Kylie, Glasgow review: 'it's the chemistry'

The redoubtable Kylie Minogue opened the UK leg of her latest Tension tour in Glasgow suspended inside a diamond lighting effect. It’s the least her fans expect from the queen of pop theatre. The stats are this: two hours, 31 songs, seven costume changes/adaptions and somewhat less spectacle than her blockbusting tours of the Noughties. But the spirit is far more central to the Kylie experience and she brought her usual empathy and enthusiasm to the production, literally clapping with glee at the reaction from the capacity crowd.

Her ability to swirl through such a wham-bam setlist in spiked heels is all the more impressive as she nudges 40 years in showbusiness but it’s the interpersonal chemistry that gives a Kylie show its signature humanity. Yes, the outfits are flashy, not least the electric blue PVC number with which she rubbed against her Kafkaesque masked dancers, but once again it was the crowd engagement which provided the simple thrills.

Processing to a small stage in the midst of the arena, she rattled through some audience requests before designating a delighted fan as her wild rose. Forget the confetti showers and laser lighting – the reaction of ringside Ross to the simple gift of a rose was a priceless moment.

The Kylie catalogue is a treasure chest ripe for plunder. As always she was appreciative of her roots and loyal to her early cheesy tunes, none more so than her tinny cover of The Locomotion. Other songs were dramatically repurposed, from the bombastic orchestral opening of Come into my World to the gothic noir of Confide In Me. Spinning Around was fitted with an Italo house piano break and Balkanesque banger last night i dreamt i fell in love was welcome on Eurovision weekend, while her 2023 smash Padam Padam set a new bar for Kylie anthems.

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