Kelly Clarkson: Live In SA

by Jean-Marie Korff Email · Print

Walking into the foyer at Grand West Arena I felt excited for the first time. Maybe it was the fact that this was my first big international concert attendance as part of the MEDIA or maybe it was the thought of a night out?

Now that I think about it, it could have been due to the comic scene of security guards forbidding everyone to go outside with their beers. From one Afrikaner boerseun to another "Jis ou, ons kannie eens ons biere uitvattie ou!" (Gee guy, we can't even take our beers outside, guy!)

Watch the video of Kelly performing her hit single "All I ever Wanted": here

Twelve year olds "dressed in their best" pink Hannah Montana outfits, poppies in short skirts and clear heels, black eyeliner Goths, smooth dressed jocks (hmm, makes you wonder for which team they're actually rooting), emo kids and even your average older tannie asking pappie for another drink: you name it, it or they were there.

Opening act, Idols winner Jason Hartman and his band, or rather the Jason Hartman Family Band, put up quite a show. Having his lean muscled shirtless brother on drums, his ou hippie ponytailed father on bass and two guys making up the brass section really put a spin on your usual prefabricated backing band look. It didn't matter that i didn't know Jason's music that well, as I was educated very quickly by the loud sing along crowd on hits like "On the Run" and "Break the Silence". The sound wasn't great and Jason missed a few notes, but the band was tight, the show highly entertaining and Jason showed why he deserved to win Idols.

Next up was Kelly. What can I say? Lights (lots of them and bright ones!)... Camera...and Action! Appearing barefoot on stage, the original American idols winner blew the crowd away with "All I Ever Wanted". Always known for embracing her rock side and not conforming to any particular pop Idols criteria, Kelly proved once again that she is an artist to be reckoned with. Singing her own amazing interpretation of The Black Keys' "Lies" accompanied only by one Gibson electric guitar, she produced a smouldering live performance dripping with sexy sweaty blues. Been listening to old Janis Joplin albums, Kelly?

Another highlight was the acoustic version of the break-up song "Behind These Hazel Eyes" dedicated to, as Kelly said, "the tool I once dated" which she sang with such conviction that for a moment there I forgot I was married!

Watching her rock the stage song after song - or rather hit after hit - with her awesome band I discovered I knew almost all the words to her songs. So much for not being such a big fan! And her electric guitarist who really impressed me with his amazing solos (or was it his amazing looks?). Yep, I have to admit, I've officially been Kelly'd.

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Rox 3/19/2010 6:10 PM: Oh i forgot to all those people who don't care about her weight, you rock

Rox 3/19/2010 5:56 PM: I'm 9 and here is my point of view! ah she rocked and who cares if she's overweight or not she's talented. As my rolemodel I don't think she's saying it's good to be overweight. I think she just makes me know how important it is to work hard and chase your dreams.

CarrieP 3/19/2010 12:58 PM: Amen KimPossible, could not have said it any better!

KimPossible 3/19/2010 8:15 AM: First of all - was at CT - she rocked! Found a whole new appreciation for her vocal ability! @Mike - re: "It will be like me being a fitness expert but being fat" - no Mike actually there is no comparison - it would be like her being a multi-platinum selling artist and singing like crap - which COULD NOT be further from the truth. @PB616, Melissa and fellow sorry-souls...your shallowness of not only character, but also intellect is going to seriously limit the success you have in life. The good news for Kelly, well she can lose weight (she has a beautiful face and personality so no problems there)...and she will continue to rake in the success and $$$ because her talent is real. The bad news for you lot is that you probably will remain shallow, stupid and pathetic for the rest of your lives - good luck with that :-)

Mike 3/19/2010 2:09 AM: It is all about her voice but she must present herself well as well! You say we are shallow for talking about her weight, but she and her production company makes money from her GOOD looks and being in shape, just look at her NEW CD, which I went and bought due to seeing her this weekend and her voice being amazing, BUT just look at the photo on the front of the CD, it is HOT and it is obviously one that was taken a while back and WHY? Becuase your sales will suffer if you had pic of how she looks right now on the cover! So the whole world, including Kelly herself makes money from how well she looks so if she doesnt she brings this comment on herself! It will be like me being a fitness expert but being fat! But WOW does she have a voice!

