The American singer was a real hit in Melbourne, and we sincerely hope that Christina doesn’t wait another 15 years to come back Down Under!
The sky opened up and rain fell heavily on thousands of concert goers this Saturday night, but they stuck it out to see Christina Aguilera perform in her only Australian show this year. Christina’s last visit to Australia was when she was pregnant with her now 15-year-old son, and this whirlwind trip was booked in to help kick off Victoria’s ALWAYS LIVE music program.
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Set up at Flemington Racecourse on November 25th, the day began with performances by m8riarchy, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, and Jessica Mauboy. Security reported to us that the capacity was 15,000 people for the weekend gig. These were separated into different sections, from general admission (at $149.90) to a range of Aguilera-themed VIP sections such as Candyman Circle ($249.90) which offered front of crowd access, and Genie in a Bottle ($499.90) which offered a range of additional perks including access to a viewing platform and VIP loos, which are always greatly appreciated at outdoor festivals!
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The crowd collectively exclaimed when the rain began, and then the sounds of rustling raincoats and ponchos took over. It didn’t seem to dampen any spirits, but it did create many a puddle and make everything a little uncomfortable. That said, Christina’s fans are affectionately known as fighters, and their persistence in sticking it out for hours in the rain was testimony to that. There were some disgruntled concert-goers murmuring about Christina being almost half an hour late to the stage while everyone else was being rained on, but Christina herself mentioned that she was feeling for everyone out in the weather, and shared her gratitude for the thousands who came out despite it. For those who travelled for the concert, you got the true Melbourne experience of multiple seasons in one day.
The evening with Christina was a journey through her collection of works, with classics from her ’99 album such as ‘Genie in a Bottle’ and ‘What a Girl Wants’, and her early 00s works, like ‘Fighter’, ‘Ain’t No Other Man’, and ‘Candyman’. While she has dabbled in film over the years, one particularly popular movie she featured in was Burlesque, also starring Cher. The crowd was thrilled that some of the songs from that soundtrack, including ‘Express’, made it into the night’s setlist.
Christina advocated for mental health in the introduction of ‘Beautiful’, highlighting on the screens behind her the impact of social media on mental health, and encouraging people to go to her website for information and resources. Making efforts to encourage mental health support and reduce stigma was a wholesome use of her profile, and as ‘Beautiful’ began, people in the pits began embracing – it felt like an important moment for a lot of people.
Christina’s set incorporated smoke and pyrotechnics, video montages, and a collection of talented backup vocalists and dancers. These performers were afforded numerous opportunities to shine while Christina was taking time off stage or not actively singing, and the backing vocalists were strong in their own right, carrying some songs (or parts of) independently.
It is easy to forget how many collaborations Christina has been part of. She showcased some of her catalogue on Saturday, including ‘Feel This Moment’ which she features on with Pitbull, ‘Moves Like Jagger’ by Maroon 5, and ‘Say Something’ which she usually features on with Great Big World. The latter was performed with Nelson Beato at Flemington, who has performed background vocals for a range of top artists and in movie soundtracks, and his vocals on Saturday night were exceptional. ‘Lady Marmalade’ was a crowd favourite, which saw Xtina in her feather boa, and giving her an opportunity to show off her signature belting and effortless-seeming high notes. The American singer’s voice truly remains as incredible as ever, and it was amazing to be witness to that in person.
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Although the outdoor venue felt novel and provided that great festival feel, it would be advantageous for her next Victorian concert – whenever that may be – to be held in an arena, to significantly improve comfort, viewability, and accessibility.
The American singer was a real hit in Melbourne, and we sincerely hope that Christina doesn’t wait another 15 years to come back Down Under!
ALWAYS LIVE runs until December 10th.
