Kesha @ Ravinia, Highland Park, IL, USA Sep 8, 2019
The last show of the Rainbow Tour: Goodbye Chicago!
Kesha is about to take the stage at the most iconic stage in America. Ravinia is hosting Kesha’s final show of her Rainbow tour. The crowd is a well-rounded sort of people from old to young, parents with their kids, teens getting dropped off in groups, mid-age women and men, to older people such as grandparents. It’s an amazing group of people here tonight waiting to hear some great music from Kesha.
Kesha takes the stage with a black leather outfit with her ass hanging out along with her hair dyed black. Also with instant vulgarity out of her mouth which doesn’t bother me but maybe for some it wasn’t impressive. Starting the night off with “Woman” which is the perfect song with vulgar lyrics that emphasize what the songs really about being self-sufficient and strong.
“We R Who We R” lit up the glitter bombs from the LGBTQ community, the song written in response to a bullying and gay teen suicides in 2010. Kesha wrote the song in hopes that it would become a pride anthem. Kesha emphasized to the crowd that this song is about being yourself, about basic human rights, about basic equal human rights. I’ll stand for that until I’m six feet underground,” Before I knew it I thought I was on the Jersey Shore with all the fist-pumping frenzy going on.
More amazing was the wardrobe changes that I was not expecting. Along with her changing guitars and playing a few chords here and there on songs that really doesn’t call for her playing guitar when you have a great backing band. Sure it’s for show, I know but it crosses the line a bit for me. I was impressed when she played her acoustic song “Bastards” which serves as the opening track on Kesha’s third album Rainbow.
The song is about not letting anyone bullying you or bringing you down.
Kesha covered her hits and definitely made her animals happy for tonight’s show but as well many fans were left wanting more. During “Timber” Kesha put the microphone out into a gentleman’s mouth in the front row to give him a chance to sing Pitbull’s part and surprisingly nailed it as Kesha let that gentleman continue to sing the whole part. Most sitting around me were extremely excited for that man saying how cool that was of Kesha to do.
When it came time for “Blow” the crowd was not on board. Kesha started out saying to the crowd are you ready for the last song??? Well hell no the crowd did not erupt or get excited about that, who would why would you cheer for the last song??? Kesha repeated it several times and stated I can’t hear you, well no kidding, that being said she did start the song and played it but as we all know that’s the pre build-up to the Encore after she left the stage.
Kesha returned to the stage after the loud cheers and chanting of Kesha Kesha Kesha and so on.
“Praying” was the first Encore song, Kesha said that “Praying” is about hoping that anyone, even abusers, can heal. The biggest part of the song is Kesha’s notable high vocal range part that on the album is amazing and just killer but live it just didn’t translate that well but that happens from time to time.
Ending the night was Kesha’s breakthrough song “Tick Tok” The song was the best-
Setlist Ravinia Sept 8, 2019
Woman
Blah Blah Blah
We R Who We R
Bastards
Boots
Timber (with Pitbull video)
Die Young
Your Love Is My Drug
Take It Off
Blow
Encore:
Praying
TiK ToK
