All hail Kylie: Mighty Aphrodite

MANILA, Philippines - The lights were dim at the Big Dome, remnants of electro dance music from the DJ’s opening set had just vanished, then a voice on the speakers asked: ‘Can you feel me on the stereo?” Suddenly, the screen behind the Grecian pillars onstage was illuminated with images of giant half-naked men synchronized swimming in the sea. Then in true Aphrodite fashion, a life-sized golden seashell rose above the platform, and perched on it was Kylie.

With that, thousands of fags, hags, fanboys and fangirls screamed.The two-hour spectacle, loosely based on Greek mythology’s legendary goddess of beauty, served copious amounts of drama, flesh and sparkle. Chiselled seraphins in mid-air? Check. A chariot pulled by men? Check. Scantily clad nymphs in flowing robes? Check. Kylie riding Pegasus? Check. Visually, it was Cirque du Soleil meets Moulin Rouge. They milked the Greek fantasy to the hilt. Not that her fans were complaining.

Gay pride meets Varekai: The Kylie Minogue Aphrodite tour experience. Photos by VICTOR BASA, JUDE BAUTISTA, and WILBROS LIVE

Adding the final touch to an already jaw-dropping production were her Dolce & Gabbana frocks. From her mighty Aphrodite-inspired ensemble at the start to a chainmail dress rumored to have been modeled after Jane Fonda’s dress in Barbarella, a top hat and a humongous feather skirt, an asymmetric Bacofoil gown that reflected every color possible, Swarovski-studded sky high heels and many more. Also making an appearance was her ’80s throwback ensemble: big teased hair, tiny denim shorts, a ripped white tank top, and what appeared to be the fluffiest feather bolero ever.

The 25-song set list sated fans’ appetites and bridged whole generations, with just the right mixture of nostalgic and current hits. She performed songs from her 11th studio album (the namesake of the tour), and the quintessential Kylie classics, some with a twist: A seductive, jazzy version of Slow, a rock n’ roll tinged Can’t Get You Out of My Head, and a disco infused encore of On A Night Like This. There was a bopping Love at First Sight/ Can’t Beat The Feeling mash-up, a nostalgia-inducing rendition of Better The Devil You Know and of course, her vintage hit Locomotion. Her closer for the evening was a haunting production of All The Lovers, with her dancers mimicking the pile of lovers in the video, and four couples doing acrobatics in mid-air, which ended with a confetti bomb of golden glitter. But the highlight of the show for most Pinoys was an unexpected surprise.

“So I did a little research before I came here because I normally ask if anyone has a request,” she announced. “And we’re gonna do something we’ve never done before.” She just said the magic words. “You’re gonna sing the duet parts.” And then…

“Especially for you…”

The entire Coliseum’s hands went up in the air as they sang, no, yelled out Jason Donovan’s lines, which have been (for some, forcibly), embedded into Pinoy’s collective memory, thanks to a recent cover by a popular acoustic group. A quick check on her Asian Tour set list proved that she was going off-script. Aphrodite just cast a spell of love, yet again.

In a music industry filled with over-the-top divas who seem intent on dethroning Madonna, Kylie’s ultimate feat is staying relevant all throughout an almost three decade-long career. This career saw her morph from a big-haired novelty singer in the ’80s to a ’90s showgirl, an electro-dance diva in the new millennium, and finally, a goddess. No meltdowns on TMZ, kissing girls, public spats with boytoys, or feuds with the Catholic Church. She is the vampy sex kitten with cute girl-next-door undertones, traits that endear her to men and women — gay and straight — alike.

“I can’t believe it’s my first time here (in Manila)!” Kylie exclaimed at one point, and she proceeded to slap her bum as she chastised herself saying, “Naughty, naughty.” We couldn’t believe it either. No one will be able to get her out of their heads for a while, and we hope she wows Manila again soon. That night, there was no Madonna and there was no Lady Gaga. There was only Kylie.

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With The Philippine STAR as one of the media partners, “Kylie Minogue Live in Manila” concert was presented by Pond’s Flawless White and organized by Wilbros Live and Master Mind.