Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour

Background

During an interview in June 2010, Minogue was asked if she was going to tour with her latest album. She responded, "Oh yeah! [...] Yes, I have show concepts in mind but I can't tell you yet, because it really is in its infancy [...] But come on, with the name Aphrodite as the launch pad, we're going to have a lot to play with! [...] I would like the tour to be like, you're on that sea... and there are the rushes and the dips, and you're just feeling the love. The vibe that I've put out there with 'All the Lovers', and that I'm getting back, is 'feel love, share love'. That's what I want the show to be." During a gay pride festival in Hamburg, Germany, an advertisement was displayed showing Minogue touring in Hamburg, Mannheim, Berlin, Munich and Oberhausen. During a promotional appearance in Germany to promote her album, Minogue expressed it will be a world tour stating she would like to return to tour the Americas and possibly perform a show in Ibiza. The tour was officially announced via Minogue's website on 6 September 2010. By way of introduction, Minogue stated,

"The reaction to 'Aphrodite' has been absolutely incredible and has inspired me and my creative team to develop a new show that will take all of us on a euphoric journey of joy, excitement and glamour. I can't wait to get on the road and see all my fans in 2011."

Minogue later confirmed she would return to the United States to tour. This became the third time the singer has performed stateside since her breakthrough in 2002. She described her previous feat as one of her best decisions in her career. She further commented, "The last couple of years I've really made the effort to visit a lot of places I'd never toured in before and that was so rewarding, fulfilling and inspiring. I'm a glutton for punishment so I want to do it again and I want to take it even further."

At the beginning of the new year, Minogue stated that the tour would be her biggest to date. The stage is proclaimed to be the most extravagant staging built for any concert tour with several movable parts, seven lifts and nearly 600 light sources. It will also feature water jets created by The Fountain People, known for their work with the Disneyland Resort World of Color. The show will be a homage to Greek mythology and culture, with an aerial act inspired by the musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The entire production is valued at over $25 million, and will see Minogue joined on stage by a cast of dancers and aerial performers along with her live band. The show will be moved throughout Europe by a crew of over 100 personnel in a fleet of 25 trucks.

While promoting the tour, Minogue stated the main inspiration of the tour's name was inspired by the MGM film, Ziegfeld Follies. She further commented, "Ziegfeld Folies – I've been crazy about that movie and that period in music dance and film. My show has a bit of that so it became 'Aphrodite Les Folies'." The arena show will feature an elaborate production featuring a water element. As the production moves to Asia and North America, Minogue will play smaller venues, giving the singer a chance to provide an intimate show for these territories. Here the show is known as 'Aphrodite Live 2011'.

Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana (Dolce & Gabbana) spoke of working with Minogue for the costumes of the tour. They stated, "Kylie has always been our Piccola Principessa [Little Princess], not just because of our work together but more so because of our friendship! Working with Kylie has always been very spontaneous and easy. We are given free reign [sic] to create because she trusts that we know exactly what she likes. This will be our third tour with Kylie and this time we have revisited iconic Dolce & Gabbana pieces, adapting them to different themes of the tour. This show definitely cannot be missed!"

In January 2011, Minogue expanded the UK leg of her tour from four to fourteen shows. Further dates were added in Japan (Kylie's first dates there since her Rhythm Of Love Tour some 20 years earlier) and the United States. Minogue remarked, "Rehearsals are well underway and the show is shaping up to be more than I could have wished for. All departments are doing a stellar job and the combined level of expertise is nothing short of mind blowing. My friends, Dolce & Gabbana have designed an amazing wardrobe for me. I'm overwhelmed with the love and talent that is going into this tour and I can't wait for my fans to be part of it."

Furthermore, it was announced the Harmonix game Dance Central would be the official sponsors of the European leg of the tour. According to the press release, booths will be staged in the lobby areas of the arenas giving spectators the opportunity to play the game to Minogue's dance hit "Can't Get You Out of My Head". Additionally, a crew has been assigned to record the audience, as well as, backstage footage for Minogue's official Facebook page.

The tour premiered in Herning, Denmark at the Jyske Bank Boxen to a full house of nearly 12,000 spectators. Minogue posted a video on her official YouTube account thanking the crew for the hard work and dedication during rehearsals along with expressing her excitement for the opening night after "nearly a year of planning". Later, a video was posted showing interviews with the audience as well as the performances of "Aphrodite", "Slow", "Can't Get You Out of My Head", "Better the Devil You Know" and "All the Lovers". Minogue provided various tour updates via her official Twitter account, announcing winners of a "best dressed" contest at every venue.

