Katy Perry with Robyn
August 7, 2011
Nokia Theatre
When you're at a concert there are events that occur, usually in some sequence, that make you hyper-aware of where you are.
When the teenybopper behind you starts shrieking/crying/furiously texting because she's just spotted Perez Hilton next to you at Will Call–well, that's when you know you're in Los Angeles.
And when–only moments after Robyn has finished her set with a entrancingly breathy “Thank you, Los Angeles”–the crowd converges on one point and you hear excited titterings of “Is that Russell Brand?” and, as he passes and takes his spot less than 10 feet from you, you realize that it's not just Brand, but Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes (who I watched dance to Perry's cover of Willow Smith's “Whip My Hair”, thank you very much)–well, that's when you realize you've entered the Twilight Zone.
Holy shit. Fortunately, if there's something both Katy Perry and Robyn know well, it's how to keep you watching them with unwavering focus (despite whatever A-listers may be awkwardly jigging in front of you).
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For her part, Robyn, clad in a skin-tight body suit with black and
blue embellishments that looked almost skeletal at some angles,
energetically whipped around the stage as strobe lights broke up her
wild movements. The stage had been outfitted rather minimally for her
set, leaving her to work with some lights that did little to mask how
shockingly bubblegum pink the curtain behind her was (this is, as they
say, Perry's party). The entire Nokia Theatre reflected the theme–
pink lights illuminated the merchandise (where candy-clad tots and teens
could purchase glowing cotton candy for $10 in addition to a variety of
Perry tees). Fans of all ages donned blue wigs for the event and mulled
about, chattering excitedly about the pink clouds, candy staircase, and
other glimpses of Perry's candyland that was just visible behind the
curtain. The overall effect was akin to what a Willy Wonka oompa loompa
reunion might resemble–but with far more pink.
Despite
the Victoria Secret commercial unfolding around her, Robyn didn't let
the decor (or the fans' chatter) waver her commitment–she kept her
energy high the entire evening, bounding around the stage, limbs
flailing and legs contorting, even when she joined the fray as one of
Perry's dancers (at least, I think it was her–or it was the most
convincing Robyn-doppleganger in existence).
the Victoria Secret commercial unfolding around her, Robyn didn't let
the decor (or the fans' chatter) waver her commitment–she kept her
energy high the entire evening, bounding around the stage, limbs
flailing and legs contorting, even when she joined the fray as one of
Perry's dancers (at least, I think it was her–or it was the most
convincing Robyn-doppleganger in existence).
Most
fans began to trickle in during the beginning of Robyn's set, and I got
to my seat as the scattered electronic beat for “Cobrastyle” began to
emanate from the stage (though I think the evening kicked off with
“Fembots”). The lights dimmed and the stage was suddenly bathed in navy
blue light, and Robyn's radio-smash “Dancing On My Own” filled the
stadium, shaking fans out of their seats. Seemingly pained, Robyn
mimicked the dance moves in her music video, emotionally pleading with
the listener, begging for forgiveness in her soprano. “Yeah, I know it's
stupid–I just gotta see it for myself,” she gasped in her girly Swedish accent. It sounded remarkably like the radio version–but with far more force.
fans began to trickle in during the beginning of Robyn's set, and I got
to my seat as the scattered electronic beat for “Cobrastyle” began to
emanate from the stage (though I think the evening kicked off with
“Fembots”). The lights dimmed and the stage was suddenly bathed in navy
blue light, and Robyn's radio-smash “Dancing On My Own” filled the
stadium, shaking fans out of their seats. Seemingly pained, Robyn
mimicked the dance moves in her music video, emotionally pleading with
the listener, begging for forgiveness in her soprano. “Yeah, I know it's
stupid–I just gotta see it for myself,” she gasped in her girly Swedish accent. It sounded remarkably like the radio version–but with far more force.
Interest began to
wane after Robyn performed her hit, but the blonde bombshell, not to be
deterred, kicked up the heat with “We Dance To the Beat” off Body Talk Pt. 2 during which she–seductively and slowly, while hopping around on stage–peeled and ate a banana (what?).
wane after Robyn performed her hit, but the blonde bombshell, not to be
deterred, kicked up the heat with “We Dance To the Beat” off Body Talk Pt. 2 during which she–seductively and slowly, while hopping around on stage–peeled and ate a banana (what?).
