Popped a Miley - Bangerz Tour Review, Leeds UK 10/05/14

(Video Montage on Below Link)

http://instagram.com/p/n1TGT5OlZX/

Standing outside the First Direct Arena in Leeds in the pouring rain the first thing that struck me about this concert was the sheer masses of people waiting to see Miley. The crowds echoed scenes of Madonnas 90s Tour Documentary "In Bed With Madonna," which followed the superstar around as she took her tour all around the world at the peak of her career. Am I saying this is the peak of Miley's career? Time will tell. But considering the crowds were hysterical when the stewards just opened the door, if say it's not a bad sign of where this could go.

Looking around the arena (it was a very small standing area with a huge seating area) it was impossible to have a bad view. Balloons hovering overhead immediately invited us to the party we were about to be thrust into whether we liked it or not. There was a girl (maybe 14) beside me who was with her mum. I had a premonition of what was to come and was cringing in advance. We were pushed so close, throwing our hands to Miley throwbacks such as 'Party in the USA,' that at one point there was more hair in my mouth than the floor of a Teens en suite.

The lights went down and the screen boasted a close up of Miley's face, eyes rolling back in her head as a guitar riffed the start of the Bangerz opening track, 'SMS.' As a stage door opened (where Miley's mouth was) a huge tongue began to slither out the length of the stage as the crowds went wild. From here on we were on a ride on Miley's tongue and this was a journey you didn't want to get off.

Throughout the night the theme of Bangerz was more like Bonkerz, massive twerking statues of liberty and little people party posse. Along with an Abraham Lincoln lookalike (who Miley insinuated oral sex with) .. And this was only one section.

What set Miley apart was her thread of audience interaction and back and forth with the fans. She discussed how she was hungover from the night before, lifted things fans threw at her (a lot of bras) and played a game of "Are you sluttier than the USA?" Which I don't see catching on as a drinking game as it resulted in Miley spitting her water on the audience which was not as vulgar as some news stories had made it out to be it was a funny playful moment. (By the way, apparently we are sluttier.)

One thing to note is, strip away the fur, glittery cowboy boots, in fact be blind to the entire Bangerz experience, shut your eyes (and put you tongue back in your mouth) and listen to Miley sing. The girl is an incredible talent, no more stated throughout performances such as her acoustic set including two covers, 'Summertime Sadness,' and, 'Jolene' (a highlight of the night). No matter how headline grabbing her antics are, there's no doubt she deserves every bit the pop start status she has.

During 'Adore You,' Miley made her audience "Make Out," with the person beside them whenever they saw their face on screen. And Sweet Niblets (REFERENCE) Leeds didn't hold back, Miley even joked that there was more same sex smooching than at the gay club she'd performed in the night before.

In one of the more spectacular moments of the night Miley rode a massive hot dog (or wiener, to put into context the innuendo) and declared to the crowds below how she had, "the biggest fucking wiener in the entire UK!"

Obvious highlights came from her more bigger hits when she performed not one, but two encores -not bad with a hangover! 'We Can't Stop/Wrecking Ball,' ending with 'Party In The USA,' it was easy to forget the amount of smash hits Miley has especially as the crowd sang along just as passionately to the album tracks as they did the hits.

It was refreshing how Miley didn't seem to have a motive, she wasn't preaching to her audience like a church unlike some pop stars nowadays there was no subliminal message of self belief or hope (although 'On My Own,' was a #PussyPower moment for sisters doing it for themselves) Miley came across as funny, sweet, extremely humble and incredibly cool. To me, she was like that one cousin you always looked up to, said the most inappropriate at your Nan's dinner table and had no apologies for it. I can't wait to see what Miley does next and hope that this is only the beginning.


8/10


Setlist
SMS
4x4
Love Money Party
My Darlin'
Maybe You're Right
FU
Do My Thang
#GetItRight
Can't Be Tamed
Adore You
Drive
Rooting For My Baby
Summertime Sadness
Jolene
23
On My Own
Someone Else
We Can't Stop
Wrecking Ball
Party In The USA

Katy Perry: Prismatic World Tour. Review Opening Night, Belfast

(Video Montage's in Instagram Links)

Video Montage 1

Video Montage 2

Video Montage 3

Following Katy's fall from the proverbial Cloud 9 towards the end of her ironically titled California Dreams Tour towards the end of 2011, she was quoted saying how things were about to get "a whole lot darker," although following her Prism album campaign she spoke of how once it came to writing the album she decided to, "let the light in," experiencing a "prismatic moment," she brought this vision alive across the opening night of The Prismatic World Tour in Belfast.

The production is anything but basic, with more Fireworks than a Gatsby Party on speed, LED lights and lasers, jam packed with amazing video backdrops bursting with colour from start to finish which I can only liken to a rainbow having an orgasm the promise of anything "darker" from Katy was long gone. And it was obvious she had found her pot of Gold at the end of the Irish Rainbow as she was unveiled in the booming entrance 'Roar,' shaking the Odyssey Arena showing it off as every bit the smash hit anthem it is.

