and Steph, who were Kylie enthusiasts. I asked if BEC was the biggest rock venue in Brisbane, and they said no, Suncorp Stadium was bigger. Then they asked if I was new in Brisbane. When I explained I was from California, they were very impressed!

Kylie's eyelids were heavily-weighted with makeup, making her look sleepy.

The first act of Kylie's show seemed slow, cautious: the second act was much better, and the dancers were much more daring. In Sydney, Kylie had appeared with U2's Bono, but he didn't appear here. I was given to understand (maybe incorrectly) that the dancers in Kylie's new song 'White Diamond' were the Scissor Sisters (I suspect is that the Scissor Sisters collaborated on the new song, but weren't actually present). Kylie covered one full verse of Madonna's 'Vogue', confirming pre-concert rumors.

I instantly recognized Kylie's trick dancer, the fellow who did 'Confide To Me' on the 2002 Manchester concert video. He did all kinds of flips! Musicians Andrew Smalls and Steve Tyler were evident as well.







Kylie covers Madonna's "Vogue."









At intermission, I got in trouble with the authorities. I had brought Steve and Jan's gift, the digital voice recorder, in order to tape the concert, so I could remember the song order. A harsh voice behind me said "that looks like a digital voice recorder," a clear copyright infringement, apparently. I lamely explained that I had lost the instructions and had forgotten how to make it work. The fellow called his boss and they skeptically listened to the recorder to verify that I had told the truth, and returned it with an order to put it away. I asked if photography was a copyright infringement, and the fellow said no, "within reason."

Kylie had three - four? - encores to satisfy the roaring applause. Kylie did a favorite thing, pointing out people in the audience for special mention for their campy wear, particularly highlighting one girl who, for the evening, wore the white hoodlike wrap that Kylie wore in the 2002 video 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head.' Kylie said "Bris-Vegas, You Didn't Let Me Down!" (people here call the city Bris-Vegas when it gets very hot, but Kylie meant the city was hot, in a second, sexy sense - nothing works like flattery, as they say!) Kylie also thanked the audience for their patience and sang 'Especially For You,' in commemoration.

Afterwards, I bought a bag, two programs, and two T-Shirts for a shocking cost of $135 AU. Then I bought an ice cream cone for $4.50 AU, but the girl got distracted, thinking I had given her $20 when I had given her $5, and gave me back $15. Normally, I would have called her attention to it, but feeling a bit stripped already, I pocketed the change.