With
interest reinvigorated (what will she eat next–an apple?), the
floors (and fans) vibrated to “Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do,” where
Robyn headbanged, “Indestructible” where Robyn fist-pumped and “Call
Your Girlfriend” where Robyn rolled around on the floor. The lights
flashed and the pop star, crazed and breathless, got to her feet and
exited–sure to one day fill stadiums entirely of her own accord. Perry later mentioned while admiring Robyn's dance moves that it was her last
night on California Dreams tour.
interest reinvigorated (what will she eat next–an apple?), the
floors (and fans) vibrated to “Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do,” where
Robyn headbanged, “Indestructible” where Robyn fist-pumped and “Call
Your Girlfriend” where Robyn rolled around on the floor. The lights
flashed and the pop star, crazed and breathless, got to her feet and
exited–sure to one day fill stadiums entirely of her own accord. Perry later mentioned while admiring Robyn's dance moves that it was her last
night on California Dreams tour.
The curtain rose and the audience was confronted with a stage decked out to
resemble the “California Gurls” music video. For decor so sweet, the
show itself was, surprisingly, not PG–Perry made coy references to
underage drinking, pot, sex, partying, underage drinking, and more pot
throughout the evening.
After a short video intro
(there was a video story Perry had crafted to connect her songs that she
played throughout set and costume changes to keep the audience
interested), Perry appeared on stage, costumed in a
glittering red dress speckled with twirling candy cane mints (costume
count: 1. Bear with us folks, it's gonna be a long night).
Appropriately, the fans went crazy, and the speakers responded by
drowning out cheers with “Teenage Dream.”
(there was a video story Perry had crafted to connect her songs that she
played throughout set and costume changes to keep the audience
interested), Perry appeared on stage, costumed in a
glittering red dress speckled with twirling candy cane mints (costume
count: 1. Bear with us folks, it's gonna be a long night).
Appropriately, the fans went crazy, and the speakers responded by
drowning out cheers with “Teenage Dream.”
After
the ditty, Perry, ever-lovably adorable, introduced her friend “Slot”
(Robyn–or the Robyn doppleganger–dressed as a slot machine) and
they both rained gold coins on the crowd. As “Waking up in Vegas”
began, Perry demanded in her creamy alto that listeners, “shut up and
put your money where your mouth is,” jiggling and wiggling her bottom
around stage as she chased after an elusive Slot.
the ditty, Perry, ever-lovably adorable, introduced her friend “Slot”
(Robyn–or the Robyn doppleganger–dressed as a slot machine) and
they both rained gold coins on the crowd. As “Waking up in Vegas”
began, Perry demanded in her creamy alto that listeners, “shut up and
put your money where your mouth is,” jiggling and wiggling her bottom
around stage as she chased after an elusive Slot.
After
a quick disappearance and a reappearance in a frilly, sparkly blue
number (costume count: 2), Perry performed cleverly-penned slow jam “Ur
So Gay” (“I hope you hang yourself with your H&M scarf/while jacking
off listening to Mozart”) before begging two mimes (LOL) to let her
have a bite of their brownie.
a quick disappearance and a reappearance in a frilly, sparkly blue
number (costume count: 2), Perry performed cleverly-penned slow jam “Ur
So Gay” (“I hope you hang yourself with your H&M scarf/while jacking
off listening to Mozart”) before begging two mimes (LOL) to let her
have a bite of their brownie.
After making a face she responded by giggling and goofily waving her hands in front of her face:”Well, that must be … homemade!”
The
crowd screamed (“Yeah! Marijuana!” — more lols) and Perry laughed,
scurried off stage and reentered as a sexy green-and-purple peacock
(costume count: 3). That lasted until the end of the “Peacock” number,
when Perry swapped it out for a less revealing green dress with yellow
and red feather boas to kick off a slow rendition of “Kissed a Girl”
(costume count: 4).
crowd screamed (“Yeah! Marijuana!” — more lols) and Perry laughed,
scurried off stage and reentered as a sexy green-and-purple peacock
(costume count: 3). That lasted until the end of the “Peacock” number,
when Perry swapped it out for a less revealing green dress with yellow
and red feather boas to kick off a slow rendition of “Kissed a Girl”
(costume count: 4).
