Katy Perry was surrounded by giant, inflatable fruit and a Hello Kitty doll when she hit the stage at New York City’s Irving Plaza Tuesday night for her “Hello Kitty” tour, but it was ultimately her cheeky performance and banter that sweetened up the sold-out crowd.
After an opening set by The Daylights, the 24-year-old pop singer kicked off the second night of her three-date run at the venue in signature form–wearing a short purple dress, singing “Fingerprints” into a sparkly, pink microphone and strutting to the song’s lyrics: “I’m leaving you my legacy/I gotta make my mark/I gotta run it hard/I want you to remember me/I’m leaving my fingerprints.”
Though it was a school night, Perry’s teen fans were out in force, backing up Perry on every note of “Hot N Cold” and “UR So Gay” but saving special enthusiasm for her latest single, “Thinking of You,” during which Perry performed a guitar solo. Others yelled out, “You’re so beautiful,” and “Marry me,” while one lucky fan standing in the front was given a pink guitar that appeared to be broken. “We can’t use it,” said Perry.
At one point, the singer surprised the bright-eyed crowd when she motioned towards the Hello Kitty doll and said, “This is the biggest p***y you will ever see on stage.” Later she fondled the inflatable banana as her young fans looked on. But Perry’s performance also had its earnest moments. She talked openly about growing up with pastor parents and singing in a church, adding that “Christian Skate Night” was the only time when she was able to mingle with boys her age.
Perry reemerged for her encore sporting a pink-and-black leopard pantsuit and kitty ears and performed a cover of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” and then awarded fans with her long-awaited breakthrough hit, “I Kissed A Girl,” which was No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 for seven weeks last summer. Leaning in close to the crowd, Perry sang, “I kissed a girl just to try it/I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it,” toying with her fans until the very last note.
Setlist:
“Fingerprints”
“One of the Boys”
“Hot N Cold”
“Self Inflicted”
“UR So Gay”
“Thinking of You” (Solo)
“Mannequin”
“Waking Up in Vegas”
“Lost”
“I Think I’m Ready”
“If You Can Afford Me”
Encore:
“Don’t Stop Me Now”
“I Kissed a Girl”