Concert Review: Kylie Minogue - More Than Just A Residency, Voltaire Las Vegas
I am so happy I got to attend the final weekend of Kylie Minogue's Las Vegas residency at Voltaire in The Venetian. It was everything a Kylie fan could dream of and more! After a nightmarish ticket purchase last summer, I finally found myself sitting at one of the best tables at Voltaire, sipping Kylie's non-alcoholic rosé and munching on ice cream and caviar, eagerly waiting for the pop icon to grace the stage.
The evening kicked off with Belle de Nuit, Voltaire's campy opening act that didn't disappoint with its acrobats, pole dancers, and lipsync numbers. But the real pre-show thrill came just before Kylie appeared—Janet Jackson walked in, sending a wave of excitement through the crowd! Seeing these two legends (and two of my favorite artists!) in one room was surreal! I was supposed to see Janet the following day at the Lovers & Friends Festival, which ultimately was canceled, so at least I got to enjoy Kylie with Janet sitting a few feet away from me!
Kylie didn't just perform; she owned the night. From the moment she stepped onto the stage, it was clear this would be an unforgettable show. Her setlist was a perfect mix of nostalgia and new hits, starting with a campy trio of "Light Years," "Supernova," and "Your Disco Needs You." Her energy was infectious, and the excitement grew as she ran onto the catwalk for "Vegas High", the tailor-made for the residency track from her latest album "Tension".
The intimacy of the venue allowed Kylie to connect with her fans like never before. She made eye contact, sang directly to fans, and even jumped on the tables for "Spinning Around"! I also joined in with the dancers on their train during "The Loco-Motion"! I had several 'eye-lock' moments with her during the show, but she especially noticed our group body rolling during the perfect Steve Anderson "Love To Love You Baby" arrangement of "Slow", one of my absolute favorite Kylie songs.
Kylie's performance was more than just a showcase of her musical journey; it was a celebration of her versatility and charisma. Other highlights of the evening included the euphoric "Hold On To Now," the dramatic "Confide In Me" and a beautiful sing-along moment to Elvis' "Can't Help Falling In Love."
The encore was a fitting finale, with the latest hit "Padam Padam" leading into the infectious "Can't Get You Out Of My Head," and culminating with "Love At First Sight." It was a perfect end to the joyful 75-minute set. It was an unforgettable night and definitely a personal highlight of my concert-going experiences. It was a VERY expensive night, but absolutely worth it for the chance to be so close to pop royalty and share such beautiful moments in such a unique setting. The residency is over for now...so bring on the tour!
Setlist:
- Light Years
- Your Disco Needs You
- Come Into My World
- Vegas High
- In Your Eyes
- Get Outta My Way
- Slow
- Hold On To Now
- Can't Help Falling In Love
- Tension
- Confide In Me
- Spinning Around
- The Locomotion
- All The Lovers
- Padam Padam
- Can't Get You Out Of My Head
- Love At First Sight
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On April 19th, Webster Hall was filled with “FLO Lifers” eagerly awaiting the UK girl group FLO who are currently embarking on their “FLO Live” tour. Formed 2019, FLO consists of Jorja Douglas, Renee Downer, & Stella Quaresma. The group’s style distinctly derives from R&B and Hip-Hop from the 1990’s and early 2000s. For a more in-depth analysis FLO’s sound and trajectory watch here (https://youtu.be/i18hpBoW4EU)/ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i18hpBoW4EU" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Before FLO took the stage, Samaria, an Oakland R&B singer, opened the show. Samaria started with a simple backdrop featuring her name, keys, and drums. The audience seemed familiar with her music and if they were not, they were supportive and living in the moment. Samaria interacted with the audience well and related to them on the basis of terrible ex's and a journey through a toxic relationship. Samaria’s songs had interesting cadences, but what was missing for us was backing vocals on the track to delineate verses from choruses. After doing some research we found that the “Out of the Way” singer has a sound also inspired by 00s R&B, with a some tracks tracks full of fun guitar licks and drum patterns reminiscent of Timbaland, but none of those instruments were present in her performance. Her backline consisted of a keyboardist and a drummer. Although Samaria sounded good, at times the keyboard’s volume was overpowering. She worked the stage, nonetheless and good job. 7.5 out of 10 ! ()SCORE
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https://www.instagram.com/samaria/?hl=en
Next up was the much-anticipated FLO, and the girls opened with "Not My Job." They were all dressed in black with cute cutouts, and their outfits were shimmery (I love sparkle!) which was a welcome change from their wardrobe at the MOBO awards. Their faces were beat (we love a “natural glam”),
their vocals were tight, and their choreography was utilized well to highlight grooves. The chemistry between the girls was undeniable, and their vocal blend was seamless— absolutely chill-inducing. Jorja's thick vocal tone took the songs to a soulful place, and Stella's airy delivery allowed her to float at the top of the group's harmonies. Renee's smooth, warm alto voice added a coolness to their sound and gained a lot more stability in live singing. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention FLO’s band! The band consisted of some past schoolmates, which added another layer of charm to the whole set!
The absolute highlight of the show was "Losing You” In this live arrangement, the girls emoted and connected with the audience on a deeper level. Chris loved harmonized adlibs, brand new bridge and extra outdo including a guitar solo. As a special treat, FLO performed a cover of Jamelia's version of "Superstar" by Christine Militon. Even though a majority of the NYC crowd had no clue who Jamelia was and didn't know the song, the girls did teach the chorus before singing the song, so some fans were able to follow along. Chris and I certainly knew the song and even received compliments on synchronized impromptu choreography.
Speaking of choreo…
The girls' choreography was something we were curious to see, and they did not disappoint. They danced well, and they were given grooves as opposed to sharp movements that really complemented each member's personal style. In terms of technique, they aren’t K-pop idols so we weren’t expecting crazy formations and “point dances,” but you can tell they put in the work to provide another layer of entrainment to the experience. There was even some chair-ography for their performance of "Change," a new track about a lover's inability to "do the work" necessary to improve the condition of the relationship.
The girls did perform their latest single, "Fly Girl" ft Missy Elliot, and although Missy Elliot was present in the audience, she did not join the performance.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/flolikethis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@flolikethis</a> big up to Flo out here in the states on the road working hard! Keep doing yall thizzzzle!!!🔥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flygirl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Flygirl</a>💇🏾♀️💃🏾💅🏾 <a href="https://t.co/Qtgr2f2KBl">pic.twitter.com/Qtgr2f2KBl</a></p>— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) <a href="https://twitter.com/MissyElliott/status/1649101483621728272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Fans (the FLO Lifers) were absolutely living their best lives! They knew all the words to FLO’s songs—the BGV's and the ad-libs. It was a room full of genuine love and screams! FLO closed the night with their debut single, "Cardboard Box," and this performance featured a heavenly bridge section.
Overall, the show was good, and for this to be the group's first headlining tour, we were impressed with the girls’ improvement from performances like the MOBO Awards, where nerves played a noticeable factor. FLO is worth the hype for sure, and we cannot wait to see the new era of girl groups being led by FLO. For their NYC debut, we rate them a 9 out of 10! FLO Lifers left Webster Hall with unforgettable memories and high expectations for FLO's future performances.