Critical response

The tour received rave reviews from entertainment critics. Ed Power from The Daily Telegraph gave the concert a four star rating stating that "Kylie Minogue takes retro chic to dizzying extremes on her new tour. Channelling a hitherto unhinted at passion for Ancient Greece and Rome". Power said that "Through a stunning series of set-pieces Kylie proved herself a peerless conjurer of pop spectacle and demonstrated that, when it comes to the classier brand of arena kitsch, she, not Lady Gaga, remains supreme authority." Elisa Bray from The Independent gave the concert four stars (out of five) and said that "Minogue's authenticity and down-to-earth persona has always made her the most likeable pop diva. From her earliest fame days as Charlene in Australian soap Neighbours, girly though she remains, Kylie has made the successful transition to show-woman." Ian Gittins from The Guardian commented that "there is no denying the scale of the production. From the moment Minogue rises from the stage reclining in a golden conch shell in a tableau based on Botticelli's Birth of Venus, it's evident that understatement is not on the menu tonight." He praised her live vocals, describing Minogue's voice as "oddly endearing" and concluded by saying that "it is unfortunate that mainstream America has never taken Minogue to its heart. On this flamboyant evidence, nobody is more ready for a Las Vegas residency."

James Reed from The Boston Globe gave the Aphrodite Live 2011 concert a favourable review by saying that "all eyes were on Minogue, 42, and she was in regal form as both entertainer and singer." Jason Lipshutz from Billboard gave the concert a positive review saying that "Minogue is still an under-appreciated musical force, and one that should not be missed on an all-too-rare U.S. trek." Santiago Felipe from The Village Voice said that "at the center of it all was Kylie, who was by turns bashful and jokingly chiding and absolutely in command, changing dresses as quickly as some people change their mind, flirting with the audience through performances [...] She might be a bit of a cult popstar in the U.S., but she radiated at maximum wattage throughout the evening".

Setlist

1. "The Birth of Aphrodite" (Instrumental introduction)
2. "Aphrodite"
3. "The One"
4. "Wow" (contains elements of the "Death Metal Disco Scene Mix")

5. "Illusion"
6. "I Believe in You"

7. "Cupid Boy"
8. "Spinning Around"
9. "Get Outta My Way"
10. "What Do I Have to Do"

11. "Everything Is Beautiful"
12. "Slow" (containing elements of the "Chemical Brothers Mix")

13. "Confide in Me Intro" (Interlude containing excerpts of the "Brothers in Rhythm" mix)
14. "Confide in Me"
15. "Can't Get You Out Of My Head"
16. "In My Arms"

17. "Looking for an Angel"
18. "Closer"
19. "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)"
20. "Can't Beat The Feeling" / "Love at First Sight"
21. "If You Don't Love Me"

22. "Better the Devil You Know" (contains elements of "Fanfarra (Despedida)")
23. "Better than Today"
24. "Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)"

25. "On a Night Like This" (contains elements of "Heaven")
26. "All the Lovers"

Source:

Tour dates

Broadcasts and recordings

Aphrodite Les Folies: Live in London is a concert film of its corresponding tour. The show was filmed in 3D over two nights at London's The O₂ Arena and directed by William Baker. A 2-CD LP was released with the film. It aired on Sky 3D as well as in cinemas in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 19 June 2011. It has since been shown in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and Poland in August 2011. Then in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Croatia, El Salvador, The Netherlands, Peru, South Africa, Serbia, Bulgaria and Indonesia in September 2011. It was also shown in Belgium and Argentina in October 2011, and debuted in the United States on Palladia in December 2011. A CD/DVD/Blu-ray was released on 28 November 2011. The film was released in three formats. Firstly, as a DVD with bonus two-disc audio recording of the concert. Secondly, as a limited edition box set with a DVD, two-disc audio recording and booklet. Lastly, there was also a Blu-ray release which includes a 2D and 3D recording of the show. All three packages also include the behind-the-scenes tour documentary, Just Add Water.

Critical response

So far the live album and DVD has been met with positive response from critics. Contact Music gave it a positive review, while the UK's The Independent gave the bundle a total of 4/5.