Katy Perry - Enmore Theatre, 17 August, 2009

Arriving on stage with tousled raven-coloured locks and dressed in a pair of sequinned high-waisted hot pants, Katy Perry launched into a slew of hits including 'Hot N Cold' before venturing down a more nostalgic path with covers of 'Build Me Up Buttercup' and 'Please Mr Postman'.

Channelling a classic 1940s Varga pin-up girl, Perry upped the ante with a direct, sexualised, and somewhat vulgar performance. When performing 'Waking Up in Vegas', one is inclined to believe she truly embodies the city - at the height of 1950s excess - especially when considering her show's set design resembles something out of the Vegas strip's Flamingo hotel. Her supporting band members are dressed head-to-toe in pink, and Perry effortlessly and deftly occupied that liminal space between 1940s pin-up and Lady Gaga-esque performance artist.

The crowd went wild for Perry's rendition of 'Ur So Gay', and as the singer took a break the deafening chant of "Katy! Katy!" reverberated throughout the Enmore Theatre. Returning to stage dressed in a full-bodied catsuit, Perry coyly dropped hints about the theme of her next tune, 'I Kissed a Girl'. The young audience are in rapture and as Perry launched herself off stage she's unceremoniously gobbled up by the crowd, briefly disappearing for a few seconds before reappearing slightly dazed, but nonetheless ready to give the fans what they've been craving - a performance of her most sexualised song, which is delivered with fervent gusto.

The crowd reach fever pitch as Perry belted through 'I Kissed a Girl' while she straddled a giant blow-up cherry ChapStick. After her performance Perry exits the stage, and the crowd, seemingly sated by her show, filed out of the Enmore into the brisk winter's eve.

Daniel Bloom

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