Ang 3/18/2010 10:02 PM: was at her durban concert...damn amazing she is awesome

Peter 3/18/2010 9:34 PM: The sound quality at the dome was terrible. I was not impressed with that aspect of the show but Kelly is a great entertainer. Very talented singer!

dada babajide george 3/18/2010 8:41 PM: yeah i luv in any shape she put on.dam girl i wish u er mine.

M&L 3/18/2010 5:54 PM: CPT show was AMAZING ...... she is very talented . She is not FAT she is just short for her weight....

Jacques 3/18/2010 5:53 PM: Awesome CT show Kelly, hope to see you again!!!

Bummer 3/18/2010 5:47 PM: Bummer... She used to be hot. Look at her hunkering down on that mic. Someone must have told her its a hotdog. Pity. Not like we need a podgy redhead rolling around on stage

Sarah 3/18/2010 5:12 PM: I do not care what she looked like or wore (i thought she was gorgeous). I was in the front row @ durban &everything was captivating, from the band, to her voice and charisma. I have seen so many shows and that was by far the best, especially in terms of her voice. Friends who attended in the other cities said the same. She truly is a world Idol. She is short so any weight shows. She fluctuates and has said she does herself. People, she has been on tour - no excersise regime, no eating plan. but she loses weight after tour and looks good in video's. What matters is how she sang. ie: Brilliantly. Alanis Morrisette is not easy to cover. evry song was perfect. I saw her in london 4 yrs ago, she was thinner but it made no diff. this concert was better. so give her a break. she is a human. she is awesome.

Kate 3/18/2010 4:57 PM: That Jason Hartman rocked man! If I had known he was that good I would have watched Idols! Playing with his old man and brother - brilliant. Wonderful show all round!

Marcel@Melissa again 3/18/2010 4:15 PM: Was probably packed outside coz people were stil trying to get in. Was rather packed inside. You might be entitled to your opinion, as is Juluis, but its best left unsaid most of the time. Who cares how she looked? She's a singer. Its her voice thats suppose to entertain us, not her looks. And she did entertain. Kelly doesn't care what others think, and that's the way it should be, her voice does the talking/singing. You should should try it, not judging others on looks and continously thinking your being judged on appearance. Makes life a lot more enjoyable.

Viking 3/18/2010 4:04 PM: Wait I do have one comment though for Big Concert.....I dont think you should sell alchohol at these concerts (YES I love my beer and drinks) BUT some of these young girls just have like 2 beers then they drunk and performing in the audience NOT very nice seen this happening some of the girls look 15-17

Kirst 3/18/2010 3:58 PM: I don't think it's a case of her putting on weight - for most of her promo shots it's obviously photoshopped out... Did you guys see how small she is? I think she just has a bulky build. Anyway - who cares!?!? I thought she looked great last night and she sounded phenomenal. We went for a singing concert people, not Americas next top model. Sheesh.

Viking 3/18/2010 3:52 PM: The concert was ABSOLUTELY fantastic but my good gosh that Jason oke is horrendous I felt like leaving after his act and then Kelly started dik or not she bladdy well ROCKED grand west last night shoo !! My wife is the fan I just went with for the hell of it but im most certainly not sorry I went AMAZING CT ROCKS

LOL 3/18/2010 3:42 PM: What a funny thread! Hahahaha . . . . but yea, I am surprised how different she looks. But music is about the music, so as far as that goes, nothing has changed. Very talented singer - although I think the songwriter's give her the good material with which to shine (and no, not pies)

Min 3/18/2010 3:41 PM: How pathetic of the morons on this forum to insult such a talented singer. She's put on weight, so what.

great! 3/18/2010 3:40 PM: "making it okay for children to be fat and over weight" are you totally stupid or just a little? she isn't overweight, shes the way she should be... would you prefer it if your child has anorexia.. well i guess so. i hope all you shallow ass men ends up with a stick insect.. cos i can tell you one thing they sure aren't nice.... and its not about kelly's looks but about her voice! and melissa... cape town's show rocked! we waited for kelly for like 10 minutes.

Melissa 3/18/2010 3:32 PM: I am entitled to my opinion MARCEL. And that is my opinion. I left at 10, and it was packed with people outside also leaving. I am all for big girls as well, but it looked like she had just woken up from a 12 hour nap with a damn washed out ti-di shirt on! She didnt care how she presented herself in public at all. AND THAT IS ALSO MY OPINION MARCEL

NL 3/18/2010 2:59 PM: you know i wish people would just accept the way others look, thin or fat who cares, at least she can sing which is more than i bet you can do PB616....

