Must Go's: Kelly Clarkson Live ROCKS!!!

Finally, one of my idols (pun not intended) gets to come to Malaysia!



No cookies for guessing where I’ve just gotten home from! I got to the stadium an hour early to beat the traffic. Walked around and picked up the normal pre-concert freebies ie. balloons and posters. I was skeptical regarding the weather, it rained this afternoon, but thank goodness it didn’t come down. Firstly, I apologize for the lack of photos. We weren’t allowed to bring them in. Not like there was ever ANY way that I could have smuggled my ginormous DSLR in there anyway.

Inside the stadium, I was seated at Block 2, pretty much right in front of the speakers. And boy where they big and aplenty. This was half an hour before the stated 8pm showtime. The crowd was thin and I had a lot of space to myself. We were seated at the corner, yay!

10-20 minutes before 8pm, a Hitz Fm member named Natalie (I think) came on stage and prompted the crowd to cheer. By this time the stadium was practically full. Posters were flung, screams were shouted. Big whoop in my mind. We were then told who the pre-Kelly fill-ins were going to be. Suki ( Sookie??) and Jaclyn Victor to be exact. Found it funny when Natalie shouted that Suki would be coming out. Know why? Everyone around me turned to each other and asked their partners, “Who’s Suki!?!” I was one of them. Haha…

At about 8pm, a van/sedan drove in through the tunnel, shouts filled the stadium. But no, it wasn’t Kelly. It was Jaccyn and Suki. Jaclyn started the show with a medley (a LONG one) – her quote NOT mine. I found it more of a mini Jaclyn concert in itself. Pretty good start to the show! Then Suki came out in what I could have sworn was a wedding dress. A red one at that! With a big poufy red train! She started with a violin rendition, a BAD one. And that was besides the technical volume difficulties! She then sang a Malay song to which most of the crowd didn’t know. Sigh…

At 8:30pm the van/sedan left and another flashier one came in its place. THAT was Kelly’s van!! Woot! Just before 8:35pm, the lights went down, the band took their places, they started drumming and picking their strings and then KELLY CAME OUT!!! And BLASTED!!!!

She rocked, rolled, and jumped about for 90 minutes straight with second-intervals (few seconds). The lights were used to the max, the bass and guitars rocked HARD, and Kelly jumped all over the stage, singing with all she had.

What I witnessed was a no-nonsense concert, no video montages, very little props, no rehearsed dance numbers. Just a powerhouse MASTERCLASS!! Pitch perfect, her range was wonderful. Simon (Cowell) would be so proud.

She sang her greatest hits as well as covering a couple of her favourite songs from other bands/singers like Kings of Leon, Alanis Morrisette, and Kylie Minogue to name a few. I thought she did them so well too!

I’ll share a little secret with you. I found some songs so powerful they brought a few tears to my eyes. See, I admitted it! Those songs had a personal connection for me. But she made them so much more meaningful.

Some songs rocked so hard and loud that the crowd was at their feet, jumping, flinging their balloons everywhere, shouting, screaming…just having a good time.

What I expected was a bit of a diva-ish concert, with Kelly being an American Idol, but what I got was a very down-to-earth, pure talent performance from start to finish. And when I say down-to-earth, I mean it. Between songs Kelly giggled like a schoolgirl, encouraging the crowd on, all while being barefoot. Yes, you read correctly, she was BAREFOOT the whole 1 and a half hours she performed. Moreover, she sported a black top with sequins, black tights, a black skirt over said tights, blue eye makeup, some eyeliner, and tied up hair after the third songs. She didn’t even have a costume change, not that I minded in the least! That just takes up time.

All in all, a MUST-WATCH if she ever comes back again. One of the most deserving, if only, American Idols. Leaving the stadium with a sigh, a happy heart, a pair of ringing ears, and blurry eyes. All I ever want now IS MORE!!!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this review financially or otherwise. Everything mentioned are my own thoughts based on my experience.