Kylie Minogue madness at Hyde Park in London

ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS: Kylie Minogue was headliner at marathon British Summertime Festival in London’s Hyde Park. Photo: Courtesy of www.telegraph.co.uk

KYLIE
Opening Acts: Years & Years, Mika, Chic Featuring Nile Rodgers, & Grace Jones
Barclaycard Presents British Summertime at Hyde Park
London, United Kingdom
Sunday, June 21, 2015
www.Kylie.com

By Scott Harrah

It was a long day’s wait to see the Princess of Pop, Kylie Minogue, and her headlining live act in London’s Hyde Park as part of the British Summertime festival back on June 21, 2015. An estimated 60,000 fans started filling the park around 1pm (those with premium or VIP entry were let in at noon), but “Her Royal Ky-ness” (as one British newspaper nicknamed her) didn’t start her show until 8:30pm. Still, for Kylie fans, it was well worth the wait.

For this reviewer, seeing Kylie live in the U.K. (where fans appreciate her the most) was always a dream. I’ve seen her twice in New York, but I’d always wanted to see Our Kyles in London, a place where she’s bigger than Madonna (according to two guys from Manchester that were camped out next to us all day). British fans are indeed the maddest of all for La Minogue because, as a middle-aged man (there with his daughter, sporting a “Kylie and Jason” T-shirt) next to us explained, Australian native Kylie is considered an “honorary Brit” because her mother is from Wales, and the pint-sized Princess of Pop has been a superstar in the British Isles ever since the TV soap “Neighbours” started airing several times a day there in the late 1980s.

Kylie isn’t known for doing outdoor events much, other than a previous Hyde Park concert, “Proms in the Park,” and she was supposedly going to perform at the famous outdoor Glastonbury Festival 10 years ago, but had to cancel after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Glastonbury this wasn’t (thank God). It was more like “Kyliestock.” Our Kyles entered the stage sporting a rose-covered crown that looked similar to the official “Hyde Park” logo, and an ermine-trimmed robe, with a sparkly mini-dress underneath. She launched right into one of her biggest early hits, “Better the Devil You Know.” It was just what the crowd had been waiting for, and this was essentially a Kylie “greatest hits” package, a nonstop, energetic evening of the infectious songs that made her a legend.

WONDER FROM DOWN UNDER: Kylie in full Pop Princess regalia at Hyde Park concert. Photo: www.digitalspy.co.uk

The concert had all the usual touches of a live Kylie show: Dancers dressed as some type of power rangers, backup singers, a band, multimedia projections of the singer, with Jumbotrons so everyone could see the beloved singer. Those who caught her two North American tours, “KylieUSA2009” and “Aphrodite 2011” will remember the countless dancers, acrobats and other distractions. Although this was no scaled-down show, Kylie performed with a refreshing level of intimacy and crowd participation. Of course, this being fashion icon Kylie, there were numerous costume changes, and at one point she sashayed around in red thigh-high boots (with her trademark killer stiletto heels) and a matching sparkly dress.

THE LADY IN RED: Kylie sports some fabulous boots on stage. Photo: Pinterest/Instagram

Kylie performed most but not all of her golden oldies, from “In Your Eyes” to “On a Night Like This” to “Your Disco Needs You,” “Spinning Around,” “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” “In My Arms” to more recent tracks like “Get Outta My Way” and such early hits such as “Step Back in Time” and “The Loco-Motion.” When she sang “I Should Be So Lucky,” she was hoisted onto the shoulders of two security guys and went out into the crowd to greet her screaming fans.

CROWD-PLEASER: Kylie, hoisted by security staff, ventures out into the audience at Hyde Park. Photo: Scott Harrah

Whether Kylie was doing “Slow” or “Kids,” she was in fine voice, and her bubbly banter was a crowd-pleaser at all times. She also did her hit cover of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration,” plus a new version of Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes.”