Marcel@Melissa 3/18/2010 2:31 PM: You must have been at the wrong concert. No Left the "staduim" at 10, and she only did about 3 cover songs which was relly good. Kelly was due to start at 2100. And she did. Its the organisers fualt for not entertaining the crowd during the break. If she didn't entertain you then nothing ever will. Concert was just as good as Killers. There were more people than at Killers and the crowd sang way more that at Killers. Now stop complaining. If you want to be negetive go somewere else.

Shawn 3/18/2010 2:25 PM: Watched this at the dome and have to say the sound man should be shot, levels were OK, but over all way to loud, I have been a muso for 20 years plus, and in my whole life I have never heard sound that shocking, my 12 year old daughter asked me why her voice sounded so "fuzzy" referring to the distortion. She is such a great artist and her band is so polished, but the sound OMG the sound. such a pitty. Watched Cliff and the Shadows at the same venue on the Sunday, same venue, same PA different sound guy, chalk and cheese, the sound was outstanding.

Mike 3/18/2010 1:39 PM: Well I was dragged to this concert, not being a big fan. After Jason I really wanted to go home, this guy is just useless, I have no idea how he won anything BUT then KElly started singing and OMG does she have a voice! She could just stand there and sign anything and I would listen, AMAZING! But yes, she has put on a bit of weight which is a good and bad thing to put out there. Good as it shows you dont need to be skinny, BUT bad as she says its ok to be fat and over weight to all the youngsters and that is not good either! But WOW what a voice!

Milo 3/18/2010 1:39 PM: I thought Jason and his band blew the stage away and him and his brother are soooooooooooo good looking. The best Idol South Africa has ever had - brilliant musician - Jason has certainly raised the bar!

Debbie @Melissa 3/18/2010 1:30 PM: I'm pretty sure you were at a different concert (sour grapes perhaps at the knowledge you'll never be an awesome star like Kelly?). She sang ONE Patsy Kline song, ONE Black Keys song. She combined ONE Alanis and Kings of Leon song. The rest were her own. And she performed each and every song perfectly. And regarding the hour you waited... That is normally due to the organizers. Kelly was on time in Durban.

Debbie 3/18/2010 1:27 PM: @Morons - you are probably the same guy(s) whose idea of a balanced diet is a can of Black Label nestling comfortably on you half a ton stomach accompanied by the tv remote, as you sit in front of the television watching reruns of Wrong Turn. Okay, now that's out of the way. I attended the concert in Durban. I used my teens as excuse but ended up conceding to myself that I adore Kelly and her music. She has vocals that most human beings can only hope to ever get close to. She's energetic, sweet, passionate and down to earth (no PR stunt can be this perfect without some form of real sincerity). In short, having seen MANY international legends live, Kelly's performance was one of the most memorable I've attended, if not the most memorable. And I'm with the author on her performance of "Lies". I'm not a Blues fan but Kelly's performance could easily convert me.

Roger 3/18/2010 1:20 PM: Is Kelly an Idols winner or a pie eating champion. LOL.

Melissa 3/18/2010 1:06 PM: I bought golden circle tickets for her concert at The Coca-Cola Dome in JHB, and I thought the concert was pathetic. After Jason Hartman, the supporting act, we had to wait an hour for Miss. Clarkson to come on stage. Then she spent the whole night singing covers from Patsy Cline, Alanis Morissette and Kings of Leon. Half of the stadium left at 10pm. She was shocking

Sharon 3/18/2010 1:01 PM: @ PB616 Damn you are a moron!!!

AK 3/18/2010 12:52 PM: Lekkerrrr dik geraak....

Bob 3/18/2010 12:40 PM: CHUNKY!!!

great! 3/18/2010 12:29 PM: chunky???? Typical! @ B616 This was my first live concert.. of an international star... and she was amazing! it was worth standing in a line for 4 hours! she was amazing!

MM 3/18/2010 12:11 PM: @PB616, that is a very sad comment in many ways!

Monique 3/18/2010 12:08 PM: She is a brillant singer so down to earth. She sounds better live than on her cds. Truely the best concert I have been to in years!!