| KylieX2008 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Tour by Kylie Minogue | ||
| Associated album | 'X' | |
| Start date | 6 May 2008 | |
| End date | 6 August 2009 | |
| Legs | 5 | |
| No. of shows | 58 in Europe 6 in South America 7 in Asia 8 in Oceania 1 in Africa 80 in Total | |
| Box office | US $96 million ($106.07 million in 2016 dollars) | |
| Kylie Minogue tour chronology | ||
 (2006-07) |
(2008-09) |
 (2009) |
"KylieX2008" is the ninth concert, and first world, tour by Kylie Minogue. It was launched in 2008 to promote her tenth studio album X. Originally announced as just a European tour, rumors of Kylie taking the tour to Australia, Asia, and America had surfaced in the international media. At the conclusion of the European leg, she announced that the tour would continue onto South America, Asia and Australasia.
The tour continued into 2009, with Kylie performing at festivals and other music events. With the announcement of the 2009 North American Tour, Kylie's official website stated that the tour grossed more than US$96 million from 74 shows in ticket sales in 2008. In all, the tour had five set lists, one for the first few shows, but there were issues with it so a new order was introduced. There was then a set list for open air/amphitehatre venues in Europe, and one for open air/amphitehatres in Asia, South America and New Zealand. There was then a final set list for festivals. All five had more or less the same songs, but different running orders.
In late 2009, Kylie performed a mini-tour in North America, titled For You, For Me, which was a means of testing the waters there and also promoting X. The tour took a lot of its content from the X Tour, but also drew inspiration from other of Kylie's tours, using song arrangements, choreography, outfits and screen projection.
About the tour
After months of speculation it was announced through Kylie's official website that "KylieX2008" would commence in Paris traveling internationally.
By way of introduction, she stated:
| “ | I am putting together a show that is going to be a new and exciting experience for both the audience and myself. The eclectic mix of sounds on X is affording me an opportunity to explore and develop a new live show that will be fresh, exhilarating and innovative. After two celebratory tours, X will be a look to the future but will definitely include favourites alongside the new. I can't wait to share it with you next year. | ” |
While rehearsing for the tour, Kylie released several behind-the-scenes videos on her website. Concurrently, she released "X" in the United States and filmed two music videos for the single, "All I See".
As the tour began to sell out all over Europe and the UK, many fans speculated that Kylie would bring her tour to Australia and Japan. While promoting her ITV special, The Kylie Show, she stated: "I just want to have in my head more solidly what the tour will be and if I can manage what I have so far, I would love to come back [to Australia]". It was later revealed that Kylie would bring a limited numbers of shows to her home country, stating, "The reason I hadn't confirmed dates in Australia is I really didn't know what I was getting into [...] But now I know".
About the show
As with the X album, the tour rippled the "new wave" theme, made popular in the '80s. The show was divided into seven acts with the addition of an encore and intermission. Throughout the course of the tour, the show evolved, with numerous changes to the running order, costumes, set list and even Kylie's hairstyle.
The set consisted of a three-tier stage. On the left and right, mini-stages were made available for the band and backing singers. The main stage was minimalist, with an illuminated video floor and gigantic moving video curtains as the backdrop. For performances in amphitheaters, open air and small arenas the illuminated floor and the lavish props, such as the giant skull and purple hoop, were removed due to technical limitations.
Kylie described the show as "being a show within a show", stating that each act is dramatically different from one another. Kylie alluded she was inspired by Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury, "I'm releasing my inner Freddie Mercury. It's hard to explain but parts of the show are so over the top. When I sing 'Your Disco Needs You', it's a real Freddie moment."
The first act "Xlectro Static" act opens the show with a futuristic video showing the outline of Kylie's face polarized in neon colours. The video curtains slide open to reveal Kylie perched in a giant hoop dressed in a 'spiderwoman' gown, singing "Speakerphone". On technically limited shows, the giant stereo speakers (and other related props) moved rapidly to reveal Kylie. She performed her worldwide hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head", which was mashed up with unreleased track "Boombox" as well as "In Your Eyes" and an unreleased track entitled "Ruffle My Feathers".
The second act "Cheer Squad" opens with an homage to the Toni Basil hit "Mickey", with Kylie and her dancers appearing as American cheerleaders. Themed as a high-school pep rally, Kylie performed "Heart Beat Rock", "Wow" and "Shocked", the latter being reduced to a dance interlude on some dates. Kylie has cited this act as her personal favourite on the concert.
The third act "Beach Party begins" with "Loveboat" and goes on with a cover of the Barry Manilow hit "Copacabana". On the opening night, "That's Why They Write Love Songs", a tribute to the many romantic show tunes of the 1940s and 1950s, was also performed, having been dropped since then. Kylie closed the act with the celebratory "Spinning Around". This section was originally the final act before the encores.
For the fourth act "X-posed", Kylie appeared as an 'erotic bellboy' on a gigantic skull suspended high above the stage performing "Like a Drug". The skull descends to the stage and Kylie goes on to perform "Slow", with excerpts of "Free", and "2 Hearts". The skull received a very positive reaction from the fans, being then 'replaced' by a screen CG reproduction on the concerts it could not be featured due to stage limitations (this additional projection, however, was not present before the South American leg).
