Kylie and Blue Man Group

Last weekend was a concert-full weekend. Kylie Minogue on Friday and Blue Man Group on Saturday.

The Geneva Arena isn't a very big concert venue. I reckon it holds about 5,000 people altogether, maybe a bit more, with half of it seated places. We got tickets for the standing area (sitting at a concert? no fuckin way!) and wandered into Arena about half an hour before the concert started. I was quite surprised at how big and intruding the stage was. It took more than 2/3 of the standing area in the Arena, which didn't leave much space to be standing around. But we settled on a place a bit in the back.

Kylie came out at 20.30 and the whole show was fantastic. Emphasis on the word "show" as it's more of a show than a concert. Not just Kylie changed clothes every other song, also the backdrop and floor of the stage changes did. Backed by a band of 9 (drums, keys, guitar, bass, two backing vocals, three horns) and about 8 or 10 dancers, the show was just pure and plain energy. It was tack as well as it was catering Kylie's inner fanbase - the gay audience.

Some songs were re-arranged, some were sung like they are, everybody could still sing and dance to her songs. She sang most from her latest album, but some good oldies as well.

As it was her birthday a couple of days before, I got to sing Happy Birthday to Kylie (along with everyone else in Arena). Hey, not everyone get to sing Happy Birthday to Kylie directly...

Anyway, she finished the concert with I Should Be So Lucky and I was feeling very lucky to have seen that concert. A great show.

The day after it was Blue Man Group. This wasn't a concert, in reality it was more of a theatrical show. I have one of their albums and saw them appear on Jay Leno once on telly but I didn't have an idea what they would do. It was actually like a musical, but with a big theme surrounding the music that was played.

These guys were great, playing instruments invented by the original Blue Man Group. Also very interactive with the audience. They played some great songs and some great covers (I Feel Love, Baba O'Riley).

I don't think they can beat Kylie (well, how can 3 blue men beat Kylie in any shape or form?) but it was very entertaining.

The first shows of this summer are behind me. Up next, Caribana!