Part 3 Hong Kong Island

The big day is finally here. Tonight is the first show of Kelly's Dynacarnival Concert. Also, I have scheduled to meet my friend from Macau, Ronald, who will be sitting with us for the concert. Piyo was still feeling sick and did not join us until concert time.  As usual, me and gaozai met up pkh first at Mong Kok area. 

It was around noon and we went to Sino Centre first. Most of the shops were still closed (too early). We stopped by at Sky Music and was surprised to see Kelly's new album Dynacarnival is already out. However, we were told by the staff at the CD shop that Go East had withdrawn the free key chain that was supposed to be given with purchase of the album as stated in the advertisement. Gaozai and Jenny both got an album each except me and pkh. I got 4 albums (for friends and of course one for myself =p) while pkh said that he will go to HMV instead to buy.

As it was still early from the meeting time with my Macau friend, gaozai, pkh and I went for lunch at a Portugal restaurant in the area. While waiting for the food to come, gaozai opened her Dynacarnival CD. As usual, Go East did a bad job for the album packaging. There was not even an additional picture found except for the one behind the lyrics poster and the 3D cover. Gaozai and pkh ordered noodles while I got myself baked spaghetti. Mine looked the most appetising but most probably my taste buds have still not recovered due to my sickness and I felt it tasted rather blend.

Gaozai had suggested to get for Kelly a card and to let the overseas fans to sign on it. We stopped over at Trendy Zone and got a pink Powerpuff Girl's card. 

Off to Prince Edward MTR station. Before proceeding to the movie shop at Allied Plaza, we stopped at some of the shops selling Japanese magazines and anime stuff. Gaozai spotted 2 old Japanese magazines with Kelly on the cover which cost less than HK$20 each. I got the Men's Ex while gaozai bought [Fai3]. 

Finally arriving at the movie shop, I was rather disappointed to see that there were not many new Kelly posters around. The Citizen XC posters are priced at HK$180 (claimed to be printed In Japan and that is why it is so expensive). They have neither the Fuji Fine Pix poster that was selling in Sino Centre nor poster of the Japanese tea ad. I got for myself only the ASK Kelly album poster at HK$30. It was rather strange that I bought so few Kelly's posters this time compared to my 2000 trip =p. 

Next stop was to Causeway Bay Sogo supermarket. What for? We have some groceries to buy? Haha.. We were looking for Yamucha. It took us a while to find it. Too bad Crispina was not available. Pkh wanted to purchase Kelly's albums and movie DVDs from HMV and so we went to the HMV near the area. I tried out Kelly's new album at the listening booth and like Iced Chamber alot upon initial hearing. It was a long stay at HMV as we waited for everyone to finish their shopping.

After our shopping trip, we headed back for Grand Tower Hotel and I changed into the Dynacarnival Concert tee before going to the Coliseum in the evening. Gaozai had worn the blue-sleeved Kellyland tee instead. We hailed a taxi there and managed to get there around 6pm. We were early again... Surprisingly, non of us wanted to go into the carnival again (it was the additional HK$20 entry fee that deterred us. Hehe) As most of us already bought the stuff in the opening day, we just got one person to go in instead. Pkh was the lucky chap and he won for himself a Fuji digital camera for the lucky draw... While waiting, I bought for myself a tuna sandwich (that's dinner) and 3 small battery operated light stics. The light stics didn't work too well though. They went dim almost halfway during the concert.

Almost to 7, Lisa was still not at the usual place where we were supposed to meet. She came much later and explained that she was tied up with work (probably alot of people have yet to collect the tickets they have booked from the fan club). Almost then, the HK other fan club members also arrived. CC handed us the Kelly Day programme for tomorrow which she has prepared and reminded us to gather at Wanchai MTR at 10am. There was also a group of people (duno who they are? some media reporters or...) and they were interviewing some of the Kelly fans. Fans from Germany and Brunei did posed for them and shouted some cheers in front of the camera. =p

Finally, it was time to get seated as it was close to the start of the concert. For the first show, the concert had started much later than usual at almost 8:45pm. Among the stars watching tonight's show was the cast from The Touch, Michelle Yeoh and her boyfriend (they were seating in the row in front of us) and Peter Pau together with Brandon Chang on the section to our right. Also coming to support was lyricist Wyman Wong for several hit tunes of Kelly like Star Dreams Real Passion, ASK and If We Are In Love.

As the lights of the coliseum dimmed, the audience went wild. The mini screen by the sides of the stage showed Kelly's rehearsal for her concert. After the video and the opening music ended, there was a loud pop sound and the curtains of the side stage near to the blue section came down. Kelly was in full white with red and black peacock feathers sticking behind her back. She was standing on the metal platform and on her sides were acrobats from the Russian Circus. Kelly looked tensed holding firmly to the side bars of the platform (the later nights, she was more relaxed and waving and smiling when she appeared).

The platform moved towards the stage and finally landed in the middle. The familiar tune to Dynacarnival began as the fans waved their light stics to the beat of the music. The second song, Big Day, immediately follwed. Kelly did some stunts with the hoop (throwing them around and that is all!). 

After greeting the audience, she posed her first question for the night to the audience. Being a 4 sided stage, she said that she will face the side more often that shouted the loudest. Of course, the blue section won as the fan club members were mostly seated in the area =). Kelly went over to our area and started singing her old hits like Star Dreams Real Passion and Take My Hand. While waiting for Kelly to prepare for the next segment of the concert, the video showed the music video for The Touch. Prior to this, Kelly had introduced the song and said that she was fortunate to be able to sing the theme song for an international film.

The next segment of the concert was the Stick Dance. This was my favorite segment for the entire concert. Kelly looked extremely cool and suave in her Dolce and Gabanna black top and tights. She again appeared from the side platform near the blue section seated on a chair. Kelly came down slowly The music arrangement for Walkman was slightly different from the usual one we hear. It started out slow and got faster towards the end.

Midway during the song, Kelly had pulled out her gun and took aim at the cans placed on the barrel in the middle of the stage.

There was this later part that she kicked the baddies and even shot one down from the coliseum ceiling! Fear not. There was no bloodshed but the fallen figure from the top was just a dummy!

This part of Kelly's talking section was also much more interesting. The dancers brought to her the metal rod which Kelly claimed that it weighs over 20 pounds. She carried on saying that this was the toughest part of her dances in that she had spent several hours each day practising and had even hurt herself frequently while throwing the heavy stick around.

 Following that, she asked if any of the audience did not believe that the rod weighed so heavy. Most of the people including myself raised our hands. She finally chosed a middle aged man and threw the rod over to him from the stage. Kelly commanded him to raise the rod high in the air and spin till the end of the show. The guy obediently did as followed and the audience laughed. At times, the guy stopped but just then Kelly started screaming at him to carry on spinning the rod and not to be lazy. 

The next two songs that Kelly sang were Why Are You So and This Man. For the second song, a dummy seated on a chair (looks like an electric execution chair) rose from the middle. Kelly gave the dummy several slaps and punches while singing the song. Haha sadistic Kelly.. 

>> Part 4