The Asian-influenced fifth act "Naughty Manga Girl", sees Kylie emerge from a pyrmaid in an outfit inspired by Japanese Manga, performing "Come into My World", "Nu-Di-Ty" and "Sensitized". This segment, which opens with a video of the rare single "Sometime Samurai", was completely cut from the technically limited concerts.
The show takes a sombre tone as it progresses into its sixth act "Starry Nights", with Kylie appearing in a blue satin gown and premiering another new song, the power ballad "Flower" together with a ballad version of "I Believe in You". The act ended with "Cosmic" on the initial dates, but this song was later dropped.
In the seventh act "Black Versus White", Kylie appears as a 19th-century coachman, performing "On a Night Like This", "Your Disco Needs You", "Kids", "Step Back in Time" and "In My Arms". The act begins with a black and white theme and progresses into colour. "Love at First Sight" was performed during this act on initial dates, being later reallocated to the encore section.
Kylie re-emerged on stage in a Cher-esque evening suit performing "No More Rain". Many songs were added and swapped around during this act including "The One", "Love at First Sight", "I Should Be So Lucky" and the acoustic rendition of "All I See". For the first two performances in South America, Minogue performed "Somewhere", a song from the critically acclaimed musical West Side Story, and "Better the Devil You Know" dressed in a green feather dress, before the regular encore. Later, the new costume was dropped and "Better the Devil You Know" was placed in the encore.
Set list
Act 1: Xlectro Static
1. "Speakerphone"
2. "Boombox" / "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
3. "Ruffle My Feathers"
4. "In Your Eyes"
Act 2: Cheer Squad
5. "Heart Beat Rock" (contains elements of "Mickey")
6. "Wow"
7. "Shocked"
Act 3: Xposed
8. "Like a Drug"
9. "Slow" (with excerpts of "Free")
10. "The One" (Freemasons Vocal Club Edit)
11. "2 Hearts"
Act 4: Black Versus White
12. "On a Night Like This"
13. "Kids"
14. "Step Back in Time"
15. "In My Arms"
16. "Love at First Sight"(Ruff and Jam U.S Mix)
Act 5: Naughty Manga Girl
17. "Sometime Samurai" (contains elements of German Bold Italic)(Video Interlude)
18. "Come into My World"(Fischerspooner Mix) (contains elements of Finer Feelings and Dreams)
19. "Nu-Di-Ty"
20. "Sensitized"
Act 6: Starry Nights
21. "Flower"
22. "I Believe in You"
22. "Cosmic"
Act 7: Beach Party
23. "Loveboat" (contains elements of "The Love Boat Theme Song")
24. "Copacabana"
25. "That's Why They Write Love Songs" (an unreleased song co-written by Steve Anderson)
26. "Spinning Around" (contains elements of "Got To Be Real")
Encore
27. "No More Rain"
28. "All I See"
Act 1: Xlectro Static
1. "Speakerphone"
2. "Boombox" / "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
3. "Ruffle My Feathers" 1
4. "In Your Eyes"
Act 2: Cheer Squad
5. "Heart Beat Rock" (contains elements of "Mickey")
6. "Wow"
7. "Shocked" 1
Act 3: Beach Party
8. "Loveboat" (contains elements of "The Love Boat Theme Song")
9. "Copacabana"
10. "Spinning Around" (contains elements of "Got to Be Real")
Act 4: Xposed
11. "Like a Drug"
12. "Slow" (contains excerpts from "Free")
13. "2 Hearts"
Act 5: Naughty Manga Girl
14. "Sometime Samurai" (contains excerpts from "German Bold Italic") (Video Interlude)
15. "Come into My World" (Fischerspooner Mix) (contains elements of "Finer Feelings" and "Dreams")
16. "Nu-Di-Ty"
17. "Sensitized"
Act 6: Starry Nights
18. "Flower"
19. "I Believe in You" (Ballad)
Act 7: Black Versus White
20. "On a Night Like This"
21. "Your Disco Needs You"
22. "Kids"
23. "Step Back in Time"
24. "In My Arms"
Encore
25. "No More Rain"
26. "The One" (Freemasons Vocal Club Edit) 2
27. "Love at First Sight" (Ruff and Jam U.S. Remix)
28. "I Should Be So Lucky"
1Performed as a dance interlude at certain dates
2Performed at select dates
Europe (also used for small arenas)
Act 1: Xlectro Static
1. "Speakerphone"
2. "Boombox" / "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
3. "Ruffle My Feathers"
4. "In Your Eyes"
Act 2: Cheer Squad
5. "Heart Beat Rock" (contains elements of "Mickey")
6. "Wow"
7. "Shocked"
Act 3: Beach Party
8. "Loveboat" (contains elements of "The Love Boat Theme Song")
9. "Copacabana"
10. "Spinning Around" (contains elements of "Got to Be Real")
Act 4: Xposed
11. "Like a Drug"
12. "Slow" (contains excerpts from "Free")
13. "2 Hearts"
Act 5: Naughty Manga Girl
14. "Sometime Samurai" (contains excerpts from "German Bold Italic") (Video Interlude)