STEP BACK IN TIME: Kylie performed nearly all her classic pop hits. Photo: www.VisitLondon.com

Toward the end of the show, Kylie apologized that she wouldn’t be able to perform too late because of a 10pm Hyde Park curfew due to “the neighbors.” This started a bit of crowd reaction in our section near the front of the stage as fans sang the theme song from “Neighbours” in unison, and eventually Kylie joined in the fun.

She ended the show with the anthemic “All the Lovers,” complete with projections of lovers of all types and phrases about marriage equality. For the encore, she performed “Into the Blue,” the hit single from the Kiss Me Once album. It’s easy to see why this multi-talented woman has been on top for nearly three decades. For her fans, we all hope Our Kyles will keep “Spinning Around” for years to come and, oh yes—do a North American tour. Kylie, your disco needs you—and so do your fans on the other side of the Atlantic, too.

Opening Acts Years & Years, Chic & Grace Jones

The highlights of the earlier opening acts included Mika (who is best known in the U.S. for a duet with Ariana Grande). One of the best of the newer acts was Years and Years, fronted by the golden-voiced Olly Armstrong. Years and Years has already had hits in the U.K. with “King” and “Desire” and the new album “Communion,” just released in the USA, has received rave reviews and is climbing up the charts. Years and Years has a funky synth-pop dance sound that will remind some of the Pet Shop Boys or Jimmy Somerville.

Chic, fronted by Nile Rodgers, performed an electrifying set of their classics “Le Freak,” “Good Times” and more. Rodgers moved the crowd by talking about beating cancer a few years back, and writing songs for everyone from Duran Duran to Diana Ross, Madonna and others. At the end of Chic’s show, they were joined on the stage by none other than pop star Sam Smith and U2’s The Edge. It was the hottest party in London indeed, right in Hyde Park.

Finally, Grace Jones played shortly before Kylie came on. At age 67, Miss Jones still looks amazing, especially when she ran around topless and half-naked, covered only in body paint and several silly outfits. While singing “Pull Up to the Bumper,” she jumped on top of a bouncer’s shoulders and worked her way through the crowd. At other times, she seemed more concerned about changing into tribal headdresses backstage than performing even a medley of her greatest hits. She even went on a rant about wanting to smoke a joint (and was vilified for doing so in the U.K. tabloids the next day). The lady made quite a name for herself in the gay disco scene in the 1970s and 1980s, but what Grace Jones was doing opening for Kylie in 2015 in the first place is anyone’s guess.

CAN’T GET HER OUTTA OUR HEADS: Kylie works the crowd. Photo: www.mirror.co.uk

FABULOUSLY LATE: Although the British Summertime concert doors opened around 1pm, fans waited (through various opening acts) for her 8:30pm show. Photo: Pinterest/Fropky.com

SPINNING AROUND: Kylie Minogue as seen on the huge screens in Hyde Park at British Summertime concert on June 21, 2015. Photo: Scott Harrah

WAITING FOR MINOGUE: ‘Kylie! Kylie! Kylie!’ screamed the crowd of thousands. Photo: Scott Harrah

HOLDING COURT: Pop Princess Kylie sings to her subjects. Photo: Kylie Minogue Instagram

Opening Acts: Years & Years, Chic Featuring Nile Rodgers & Grace Jones

RISING STARS YEARS & YEARS: Olly Armstrong performs hit song “King” from his brand-new album, “Companion.” Photo: Scott Harrah

GOOD TIMES: The legendary Nile Rodgers rocks out to one of the many Chic hits at British Summertime in Hyde Park, London. Nile Rodgers has written hit tracks for David Bowie, Madonna, Duran Duran & countless others. Photo: Scott Harrah

AHH…FREAK OUT! LE FREAK, C’EST CHIC: Sam Smith, U2’s The Edge & others jam on stage with Nile Rodgers & Chic. Photo: Scott Harrah

SLAVE TO THE RHYTHM: Ladies & gentlemen, Miss Grace Jones at Hyde Park, London. Photo: Courtesy of www.telegraph.co.uk