During her European tour, Kylie Minogue, the Pop Goddess of Love captured the full concert experience for her stateside fans and the result is her latest release — a joyful, live and fully realized exploration off her latest album “Golden”.
It’s been some time since Kylie Minogue asked her fans to join her and do “The Loco-Motion”. Her 80s remake of the Little Eva hit single from 1962, put her on the stateside map, at about the same time that her contemporaries including Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince were solidifying their Pop Icon status and burning up the airwaves on the then revolutionary new network MTV. Minogue appeared undoubtedly poised to enter into the new wave of music video rebellion; her gorgeous looks and charismatic charm were unquestionable, but the singer didn’t have the instant appeal that might have been anticipated.
In fact, even though she had some considerable success on the Billboard Charts with the aforementioned track, the follow-ups hit which included “I Should Be So Lucky” and “Got to Be Certain” were only marginally appreciated by North American audiences, and her next albums would hardly make an impact here, unlike the impression Minogue would continue to make on the international scene, and her indelible impact on Euro-Pop and Dance. Kylie Minogue’s star would continue to soar especially with the help of super producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman who would benefit from their muse, to elevate Kylie to an electronic-pop-synth icon on the Euro-Dance circuit.
If anyone needs any proof or Kylie Minogue’s relevancy all you have to do is pick up the recently re-issued Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection which has been re-introduced in a 3-disc set with a non-stop party mix of Minogue’s greatest hits. The package covers about 50 hit singles that span the artist’s 3 decades in music. Brining us to her latest release Golden: Live in Concert and available on CD and Digital Download, as well as a CD/DVD combo pack with the full-length concert captured during its 2018 UK and European tour dates, where Kylie played to record attendance.
The Concert CD/DVD
Say what will be said about Kylie Minogue, she has earned her place and dominance on the pop spectrum largely due to her eloquence as a live performer. Minogue, who got her start in the business appearing in one of the UK/Australia’s most popular soap operas, immediately turned her notoriety and talent to music and the result speaks for itself. Her career as a musician has run the gamut, but she’s proven her merciless skill as an entertainer and drawn many enviable comparisons to Madonna for her eloquence on the stage. Minogue has the one distinct advantage over many of her contemporaries — she can sing her ass off! And she does!
Her vocal acumen evident on the live recording captured for the live concert recording. The setlist primarily celebrates her most recent, fourteenth full-length album project, 2018s Golden which was a particular departure from her usually dance-heavy sound. The album was mostly recorded in Nashville, Tennessee (which some material also recorded in Los Angeles and London) and was heavily influenced by country sounds and much more organic instrumentation. Minogue benefitted from the “streamlining” of her synth-sound and successfully fused genres for a unique marriage. The result is a very pure sound with Minogue’s vocals playfully sliding across playfully.
The “Golden” Tour also gave the artist to try something that she’s very rarely examined while on the road, as she re-arranged many of her greatest hits to more seamlessly sit in properly with the tracks from Golden. Having the band mostly on stage and integrated into the performance also lent to some truly spectacular renditions of Kylie career favorites. Some stand-outs include the fan-favorite “Better the Devil You Know”, her a cappella rendition of “Where the Wild Roses Grow” and rollicking reimagines of “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”. The setlist works expertly to mix new with the old, and it’s especially a kick when Minogue goes full-on disco in the final act of the show.
Along with the full audio recording of the 30-some songs on the setlist, the combo pack also includes a DVD capturing the live show from most of her final show dates as Kylie roamed through the UK, Europe and Australia. The decision to (as yet) not release the tour on Blu-ray or an HD Digital Download is interesting, but it serves the nostalgic quality of the tours overall art direction. With the advent of attendees often capturing the action on their cellphones, it’s all good! The DVD includes a “Bonus Feature” introspective look at the touring experience from Kylie and her crew, who share some insight on this journey and how significant it was for them to bring “Golden” to life for the stage.
Kylie Minogue | Golden: Live in Concert is released through BMG and is available on CD/DVD combo packs and on Digital Download here on iTunes for $10.99.