15. "Come into My World" (Fischerspooner Mix) (contains elements of "Finer Feelings" and "Dreams")
16. "Nu-Di-Ty"
17. "Sensitized"
Act 6: Starry Nights
18. "Flower"
19. "I Believe in You"
Act 7: Black Versus White
20. "On a Night Like This"
21. "Your Disco Needs You"
22. "Kids"
23. "Step Back in Time"
24. "In My Arms"
Encore
25. "No More Rain"
26. "Love at First Sight" (Ruff and Jam U.S. Remix)
27. "I Should Be So Lucky"
South America / Asia / New Zealand
Act 1: Xlectro Static
1. "Speakerphone"
2. "Boombox" / "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
3. "Ruffle My Feathers" 2
4. "In Your Eyes"
Act 2: Cheer Squad
5. "Heart Beat Rock" (contains elements of "Mickey")
6. "Wow"
7. "Shocked" 1
Act 3: Beach Party
8. "Loveboat" (contains elements of "The Love Boat Theme Song")
9. "Copacabana"
10. "Spinning Around" (contains elements of "Got to Be Real")
Act 4: Xposed
11. "Like a Drug"
12. "Slow" (contains excerpts from "Free")
13. "2 Hearts"
Act 5: Starry Nights2
14. "Flower" 2
15. "I Believe in You" 2
Act 6: Black Versus White
16. "On a Night Like This"
17. "Your Disco Needs You"
18. "Kids"
19. "Step Back in Time"
20. "In My Arms"
Encore
21. "No More Rain"2
22. "The One" (Freemasons Vocal Club Edit) 2
23. "Love at First Sight" (Ruff and Jam U.S. Remix)
24. "Somewhere" 2
25. "Better the Devil You Know" 2
26. "I Should Be So Lucky" 2
1Performed as a dance interlude at select dates
2Performed at select dates
Act 1: Xlectro Static
1. "Speakerphone"
2. "Boombox" / "Can't Get You Out of My Head"
3. "In Your Eyes"
Act 2: Cheer Squad
4. "Heart Beat Rock" (contains elements of "Mickey")
5. "Wow"
6. "Shocked" 1
Act 3: Beach Party
7. "Loveboat" (contains elements of "The Love Boat Theme Song")
8. "Spinning Around" (contains elements of "Got to Be Real")
9. "Better the Devil You Know"
10. "I Believe in You" (Ballad) 1
Act 4: Xposed
11. "Like a Drug"
12. "Slow" (contains excerpts from "Free")
13. "2 Hearts
Act 5: Black Versus White
14. "On a Night Like This"
15. "Your Disco Needs You"
16. "Kids"
17. "Step Back in Time"
18. "In My Arms"
Encore
19. "No More Rain" 1
20. "Love at First Sight" (Ruff and Jam U.S. Remix)
21. "I Should Be So Lucky" 1
22. "The One" (Freemasons Vocal Club Edit)1
1Performed at select dates
2Performed only in MTV Day in Madrid with Miguel Bosé
Additional notes
- "Your Disco Needs You" was added to the set order at the 10 May performance in Frankfurt. Minogue also performed "Confide in Me" a cappella during the "Encore" section.
- "I Should Be So Lucky" was added to the set order at the 17 May performance in Bucharest.
- The set order in Zurich was altered to: "Xlectro Static", "Cheer Squad", "Starry Nights", "Beach Party", "Xposed", "Naughty Manga Girl" (with the video being the last performance in this act), "Black versus White" and "Encore".
- "All I See" was performed impromptu/acoustically as the final song of the encore on 23 June in Rotterda].
- "The One" was performed impromptu/acoustically during the "Encore" section in Oslo and Stockholm. The album version was performed on 27 June while the Freemasons Remix was performed on 29 June and in São Paulo and Santiago. In Buenos Aires, the remixed version followed an acoustic intro.
- "Come into My World" was performed as an impromptu a cappella during the "Encore" section in São Paulo.
- Minogue performed a few lines from Juanes' controversial song, "La Camisa Negra", during her performance in Bogota.
- The "Encore" section was not performed by Minogue on 6 November in Peru.
- "The Locomotion" was included during her performance in Santiago and Auckland.
- "Bésame Mucho" was fully performed, with the band, in Buenos Aires.
- Minogue performed "I Believe in You (Ballad Version)" during the "Beach Party" act in Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei and Auckland.
- Minogue performed an excerpt of "Please Stay" in Beijing.
- Minogue performed "Better the Devil You Know" at all shows in Sydney and in Auckland. Additionally, Kylie sang "All I See" and "The One" at the 14 and 16 December shows. "Did It Again" and "The Locomotion" were performed, impromptu, a cappella during the "Encore" section on 17 December.
- Minogue performed "The Locomotion" and an excerpt of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" in Melbourne, on 20 December.
- Minogue performed "Santa Baby" with the band and an excerpt of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" in Melbourne, on 22 December.
- Minogue performed "Como un Lobo" with Miguel Bosé at the MTV Day in Madrid on 2 July 2009.