Flowing into 'Part of Me,' and a puncher Dance Mix of the previously sleepy, sorrowful 'Wide Awake,' it was clear that Katy was standing in front of the 10,000 strong audience projecting an image of Katy 4.0, a stronger, more confident woman. 'I Am Katy, hear me Roar.'

The "Katy Patra" section completely embodied the Egyptian spirit inspired by the Dark Horse video complete with her own pyramid in the form of the huge LED screen backdrop taking us on a journey to worship at the goddesses feet. The crowd went wild the minute the music for 'Dark Horse,' vibrated throughout the arena. However one of the notable highlights of the night came from 'E.T,' carrying on the hypnotic, mystical Egyptian theme as the crowd led Kanye's intro and threw their hands back and forth throughout Katy's verses as the song came to the breakdown Katy was put on a harness and rose metres above stage as though being abducted before screaming, 'Sing it for me!' Before her Katycat choir led the final chorus, '...Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me,' rocked the audience right into the classic I Kissed A Girl (gone was the reworked Burlesque version, keeping that for Hot n Cold.)

A moment in the night which left audiences feeling a little less W.O.W and more W.T.F was the video interlude into the "Cat-oure," section following Kitty Purry (a fun, feline alter ego of Katy's) as she sashayed her way around Kittywood. Onto Hot n Cold and International Smile it became obvious during the Literal cat walk Vogue moment Katy was having fun with the audiences as her dancers and the lady herself were fighting back their laughter as she plunged "Milk" on a pull string over herself in a "Flashdance" inspired moment.

Following on from this the massive arena production was quickly changed to an intimate, acoustic and raw moment for Katy to interact with fans during her acoustic set. A massive sheet was unveiled above the Prismatic section covered in a sunflower pattern, along with on stage props of sunflower chairs and mic stand. The mood changed to uplifting, and electrically emotional as the instrumental for the dark ballad "By The Grace of God," Katy walked towards the acoustic stage dawning a silver veiled poncho over a beautifully simple flowing gown complete with butterflies floating above to add to the hypnotic garden onstage. Katy addressed the audience about how important it was for her to have experienced a place whilst on tour to avoid the often impersonal "Hello Belfast!" Address before offering a Pint of Tenants (which arrived alongside her guitar) as an obvious wink to Irish culture to a giddy audience member. Katy then said she was going to "do some sad songs now, but for the record, we got through all that stuff haven't we? And we got through it together," a simple acknowledgement of her obvious past heartache but obvious appreciation of her fans support before bursting into 'The One That Got Away/Thinking of You' and 'Unconditionally.'

Katy's dancers helped lift the mood up to 100 again as a 90s Dance Megamix boomed across the arena, a medley of greats including classics such as Show Me Love and Finally before bursting into the ponytail twirling Fan Favourite, 'Walking on Air,' in which Katy did just that, over the heads of fans in The Prismatic Section and into her slick choreography at the other side of the stage. 'It Takes Two,' punctured the dizzy heights of the mood only for a minute before the utterly bonkers rendition of 'This Is How We Do/TGIF,' took over the arena complete with floating emojis (a nod to the Roar lyric video.)

Katy began to draw the tour to a close with the best Video Interlude of the night showing her in a 'White Room,' restrained in a straight jacket before becoming released and getting covered in paint (the colour explosion was prevalent throughout the night) during a dub step breakdown before erupting into the anthem that is 'Teenage Dream,' 'California Gurls,' and ending on the soon to be smash, 'Birthday.'

'Birthday,' sent audiences into a frenzy as Katy asked, 'Whose Birthday is it tonight?' Before inviting a rather shy looking guest onstage to sit upon the top Tier of her Cake Throne, following a lap dance of the lucky lad (no doubt popping his confetti) she moved towards a set of Big Ba-loons which went on to become like a spectacular deleted scene from the movie 'Up,' as Katy flew above the audiences holding onto nothing else but these balloons.

The night drew to a close with the self empowering celebration track that is Firework which drew couples, Katycats and outcasts together to sing, and believe that, "Baby you're a Firework!" The stage literally exploded with lasers, lights, fireworks and confetti as Katy said her last goodbyes.

The selfish Katycat inside of me hoped she'd have ended with an encore of Roar, but if that is my only complaint of the night, you can imagine how damn good it is. So Katycats or casual fans when you get the chance to see the Prismatic World Tour (it's a yes or a no, not maybe -REFERENCE) Make sure to take you Vitamin B12 to be able to cope with amount of energy packed inside the visual feast of a show and get ready to reacquaint yourself with Katy Perry, the undisputed Colourful Pop Rock Queen.

10/10

(With the amazing Johnny Wujek, Katy's Costume Designer)

Setlist; 
Roar
Part of Me
Wide Awake

Dark Horse
E.T
Legendary Lovers
I Kissed a Girl

Hot N Cold
International Smile/Vogue

By The Grace of God
The One That Got Away/Thinking Of You
Double Rainbow/Ghost
Unconditionally

Dance Megamix
Walking On Air
This Is How We Do/TGIF

Teenage Dream
California Gurls
Birthday

Firework