There were numerous
impressive numbers throughout the evening; “E.T.” erupted over
the pitch-black stadium as stylized phosphorescent lyrics ran on the wall behind the diva, matching her (costume count: 5,
Perry is in a black, bedazzled leotard); the heartbreaking “Thinking of You” where a
pink, rose-clad Perry shed a glittery white robe and climbed atop a
fluffy flying cloud (also pink) that gently carried her to the center of
the stadium so that, in her own words “no ones gonna feel left out”
(costume count: 6 and 7); “Hot N Cold,” which was a testament to the
thought the songstress had put into the sheer spectacle of it all, as
she changed not once, but five times in the span of five minutes
into assorted candy-themed garb (costume count: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12); and
closing numbers “Firework” and “California Gurls” (costume count: 13,
14) which, in addition to displaying the Santa Barbara native's powerful
vocals and range, featured actual fireworks (cue more shrieking),
rose-colored heart-shaped confetti that fell from the stadium ceiling
and a whip-cream cannon that a chipper and bubbly Perry unleashed on the
crowd.
impressive numbers throughout the evening; “E.T.” erupted over
the pitch-black stadium as stylized phosphorescent lyrics ran on the wall behind the diva, matching her (costume count: 5,
Perry is in a black, bedazzled leotard); the heartbreaking “Thinking of You” where a
pink, rose-clad Perry shed a glittery white robe and climbed atop a
fluffy flying cloud (also pink) that gently carried her to the center of
the stadium so that, in her own words “no ones gonna feel left out”
(costume count: 6 and 7); “Hot N Cold,” which was a testament to the
thought the songstress had put into the sheer spectacle of it all, as
she changed not once, but five times in the span of five minutes
into assorted candy-themed garb (costume count: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12); and
closing numbers “Firework” and “California Gurls” (costume count: 13,
14) which, in addition to displaying the Santa Barbara native's powerful
vocals and range, featured actual fireworks (cue more shrieking),
rose-colored heart-shaped confetti that fell from the stadium ceiling
and a whip-cream cannon that a chipper and bubbly Perry unleashed on the
crowd.
And that's when it hit me: Katy Perry– even stripped of all the candy, smoke and mirrors–has perfected
the art of performance. She kept up a dialogue with the audience
throughout, saying, “there's one thing I know about LA–we like to
party”, “The West Coast is the best coast” and
“How's my hometown doing tonight?” and “I'm still normal … I'm not normal” (uh, whoops?),
even bringing a horde of fans on stage to dance with her. “I don't know
what kind of brownie that was … but I feel magical,” she sighed
(someone get this girl an acting gig, stat).
the art of performance. She kept up a dialogue with the audience
throughout, saying, “there's one thing I know about LA–we like to
party”, “The West Coast is the best coast” and
“How's my hometown doing tonight?” and “I'm still normal … I'm not normal” (uh, whoops?),
even bringing a horde of fans on stage to dance with her. “I don't know
what kind of brownie that was … but I feel magical,” she sighed
(someone get this girl an acting gig, stat).
As
“Big Pimpin'” closed, the popstar accidentally turned to the audience and began to thank them before the music had finished. “Fuck!” she
exclaimed, turning shamefaced back to her guitarist and apologizing. Then
she turned back to the audience, and
smilingly said, “I'm sure I'll get kicked out of Hollywood for that one.” Somehow,
we highly doubt it.
“Big Pimpin'” closed, the popstar accidentally turned to the audience and began to thank them before the music had finished. “Fuck!” she
exclaimed, turning shamefaced back to her guitarist and apologizing. Then
she turned back to the audience, and
smilingly said, “I'm sure I'll get kicked out of Hollywood for that one.” Somehow,
we highly doubt it.
Final Costume Count: 14, maybe 15 when accounting for human error.
Critic's Bias: I know all the words to “California Gurls”
Crowd: Cute kids, teens and adults dressed in bright, skin-tight clothing and wigs.
Overheard in the Crowd:
“Oh my god, we're less than 10 feet away!”
“Is that Katie Holmes?”
“Excuse me, are you Perez Hilton?”
“We love you, Katy!”
“Wow that girl (Robyn) is crazy …”
“Get a picture, mom! Get a picture!”
Random Notebook Dump: N/A,
but now my notebook has gin (see my last review) and whip cream on it
from Perry's cannon — guess it's time to make a cocktail?
but now my notebook has gin (see my last review) and whip cream on it
from Perry's cannon — guess it's time to make a cocktail?
Setlist:
Robyn's Setlist
(Fembots, maybe another ditty I missed?)
Cobrastyle
Dancing On My Own
We Dance to the Beat
Don't Fucking Tell Me What to Do
Indestructible
You Never Will Be Mine (with Rye Rye)
Call Your Girlfriend
Hang With Me
Katy Perry's Setlist
Teenage Dream
Hummingbird Heartbeat
Waking Up In Vegas
Ur So Gay
Peacock
I Kissed A Girl
Circle the Drain
E.T.
Who am I living For
Pearl
Not Like the Movies
Big Pimpin' (Jay Z cover)
Friday (Rebecca Black cover)
Whip My Hair (Willow Smith cover)
Thinking of You
Hot N Cold
T.G.I.F
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston cover)
Firework
California Gurls
