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LIVE: KIM WILDE – Perth, 22 Oct 2024

| 23 October 2024 | Reply

LIVE: KIM WILDE – Perth, 22 Oct 2024
The Astor Theatre, Perth, Western Australia
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar

Brit pop queen Kim Wilde had a staggering twenty-five UK Top 50 hit singles between 1981 and 1996, and a handful of those made Australia’s Top Ten as well, and she was kept very grounded by having her successful teen idol father Marty Wilde and brother Ricky Wilde alongside her every step of the way.

While other hitmakers of the era developed penchants for white powders, supermodels and tabloid scandals, Wilde’s feet stayed firmly on the ground, as evidenced by her humble, wholesome good nature through tonight’s show.

A moody – almost Stranger Things-like – intro tape accompanied the dimming of the lights before Wilde’s six-piece band took the stage, and then the lady of the hour made her grand entrance, a sight to behold in black velvet corset, sparkling red leather-alike half jacket & matching gloves, above black leggings.

Opener Rage To Love proves her voice has aged as sensationally as the rest of her – she looks and sounds amazing full stop, let alone for a woman one month shy of her sixty-fourth birthday (!!) – and there’s no hint of any backing tapes or audio trickery, thank goodness.

Never Trust A Stranger and Water On Glass are next, and the sound is undeniably ‘80s – the keyboard player breaks out a keytar at the slightest provocation, for goodness sakes – but it doesn’t sound dated at all, and the near-full house are lapping it up from the start, dancing and singing like their lives depended on it.

After the dancy Can’t Get Enough (Of Your Love) she takes a breath. “I think it was 2017 last time we were here [it was 2016, touring with Howard Jones]. How’s it been going?” before telling us they have spent the better part of a week here enjoying the beaches and Kings Park – hardly surprising for the gardening enthusiast who spent much of the 2000’s hosting horticulture TV programs and winning flower show awards.

The Second Time segues into a chunk of M’s Pop Muzik, the band proving adept at short bouts of choreographed moves that would have Status Quo envious, before Bee Gees cover If I Can’t Have You dials up the sugary disco pop.

There’s a new track from her forthcoming album Closer, due in January, Trail Of Destruction, before Wilde reminisces about many promo trips to Australia in the ‘80s to sit in TV studios with he likes of Molly Meldrum. Brother Ricky whispers in her ear and she giggles sweetly, admitting she’d forgotten to introduce the band.

“I’m still a little bit of an airhead,” she sighs with a chuckle, giving each band member their time in the spotlight, including hyper energetic niece Scarlet, who she confides is soon to marry an Australian (“that makes me a little bit Australian too”) and tells of the importance of travelling with family amongst her entourage of twelve, including Scarlet’s one year old daughter Goldie.

It’s the big early hits which bring the biggest cheers, of course, and she introduces the closing bracket of songs, “anyone in the mood to go back to the 80s? I think that’s the safest place for us right now.”

By this point it’s a glorious revivalist ‘80s pop sermon with the congregation totally in thrall to the Reverend Kim Wilde, and she leads the singing believers through Cambodia, View From A Bridge, Chequered Love and You Keep Me Hangin’ On in sweaty fashion, declaring at one point, “the 80s – was it hard [being a pop singer]? NO! It was bloody great!”

Whilst the crowd cried for an encore and (for many of us) a little more time spent visiting our glory days, a random roadie starts performing cartwheels and conducting a crowd cheer chorus, moving Wilde to chuckle on her return, “we’re having too much fun on this tour.”

She’s draped in a stunning, sparkling red cape now, with matching military-style hat, gives sincere thanks to all her fans, all who’ve ever bought a Kim Wilde album, all who supported her career (“it only happens if you happen!”), all who are supporting live music. To finish the night there’s the disco pop of You Came followed by the punky pop of Kids In America – her debut single, and for many her most loved song.

The crowd were fervent before, but this track pushes them over the edge, its vibrancy and in your face exuberancey – along with its irresistibly catchy melody – proving impossible to resist. It may be forty-four years old (written and recorded in 1980, it was released in January 1981!!) but it still sounds very NOW, and the whole crowd – oldies, younger kids and everyone in between – sings along.

Wilde takes a few moments to thank everyone again, and it almost looks like she’s about to cry. Happy tears, that is – which my wife assures me is a thing – as if to underline what I wrote earlier about her being humble and wholesome. It’s touching, and a very sweet way to end a brilliant night.

Set List:
Rage to Love
Never Trust a Stranger
Water on Glass
Can’t Get Enough (Of Your Love)
Words Fell Down
The Second Time / Pop Muzik
If I Can’t Have You
Four Letter Word
Love In The Natural Way
Yours ’til the End
Trail of Destruction
Love Is Holy
Stone
Cambodia
View From a Bridge
Chequered Love
You Keep Me Hangin’ On

Encore:
You Came
Kids in America

 

Category: Live Reviews

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